Turkey season rocks

[Team Sergeant]

Originally Posted by craigepo

We must have had a very good turkey hatch last year. Had a beautiful morning, heard 5 gobblers in one hollow, directly behind the house.

I tried to get a picture showing the dogwoods just coming into bloom, but my photography ability leaves a lot to be desired

I need to move out of Phoenix.......

[PSM]

Originally Posted by Team Sergeant

I need to move out of Phoenix.......

Yep! But you don't have to move out of Arizona. My wife is at a bird "listening" class tonight and turkey is on the menu.

Pat

[craigepo]

Popped this dude on the farm. 24 pounds, with 4 beards---an 11'' main beard, two small 8'' beards, and a small 5'' beard. Had 1 1/4 inch spurs, which makes him about 3 years old.

I put 3 1/2 inch mags in the Benelli. Shooting those things around a tree will take your head off. I've been punched by guys that didn't hit me as hard as that!

[Team Sergeant]

Very NICE!!!!!!!

[BryanK]

Congratulations, that's definitely one for the books! Multi-bearded thunder chickens are hard to come by. Out of curiosity, did you call him in? Also, are you doing a full body mount?

[craigepo]

No taxidermy on this one. We cooked him the first evening, with some morel mushrooms.

I have one bird mounted, and he was a 25-pounder. That was a full body mount, gobbling on a limb.

This was actually the 2nd bird I hunted that day. 1st bird came in a little too far to my right, then I recognized him from coming up behind the house, so I let him go. This one I went to and spotted in the corner of a field by himself(so far the gobblers have been covered up with hens). I crawled a little, and when I called he came in and started gobbling and strutting.

[Guymullins]

Originally Posted by craigepo

Popped this dude on the farm. 24 pounds, with 4 beards---an 11'' main beard, two small 8'' beards, and a small 5'' beard. Had 1 1/4 inch spurs, which makes him about 3 years old.

I put 3 1/2 inch mags in the Benelli. Shooting those things around a tree will take your head off. I've been punched by guys that didn't hit me as hard as that!

What sized shot do you use for Turkey?

[craigepo]

I use a 12 gauge, wit 3 1/2" mags. I shoot #6 shot, as they seem to penetrate better than #4. In Missouri, #2 is the largest legal shot allowed.
I run this through an Indian Creek extra full choke tube. A head and neck shot up to 50 yards and they drop like a rock.
Personally, I enjoy the listening and calling as much as anything. With the right conditions, you can hear one of these gobblers at a half mile. Some of the most fun hunting I've ever done. If you're into dressing up like a hillbilly ninja and low crawling after a bird with a brain the size of a cherry tomato

[Guymullins]

Originally Posted by craigepo

I use a 12 gauge, wit 3 1/2" mags. I shoot #6 shot, as they seem to penetrate better than #4. In Missouri, #2 is the largest legal shot allowed.
I run this through an Indian Creek extra full choke tube. A head and neck shot up to 50 yards and they drop like a rock.
Personally, I enjoy the listening and calling as much as anything. With the right conditions, you can hear one of these gobblers at a half mile. Some of the most fun hunting I've ever done. If you're into dressing up like a hillbilly ninja and low crawling after a bird with a brain the size of a cherry tomato

That is a quite small shot size, but I suppose if you only take head shots, it is more than enough. Do you take shots while the birds fly? From my skydiving days, and the use of the word Turkey to describe someone who couldn't fly, I am not sure whether they fly or not. The 3 1/2 magnum cartridges are what we would use here for Spurwing and Egyptian geese. Huge tough birds, usually shot at long range.

[miclo18d]

Wild turkeys can fly short distances. I have seen them in the back 40 flying. They are shot on the ground though ( not sure if that is law or just by happenstance) Calling them is a beautiful art.

[booker]

Originally Posted by miclo18d

Wild turkeys can fly short distances. I have seen them in the back 40 flying. They are shot on the ground though ( not sure if that is law or just by happenstance) Calling them is a beautiful art.

Turkey calling can simultaneously be the most frustrating and the most rewarding thing. It is definitely a perishable skill.

[Rob_Frey]

Originally Posted by booker

Turkey calling can simultaneously be the most frustrating and the most rewarding thing. It is definitely a perishable skill.

That's for sure. I've had Turkeys gobbling back hard, but they won't come closer. One time it was a fence I didn't know was between us, and another time it was a tiny creek it wouldn't cross for an hour and a half.

[craigepo]

Originally Posted by Guymullins

That is a quite small shot size, but I suppose if you only take head shots, it is more than enough. Do you take shots while the birds fly? From my skydiving days, and the use of the word Turkey to describe someone who couldn't fly, I am not sure whether they fly or not. The 3 1/2 magnum cartridges are what we would use here for Spurwing and Egyptian geese. Huge tough birds, usually shot at long range.

Turkeys are called in on the ground. They come in looking to mate. Often the males gobble and strut on their way in, which is a pretty neat sight.

Many states are shotgun-only for turkeys. Coming in on the ground, it's almost always a head and neck shot. Killing one flying is a trick, as they are so big it's almost impossible to get pellets through that breast. Pheasants are tough enough.

[KJS 1389]

Dang, Oklahoma turkeys must be the runts compared to the rest of the country. I think the largest I've shot since moving here was 13-14lbs. Excellent birds, gents.

[7624U]

Spring Turkey season opens next weekend in Tennessee. Just a reminder in case anyone forgot.

No Virus in the woods