Home Forums Birds & Dogs Turkey Hunting Cold Morning but Limited in TN

It was 39 at the house this morning and no moon. I slipped in to where I wanted to start and listened. Just after 6 I heard hens straight in front of me on the roost. 6 of them walked out into the field right at 6:30 and two pitched out to make a total of 8 hens just in front of me. Not one single gobble anywhere to be heard. The hens were there about 5 minutes and I saw 3 gobblers step into the field. By now the hens had worked their way to about 20 yards from me and were spread out about 30 yards from left to right. 2 of the gobblers looked to be about the same size and one had a better beard than the other 2 so that was the one I was watching the most. I had my gun up and ready but the bird I wanted had another gobbler right behind him so I had to wait for him to get clear. When the time was right I shot and down he went. The rest of the birds jumped straight up and came back down not knowing what had happened. They looked around and went back to being turkeys. They hung around for about 20 minutes and the other two toms put on a little show of jumping up and fighting for a second or two. They would strut and fan for the ladies but they all went on down the field after awhile.
I found the wad from my shell laying right at the bird when I went to get him. This was the best spur I have ever taken on this farm with one being 1 5/8" and the other at 1 1/4", beard was 10 3/4" and he was just over 20 lbs.





Wad laying where I found it, right at the bird


Other two showing out for the ladies.

That's a really nice gobbler ! What kind of shot shell?

Congrats! Great hunt!!

Nice and congrats!

Started snowing here last night and still snowing.

20 Ga, Wby 459 with a Holosun 507c, Hand loaded TSS,#9. 1 5/8 oz load, Indian Creek .555 choke.

Got another one, huh! Nice bird.

Good deal. Cold and windy here in Kentucky this morning, and did not see or hear a thing.

I am off work today, so I was ready to hunt the whole day if need be, but was blessed to get this one right away

Thats a really nice Tom!!!
Congrats man!!!
👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

Nice bird. Way to get it done. Missouri opened today and I got a nice gobbler at 8:35. Now I have to sit out till next Monday.

Very nice bird!
Big bugger, I would like to get one with spurs like that. They grow big where you are. Are you limited out now?
Like the picture with the wad laying next to him.

That's the way to get it done!

Most of the birds on that farm are around 19-21 lbs but have killed one that went 24 and my buddy killed one that went 17 so you never know.
As far as spurs go, they run anywhere from 7/8" to about 1 1/4" with most right around 1". I did kill one that was right a 1 3/8" and thought he was huge for around here.

Yes I am limited, they cut our bag limit to 2 birds this year. My buddy (the guy that owns the farm) and I doubled open day (Saturday) and I called him in one on Sunday afternoon and he killed it. I got one to about 100 yards about an hour after that and he hung up and would not play even though I had a hen at about 20 yards from me. I went back this morning and got my second bird and now I can just watch them in the fields till next year.

I forgot to mention that I shot this bird right at 22 yards.
For a past member here I will say of the 4 birds killed by my buddy and myself, not breast meat was harmed using TSS loads. (just for the record)

I will be eating this bird and the other one went to my neighbor that is the wounded warrior. I was able to get it to him yesterday afternoon when I got home from hunting. He was all smiles when I handed it to him.

That was very nice of you. 👍👍

Thanks, he is a great guy and a very good neighbor.

Man, that's a hammer! Congrats buddy!

Congratulations, nice bird and cool story.

Congrats on another nice bird! I have three great county’s to hunt but limited to just two birds. I wish it was a three bird limit myself.