Home Forums Birds & Dogs Turkey Hunting Second Bird of Season

Killed my second of the season this morning. Went to one spot first thing this morning and heard two birds gobble way off. But they were not in a good place to try and get on. Ran to a place we call the Middle Field next. Walked out by the pond and yelped with a high pitch box call. A bird gobbled on the ground waaaay back at the timberline on the back side of the place. Grabbed my stuff and went after him. I got to the back timber line and hit the box call again. He gobbled not 150 yards away to my right down the tree line. Set up on him in some select cut pines and started to call with the Woodhaven slate. He would gobble but stayed in the same spot. Finally he went silent. Wouldn't answer my calls. Didn't gobble at crows passing over head like he had been. I thought he was gone. After 30 minutes of nothing I ran one more string of calls on the slate. Nothing. I put my slate in my pocket and was gathering up my stuff when I heard "Pit Tooooommm" I got my gun back up on my knee and started looking. The underbrush only allowed me to see about 45 yards. I heard one more "Pit Tooooommm" and then I saw him coming. He had gotten around a little to my right but still in front of me. I put the Speed Bead dot on a gap he was heading for and thumped him at 35 yards. 17lbs 6oz, 10 1/4 inch beard and 1 inch spurs. Camera date is a day behind. Plate is right. LOL!

Nothing beats them birds, nice going.

Woodhaven Classic Slate and striker?

Great job - I can't seem to get close. Going to try and roost some birds this evening (public land hunting is tough tough tough).

Bryant

Congrat's! Ya gotta look out when they go quiet, they're coming or going, and the trick is to know which. I noticed the weights of your birds, are those average weights for your area?

I have yet to hear a bird gobble this season, at all, period. Very odd year thus far.

Sweet. I am trying a speed bead this year, and i think I am going to like it. Gotta wait 2 more weeks for me to carry a gun, but youth day is this coming Saturday. Can't wait to get out there with my son.

Dam you are killing me , season hasn't even opened here, Nothing until April 10 . Nice bird and good shooting. Keep them coming.

Yeah. I love their calls.



Yeah, I almost messed up and gave up too quick. Whats the old saying, "when you are absolutely, positively, sure beyond all doubt that he is gone, wait 30 more minutes." LOL!



Yes those are average. This is river bottom swamp land along the Alabama River. Our swamp gobblers just aren't going to weigh a heck of a lot. I've killed birds that had a beard as thick as a vikings and hooks that would scare small children that only weighed 16 lbs.

Would love to dust one of those midwestern birds up Illinois way that are so fat they look like they should have "Butterball" stamped on their @$$.

Congrats. Great bird!

Interesting... my Ozark woods gobblers generally run around 21 - 22 pounds or so. The real old birds occasionally run heavier, I killed what I think was a four year old last season that weighed a little over 24 pounds. That's a hoss for a timber gobbler in this steep and deep terrain around here. It isn't uncommon for the guys in northern Missouri in the crop and farm country to get them 25+ pounds all the time.

The heaviest turkey I ever killed was 22lbs. But weightwise that was a freak for my hunting woods.

Nice bird!!! I gotta wait until April 19 before I can go after them but got out today and patterned the 870 again after putting some tru glo sights on it and am getting an average of 17 bbs in the kill zone at 45 yards so im ready. 17 pounds would be considered a small bird around here but I would be happy with him anyhow. Ive killed them as big as 24 pounds in my part of Missouri. Congrats and hopefully ill have a couple pics of a spring gobbler within a couple weeks. Good hunting, Josh

Congrats on a good Tom!

Awesome!