I shot this turkey last week in Mississippi. It was an awesome day. I spent over 10 hours hunting and calling on a cool rainy day before I struck paydirt. I spent a lot of time in a blind since it was raining. Having a good book made all the difference in the world. It weighed 20.2 pounds had 7/8 inch spurs and a 10 5/8" beard. - tnscouter

heck yeah, congrats

I haven’t had any luck with my bow yet, dammit

Season opens Saturday 4/14 here in Colorado. That gobbler looks a little soggy! Bob

Bob: Good luck with your turkey hunting. I hope your day is shorter than mine.

The gobbler I shot was really wet, notice the beard. It was pretty cool that day and it rained all day long. At times it was really strong but for the most part it was just a drizzle.

Because of that I spent much of my time in a couple different blinds reading a book and occasionally nodding off. Throughout the day I would throw some yelps out just to let any bird within ear shot know a hen was out. I was rewarded in the early evening.

I love turkey hunting. It is one of my favorite ways to spend time in the woods. I also enjoy hearing other people's stories. I'm happy for their experiences and they create more anticipation for my next outing. I look forward to hearing a great success story from you. Good luck and have fun. - tnscouter

Got mine with my bow, 12 yds, 91/2" beard. Can't seam to get the pics on here. Yet

Mine are in the front yard almost every morning and evening. Rio7

wyowinchester: Shooting one with a bow is amazing. That is a goal of mine but haven't tried it yet.

Great job. Post some pics when you can. Congratulations - tnscouter

Some Alabama birds

RIO7: Are those Rio Grande turkeys? They are beautiful birds. Do you hunt them?
How difficult is it for non-residents to hunt down there? Is it all private property or can you do your own hunts on public lands?

My dream goal has always been to get a grand slam. Not so much for the slam, but to get a full mount of each bird because they are so beautiful. I've got a great mount of an Eastern in full strut.

I look forward to your stories and pictures of any successful hunt. Thanks for posting. - tnscouter

hh4whiskey: Those are great pics. I really like the one hanging over the creek. I have some buddies that hunt in Alabama a lot and they all have great stories.

Thanks for posting and good luck with your hunts. -tnscouter

Thanks Tn.... it’s been a fun season so far. Top bird had only three toes on one foot from a bobcat or such. Called him in limping the whole way. The one hanging on the limb had a twin with him that I’d like to kill, too. He had 1-3/8” spurs. The other bird with the double beard snuck in 15’ off my right shoulder and drummed in my face before crossing to my left where the gun barrel was.

tnscouter, Yes these are Rio Grande, We don't hunt them in fact I don't know anyone around here that hunts them. I have had guests that said they couldn't sleep in the early mornings because the gobblers woke them up. they are noisy as hell in the mornings and they crap on everything. I don't know anything about public land hunts can't help you there. Rio7

great pics

This is as close as I could get..
https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/galleries/12786214/bow-turkey
Thanks TNSCOUTER We were around about 80 birds that day. Fun time.

That looks cold---wyowinchester

wyowinchester: This is a super cool pic. You deserved a bird for hunting in those conditions. - tnscouter

Here's wyowinchester's picture:

Snowed off and on all day. Dumped another inch that night. Spring in WY

This IT stuff is kicking my butt. THANKS TN

Season here opens Saturday, and I'm afraid it's going to be a disappointing one. For one thing, the weather forecast is looking bad, with a cold front coming through with rain and colder temps. Also, we've had very good turkey hunting here for the last 20 years, with my son and I usually limiting out here on the farm. We've always had plenty of turkeys, but the last couple of years have been challenging, and this year is looking even worse. The birds just aren't here like they usually are. Of course, that could change, as turkeys are extremely unpredictable. We have been hurt by the number of Mennonites that have moved into the area, because they buy large farms, and split them up into smaller properties. That means less land for the turkeys, and more people hunting them. The Mennonites don't mind telling you that if they want to eat, they shoot it, season or not. I've got other farms I can hunt on, but prefer hunting at home. Guess I'll wait and see how it pans out.

4th time out this yr....
FIL health issues been taking up every spare moment it seems.
Lot of stuff being put on hold, gotta do what's right, and look out for
him.

I will kill another on post for the new limit of only 2 eventually. Then hit some public land for
Tn birds after people call it quits late season.

Area 26 Fort Campbell


10 3/8ths
15/16ths
22pds 4oz

Avian x Lay down hen and imitating 2 hens sound for sound pissed them off and brought in their boyfriend behind them.

Busted the cherry on new boom stick also.

renegade50: Sweet looking bird. I've heard there's really good hunting up in your area. Thanks for posting the pictures. Congratulations and good luck with your upcoming hunts. Hopefully I'll go this weekend. Thanks again for the pics. - tnscouter

That's a great photo! Bob

gunnut308: That is a cool picture and a great looking bird. How did you get the fan to stay spread out like that for the picture? Also were you using any decoys when you got this turkey? Thanks for posting the pic and congratulations. - tnscouter

Thanks guys!

Find a good size tree about a foot wide, spread the turkeys legs to straddle the tree. Then spread the fan and jamb his ass to the tree and adjust the fan.

No decoy... I've tagged the last eight gobblers without a decoy. Not that they don't work because they definitely get Old Toms attention. Bout the only time I take a decoy is when I have a kid with me, just to take the birds off of a fidgety youngster.

If I had fields or clearings where I hunt I'd use them for sure.

Old dead falls work too. One of my fav pics

gunnut308: That second picture is top notch. I'm going to try that with the next bird i get. Thanks for posting. - tnscouter

Here's my Colorado Arkansas River Rio Grande tom, from this morning. Called him in from across the river, came running into my Primos Gobstopper Jake and hen decoys without hesitation. Shot him at 7:55 AM. This is the second tom I have killed at this exact location.

Congrats on a nice bird! What part of Colorado?

Here is my hen and Jake decoy setup, 20-25 yards from my brush blind. Tom came into these dekes at a dead run. These Rios really seem to like open spaces during the spring to do their stuff.

gunnut,

My farm is located near Manzanola, CO, between Manzanola and Rocky Ford, out on the eastern plains.

Great photos---Keep them coming. I had one working this AM but................Maybe next weekend.

Here's one I got the 2nd weekend of the season. 18.5 lb Rio, 9' beard and 1 1/8" and 1" spurs.



The pup waited in the truck while I hunted. The day before it was 22 degrees with a 35 mph wind gusting to 50. This morning it was 'only' 33 degrees and a light wind. Welcome to Texas.

Turkey with Grandson - His first with his new Orion 12 ga - Link to pix and story on Parker Site:

http://parkerguns.org/forums/showthread.php?t=23791

Bighorn: That is a beautiful bird. I like the pic of your setup. Thanks for posting this and congratulations on a great turkey. - tnscouter

Bbear: Nice turkey. How did the cold weather impact, if at all, the turkeys? I was out on a cold day the other week and didn't hear or see any. Congratulations on the fine turkey and thanks for posting the picture.

crshelton: Great story and nice turkey. I'm sure your grandson was as excited as you. You're lucky to share that time with him and he is lucky to have you. Thanks for posting and congratulations to your grandson. - tnscouter

Fellows thanks for all the pictures and stories. The response is better than I expected.

I like to peruse the Hunter's Campfire forum but I really enjoy the hunting stories and pictures.

Keep the pictures and stories coming. It really adds to the enjoyment of a short season by seeing how well others are doing. It's also inspirational when you're out there for hours hearing nothing.

Looking forward to pictures from all the hunters just getting started. -tnscouter

tnscouter - They stayed in their tree until full sunrise. They then flew down into the middle of an open hay field and worked right down the middle of it. They never came close to the edge where I was. I was back in the house by 8:30. Then went back out again around 10:30 to silence.
The next day, they flew down and walked right down the edge (of course, I was on the OTHER edge). I worked around in front of them and ambushed him. About a 50 yard shot as a couple of hens got leery of the large 'bump' at the base of the tree.

Took this one last Friday. Hybrid w/ 9 3/4" beard, 1 3/8" hooks, and 23#.

Big bird! What are the indicators of it being a hybrid Eastern/Rio?

Thanks, RS

Taking tomorrow off to chase them. Hoping I can tag out. I had to leave one gobbling this past weekend to be at the ballfields on time. Hoping he is still around.

The tail feathers coloration. The hybrids fan will look like a blended eastern and rio fan. The hybrids are common anywhere two sub-species ranges over lap, in my area the width of the "hybrid line" is only about 10-15 miles. Good examples of each on this thread with the Eastern that tnscouter and the Rios that Rio7 posted.

This bird my buddy harvested in the exact spot 30 minutes prior to mine and its a true Eastern. We were standing in the middle of a fire break that was about 20 yards wide, wind howling 20+ mph, had been trying to get a bird to gobble and now contemplating our next move, when I turned and spotted this bird strutted out into the open 100 yards from us, he had come in quiet, I quickly put my fan in front of my face and he spotted it and started coming in. We slowly lowered together and my buddy was able to get turned around and grab the strutter. So now I'm hiding behind the fan and he's behind the strutter. Bird comes straight in and he shoots him at 7 steps. We stick the strutter in the ground and set up in the brush about 10 steps away. 30 minutes later my bird fired up behind us, called to him and he came out into the open in the same spot as the other did and ran as hard as he could straight to the decoy. His bird was 20#, 9 1/4" beard, and 1 1/4" spurs

Love almost got him in trouble. If his beard were 10" instead of 1", he would be headed for the BBQ grill.

hosting images

Jakes taste Good !

Another Bama bird down.

Nice bird, gents - congrats!


Thought someone was trying to break into the house here recently.
Not what I was expecting to see when I came running upstairs:

That’s a riot!

This tom was caught on my trail cam, a couple of weeks before season. I really wish Colorado would bump up the start date of the season by a week or two- the Rios in my hunt area are really cranked up, gobbling, and strutting already, makes it really hard to have to wait for the opener!

hosting image

And always served cold. BTDT.

Deer tags go down pretty easy but I hate choking down turkey tags

This years gobbler taken the first day with my 20ga Fusil de chasse flintlock. This gun I named "Big Tom" gets the job done every year



I called him in with a box call that a friend made for me 30 years ago.

Love the Photo !! Conglads, that's on my bucket list---a black powder gobbler. Bob

Here’s mine 1” spurs 10.5” beard 20 lbs

Oh well I can’t attach the pic I’ll try later

This morning's bird... Magnum Blend at 20 yards puts the lights out pretty quick!

Here is my opening day Tom from Ohio on 4-23-18. My biggest to date, 24lbs. 9 5/8" Beard, 1 1/4" & 1 3/16" Spurs......

2nd. one 4-25-18 Ohio Bird..... 18lbs. 10 1/14" Beard & 1" Spurs. Came in silent @ 37 yards.

Some WV birds with my two sons. Forgive my lack of photography skills.

Oldest son:




Youngest son:

Where in WV? Nice woods.

Braxton.

I don't turkey hunt but I just had 5.toms and 5 hens in the front yard. Boys were strutting their stuff. Kinda neat. Ed k

Heres mine:




















(yea... I didnt get my bird this year. :-( )

Whelen Nut's two turkeys:

Nice Toms fellows! No Bird for me this year! Ron was your call made by JG Blaker, was that Norm? that was big into flint arrow heads? Just wondering.

opening day NY. That ugly old gun still has its mojo.

Dang, I had to look that up. But then, I've only lived here 28 years.

Right in the center of the state. I-79 runs right through the middle of it.

You are in the Eastern Panhandle; correct?

Yup. The lady I was married to when I moved wanted to be back in WV, preferably Raleigh County, but Jefferson
County was close enough to where I was working that it was an acceptable compromise. Glad I made the jump when I did.

Haven't been out for over a week, but the birds here have been really eager to please. Hope to get out in the morning to try for my second one. I'm a pretty lousy (lazy) turkey hunter, but the odds seem to have caught up for me this year.

I lived in Berkeley County for several years. Berkeley and Jefferson have really grown.

#4... three toe’s twin brother, from the same tree

Doubled up on 1 shot out of the 11-87.

20lb 9.5" beard 1" hooks Tom and a 15lb Jake

Check out the hooks on this old boy..

Opening Day Virginia:

Last Saturday's (5/5) Hybrid, 10" beard 3/4" spurs, Sunday morning's Rio 9" beard 1 1/8" hooks, and Tuesday's New Mexico Merriam 10.5" beard 7/8" spurs.

http://www.addictedtosaving.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/butterball-turkey1-211x300.jpg

Here`s My South Jersey bird from last Saturday.
18 lbs, 10" beard, 7/8" spurs.
Lynch 102 does it again !

Dropped this mature ON bird late yesterday afternoon drawing him across bare fields [no decoys, no blinds - a long belly crawl in a short alfalfa field on my part. Unbelievably, I got this tom, first spotted strutting on a hill roughly 300 yards away, to within forty paces.

When he was committed to dawdling on over I gave him the silent treatment then gave him a couple of short runs when in was hidden behind a knoll. A surprisingly brief hunt but I spent a few hours on several occasions watching this flock of birds strolling all over the rolling hillsides - these birds were always in the wide open during the day. He was the satellite loner on the edges.

I like that photo. That's a pretty gobbler. Bob

Nice Bird Bert! I saw a Dandy one today, struting in a guys back yard! guess he was safe there as around the land is posted!

Thx John,

I was scouting a group tonight consisting of 4 long bearded toms, 3 jakes and four hens. Those hens are getting some fine and prompt service I must say.

Killed one today........real good hunt. Pulled the trigger 90 minutes after I first heard him, he wasn't an easy one.

9" beard, 1 1/8" spurs. Didn't weigh him but probably 18-19lbs.

nice larry

Lots of turkeys here.




I am seeing a good number of hen's with chicks, these from this morning. Rio7

does this count ?

out my front door...........

Nice of you to breeze through once in a while.

Watching 6 toms right now. 20 yards from the house. Maybe I should take up turkey hunting. Ed k

Took my second tom of the season tonight. I played a Fandango of 4-5 notes causing a 200 yard dash to within 16 paces of the intruding fan-dancer. This was the dominant bird of the four long beards running a harem which included another 3 jakes.

First bird I drew in with a turkey fan.

Cheers!