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Well guys, another turkey season has passed for me. It was my best season in quite a while. Harvested some good birds on some exciting hunts, crossed 3 more states off my list, got 3 of 4 gobblers with my custom 20 gauge, saw some amazing places, and took the first bird off of my property in Tennessee.
The first gobbler was on an afternoon roost hunt in the Lowcountry of SC. I called a strutter and his hen 300 yards across a field, and shot the gobbler at 56 yards while his hen was running straight at me to fly up to the roost.
The second gobbler was on my property in Tennessee. I watched this gobbler following hens for 3 days, but he wouldn't leave the hens, and the hens weren't interested in sharing. So on day 4, I set up in the area they had been traveling, and put out my DSD's, a feeding hen, an upright hen and a 3/4 strut jake. The gobbler came right in with his hens, and attacked my Jake deke. I dropped him at 20 yards.
Next up was the Black Hills of SD. Beautiful country out there with lots of hard gobbling Merriams. It was tough hunting due to lots of hens. On the 3rd afternoon we roosted 60 turkeys including at least 6 gobblers. The next morning we snuck into the roost before light. As dawn broke, I realized that I was surrounded by turkeys, and watched two gobblers hammering away at hens and strutting on the limb. Shortly after flydown, a gobbler strutted into my shooting lane and I dropped the hammer on him at 22 yards.
The final gobbler of my season was in Wyoming. We'd hunted hard under the same henned up conditions. It was the last afternoon of my trip, so we went to where we'd roosted birds a couple of days earlier. I set up in the roost and waited. An hour before dark 3 gobblers marched up the hill, then turned around and headed back down the hill. The lead bird stepped into an opening and I spotted a decent beard. I swung my 20 to the next opening and dropped him at 42 yards when he walked in.
It was a great season for me!! I harvested a gobbler in every state that I hunted. I crossed 3 new states off my list. I killed a gobbler on my land. I saw turkeys, whitetails, mule deer, pronghorn antelope, buffalo, bighorn sheep, Rocky Mountain goats, prairie dogs, porcupines, coyotes, and countless geese and ducks.
We visited The Badlands, Mt. Rushmore, Wind Cave National Park, Spearfish Canyon, Deadwood, Devil's Tower, Custer State Park, the Black Hills and took in some tremendous sights. It was a season to remember!! (https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220519/16a69a05f8b289af5a5f8dadbdcc00e3.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220519/6f5eb67b7fa84b88b938e1f35bf8f275.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220519/4a13f197a8576c220d601b1f5baa4045.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220519/ebc33d29785a9bed50c6443261303045.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220519/3c9805bdb287bf420272ef6a720ac112.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220519/1cfccfe6dbd5ab3f344c1e6890ebf96b.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220519/7332d1d11a5643ffe2fed9fc49a354bb.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220519/5d9a9d3653920742e01612ea2316788f.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220519/9154f85974625f29aac05909c41488f1.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220519/87d6d0a8e6fdad43e4f68b6ff0d48c5b.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220519/7227cbf6784f6640a42ae0457b4d1207.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220519/3f43ef6665fed6f8b00409558f543654.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220519/f0e0d29f7c5521b068f66b159ff0bf17.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220519/17f808694a169caf41ac41e2ed68734e.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220519/7df8fdf3e40355da4c80a7f08b1d7658.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220519/6431d00616cb7e63b461a3a12b28997e.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220519/9dc83239d2e5597611b9698b7c7c3fdb.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220519/de0f5179dd7f9f6085f5917319f9cd6e.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220519/86259137ddeed577a8ca2a4e6e8a5094.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220519/aee42401911368d7f4c082ff36df098e.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220519/ef4aa8557f14d90dfc475607cac76619.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220519/2436f49008d68ceb57726731de674bb4.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220519/af8c5036f4673a10fb6125d602701f53.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220519/b4859e2bbf79e76ea1387081ef9dc85a.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220519/6a015a28e6c1a5b8fe58c3f886d98ff9.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220519/efed34eff336cbc373ae46a08005b7ee.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220519/78f4b45eda34e0d7518d8a2f5e3e24af.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220519/a0f06bfceed6e000df5a05f793eed5f6.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220519/9ee98ae4c5cd6d1d355a8ba882d4385c.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220519/bf4d8b26ef9fc2571c5b6e44b51c3ca4.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220519/d2165f7b26f66b364a298cd69c4fb5fc.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220519/d08bff6c5d23814e67a36a66a4d0babb.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220519/14f8bfffbc20fe00df2bbb6ad06595e2.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220519/2513dd26a766a839b17f8ae8de1d5ae1.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220519/d0fb46b778601d83c8a0cef20f0d1a18.jpg)

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Beautiful pictures, nice country

Congrats! Great pictures. 

BTW - you look like a guy I talked with at a bar in Bell Fourche.  Been around the 6th.

Congrats on a great season Jim!   :icon_thumright:

One heck of a vacation and hunting trip thanks for sharing, very nice pictures. :drool:

Great photos!  Thanks for sharing and congrats on your hunting success this year.

Congratulations and great photos.

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Thanks for sharing was an unforgettable season and great pics of great birds in some amazing country. Well done!

Quote from: joey46 on May 18, 2022, 11:11:41 PM
BTW - you look like a guy I talked with at a bar in Bell Fourche.  Been around the 6th.

Joey, we hunted SD near Bell Fourche, but we stayed in Hulett, WY. So it wasn't me.

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Thanks guys!!

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Congrats on a great safe and successful season Jim. Taking a Tom of of your own piece of dirt is a season highlight all by it self, icing on the cake with success with additional states. Congrats again Sir!!

Quote from: JeffC on May 19, 2022, 08:14:17 AM
Taking a Tom of of your own piece of dirt is a season highlight all by it self

I totally agree!! That was a memorable hunt.

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Congratulations on a fine season. Thanks for all the pictures!

Year of a lifetime, congrats.....

Congrats to you. Looks like you enjoyed your trips and got rewarded. Did you go with a partner or a group? I would like to do a little more cross state hunting. But I need a partner with the driving and so forth. I think with my running and gunning tactics I wore them out. Lol. But to be honest most of the time I hunt alone. A good partner I had has passed years back and another friend is so busy with work we rarely connect anymore. Congrats again for your success!

great job!!!

Quote from: Old Timer on May 19, 2022, 12:39:15 PM
Congrats to you. Looks like you enjoyed your trips and got rewarded. Did you go with a partner or a group? I would like to do a little more cross state hunting. But I need a partner with the driving and so forth. I think with my running and gunning tactics I wore them out. Lol. But to be honest most of the time I hunt alone. A good partner I had has passed years back and another friend is so busy with work we rarely connect anymore. Congrats again for your success!

Yes, when I travel I go with the guys I deer hunt with. I don't think I'd enjoy traveling and hunting by myself. It's OK when I'm home or at my hunt camp.

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Congratulations on a great season! You mentioned Hulett, WY. I harvested a beautiful Merriam's in a snow storm on a mountain top there a few years back. One of the most satisfying hunts of my life. Beautiful country. Congrats again!

Great pics!

Quote from: OJR on May 19, 2022, 03:12:37 PM
Congratulations on a great season! You mentioned Hulett, WY. I harvested a beautiful Merriam's in a snow storm on a mountain top there a few years back. One of the most satisfying hunts of my life. Beautiful country. Congrats again!

They had a blizzard there a week and a half before we got there. There was still patchy spots of snow here and there. I can see why harvesting one in the snow would be satisfying.

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Congratulations! Love the pics!


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Nice work.

It was a good season for sure.

Congrats on some nice gobblers..hope you didn't run into any aliens there at the tower lol nice pictures

Quote from: Yoteduster on May 20, 2022, 12:00:02 AM
Congrats on some nice gobblers..hope you didn't run into any aliens there at the tower lol nice pictures

LOL!!!
Not this time!!

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Quote from: RutnNStrutn on May 19, 2022, 04:04:05 PM

Quote from: OJR on May 19, 2022, 03:12:37 PM
Congratulations on a great season! You mentioned Hulett, WY. I harvested a beautiful Merriam's in a snow storm on a mountain top there a few years back. One of the most satisfying hunts of my life. Beautiful country. Congrats again!

They had a blizzard there a week and a half before we got there. There was still patchy spots of snow here and there. I can see why harvesting one in the snow would be satisfying.

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Since we were there basically at the same time I'll add this pic to your post.  I was still two hours plus from my target area when I ran into this.  Hadn't been in snow since 2004 and thought, "what have I got myself into".  Picture date shows 5/2. 

Congratulation on great hunts. Thanks for sharing the beautiful photos

Quote from: joey46 on May 20, 2022, 06:09:37 AM

Quote from: RutnNStrutn on May 19, 2022, 04:04:05 PM

Quote from: OJR on May 19, 2022, 03:12:37 PM
Congratulations on a great season! You mentioned Hulett, WY. I harvested a beautiful Merriam's in a snow storm on a mountain top there a few years back. One of the most satisfying hunts of my life. Beautiful country. Congrats again!

They had a blizzard there a week and a half before we got there. There was still patchy spots of snow here and there. I can see why harvesting one in the snow would be satisfying.

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Since we were there basically at the same time I'll add this pic to your post.  I was still two hours plus from my target area when I ran into this.  Hadn't been in snow since 2004 and thought, "what have I got myself into".  Picture date shows 5/2.

Wow!! Glad we didn't have that!! We did have most mornings in the 30's with winds blowing.

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Congratulations! Great pictures.

Great season and awesome pics.  Glad you had both a fun and successful season!

Quote from: g8rvet on May 20, 2022, 08:49:54 PM
Great season and awesome pics.  Glad you had both a fun and successful season!

Thanks Larry!!

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Still had my phone set with western weather alerts.  Just notified that light snow is falling now in Hulett.  Sorry I missed it.  Almost a lol for 5/21 at 9am CST.

Quote from: joey46 on May 21, 2022, 10:53:07 AM
Still had my phone set with western weather alerts.  Just notified that light snow is falling now in Hulett.  Sorry I missed it.  Almost a lol for 5/21 at 9am CST.

Crazy weather out west!! We had light hail and snow flurries one afternoon out there!! Then the clouds rolled back, gave us a rainbow, then blue skies.

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Great season indeed!

Thanks Barry!!

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Now I know why we couldn't find any birds in the southern Black Hills....they all moved to the north. We just got home from there and I think I heard or saw one gobbler for every 50 miles traveled and I am not kidding. Turkeys were as rare as hen's teeth

Quote from: eggshell on May 23, 2022, 06:39:37 PM
Now I know why we couldn't find any birds in the southern Black Hills....they all moved to the north. We just got home from there and I think I heard or saw one gobbler for every 50 miles traveled and I am not kidding. Turkeys were as rare as hen's teeth

Wow. That's crazy. They were thick as flies on stink where we were.

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I was basically in the same area as RnS.  Maybe a few days earlier.  No shortage of birds.  Remember when hunting that north end you're 90 minutes or less from MT, SD, and WY.  All have huntable populations and plenty of public land.  The one and only tip I'll give in this "everything's a secret" environment is don't ignore the hundreds of small tracts of BLM lands.  Many are landlocked by private land but many are not.  It took me three years of research to finally make this trip.  Worth it for me. I won't do it solo again but already have a hunting buddy rethinking his decision to "wait till next year". Good luck in the future.

Looks like an AWESOME HUNT and GREAT PIX !

Great stuff!  I'm missing it already.

Thanks guys!!

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Man I wish I'd seen your post a few days ago while I was out there. We were staying just SE of deadwood and could of easily drove up there. It's weird that less then an hr away birds went from sparse to thick. Oh well, maybe next time. Since my daughter lives out there we go out every year, so I put that info in my memory banks. I just hope not too many others get wind of it.

Congratulations on getting it done.

Quote from: eggshell on May 24, 2022, 04:30:57 PM
Man I wish I'd seen your post a few days ago while I was out there. We were staying just SE of deadwood and could of easily drove up there. It's weird that less then an hr away birds went from sparse to thick. Oh well, maybe next time. Since my daughter lives out there we go out every year, so I put that info in my memory banks. I just hope not too many others get wind of it.

Eggshell, you're not the only one who responded to this post like that. It is odd that such a short distance made such a big difference.

Quote from: Gooserbat on May 24, 2022, 04:52:19 PM
Congratulations on getting it done.

Thanks Sam!!!


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Congratulations, some beautiful country. I would love to see mountains before I die.

Thanks man!! I hope you do as well.

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Quote from: Sir-diealot on May 28, 2022, 06:04:36 PM
Congratulations, some beautiful country. I would love to see mountains before I die.

Just out of curiosity, don't you live/hunt in NY? Why not try the Adirondacks?

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