Muzzy, snowman and austin are lucky enough to be in the woods/ fields!! :turkey2: Any one else have any updates?? Muzzy have you been in contact with snowman?? Is he still dragging a monster bird back to the truck?!?
Muzzy wish you luck if your able to get out this weekend! :funnyturkey:
Quote from: JeffC on March 21, 2025, 08:23:02 AMMuzzy, snowman and austin are lucky enough to be in the woods/ fields!! :turkey2: Any one else have any updates?? Muzzy have you been in contact with snowman?? Is he still dragging a monster bird back to the truck?!?
Muzzy wish you luck if your able to get out this weekend! :funnyturkey:
Snoman on the board today. He was like me working to get his little hunter his first bird.
Opening week has been tough. majority of our lease has been recently clear cut or in the process. Got birds on different patterns and they are henned up bad. Hopefully they will start breaking up soon.
I had a memorable hunt, to say the least. I got in the area, I wanted to hunt, about 6 am. I was set up where a swamp and new clearcut meet up. As I was setting my decoys out, my stomach gave a bunch of hard and fast rumbles. I'm like, ohh noo. I'm now shedding my backpack, jacket, and waist pack and trying to find a tree I can lean against to do my business. All this while getting the TP and wet wipes and praying I can get my pants down in time. It was close, but a crisis was averted! I get everything set up and await sun up. A few crows sound off, and I hear a gobble SW of me a few hundred yards. 10 minutes later, the sun is just over the horizon, and a Sparrow Hawk hunting caused a gobbler to sound off E of me, closer than the first gobble I heard. He sounds off a few times to my tree calling and knows where I'm at. I shut up. A few minutes later I feel it's fly down time, so I hit a fly down cackle but get no response. My first thought was that he was already on the ground. 4 minutes later, I see a black body in the clearcut E of me. A quick raise of the binoculars, and I see a red head and beard. I grab the gun and get it up. 60 yards out, he stops and stares hard at the decoys. I give a few clucks and light yelp, and he starts moving again. 50 yards out, he pops in to full strut and circles N of my decoys to get to the backside of the jake. He bumps the jake, takes a step back, and I give one cluck. He partially came out of strut and raised his head. I squeeze the trigger, and he flops right into my jake decoy.
Like you said, you won't forget that morning!! :toothy12: Glad it all worked!! Congrats on a great Tom!! Congrats for breaking the ice on another season, 1st tom for the team!! :z-guntootsmiley: :z-guntootsmiley: :you_rock: :you_rock:
Snoman on the board today. He was like me working to get his little hunter his first bird.
Opening week has been tough. majority of our lease has been recently clear cut or in the process. Got birds on different patterns and they are henned up bad. Hopefully they will start breaking up soon.
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Just lost 140 acres behind my house to clear cutting, within 2 weeks animals were back, nervous but getting used to it, at least till houses start going up.
Wishing you both more safe and successful hunting!! :fud:
Congrats snoman
Great job Snoman!
Congratulations snoman!
Congrats on a fine gobbler, snoman4. You keep knocking them down like that, we might have to raise you to snoman3... ;D :D
Quote from: GobbleNut on March 23, 2025, 09:23:27 AMCongrats on a fine gobbler, snoman4. You keep knocking them down like that, we might have to raise you to snoman3... ;D :D
Wrong way...Snoman5 is the next level in the hierarchy....at Snoman10 level I turn into this....(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250323/1e78e8a69fddffd60427b2d71d441791.jpg)
Way to go Snoman4!
The predawn bubble got has disrupted my life more than I care to admit :TooFunny:
Good job snoman
Well I'll be! Look who is the front runner in the contest! Good job guys! Keep knockin''em down! (I'm rootin' for you to come in second) ;D :angel9: :icon_thumright:
Congrats gents, nice job!
Got my second of the season this morning, First of the season was a Jake that came in like a big boy and popped his head over the ridge for a look. I didn't score or measure him. Where do I post the pictures and score?.
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Congrats Scott!! You guys that log on here with phones have to help, I use a computer, this thread is part of our team page, at top of page is a section in blue that is for "
Official Trophy Hero Pictures". Please make sure to get all necessary pictures.
Quote from: ScottTaulbee on April 16, 2025, 08:48:15 AMGot my second of the season this morning, First of the season was a Jake that came in like a big boy and popped his head over the ridge for a look. I didn't score or measure him. Where do I post the pictures and score?.
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Congrats Scott!
I appreciate it y'all!.
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So, my 2025 MN Spring turkey season took all off one-and-a-half hours to complete. The weather in SE MN had been fairly typical up through the season opener (4/16); cold and very windy. In fact, we experienced sustained wind gusts exceeding 50 mph on Monday (4/14). But opening day was picture-perfect, at least for the area. The temperature was a brisk 26 F when I arrived at my spot, but the wind was calm, and the sunrise revealed not a cloud in the sky.
And the gobblers were on fire. I have been hunting wild turkeys since the late 90's and I've never experienced the degree of pre-dawn gobbling that took place that morning. I was hunting over a large cut cornfield, and there is a 50-100 yard swath of bottom land woods bordering the Zumbro river directly behind me. I did not have permission to hunt the bottom land, but despite this being a property I've previously never hunted, I was quite sure those birds would eventually make their way into the field. Most importantly, I hunted the same farm last year (different field) and the landowner assured me she routinely spots turkeys hanging out in the area.
After flying off the roost, those birds kept on gobbling. I am estimating there must have been at least half-a-dozen different gobblers/jakes in that group, and that is being conservative. They kept getting closer, so much so, that I stopped calling as I did not want them to hang up in the woods. At one point I could hear them walking over downed trees and brush, but I couldn't see them through the woods. Then a lone hen started yelping to my south and I decided to match her call-for-call. Well, eventually she won them over, and everything went silent. That was around 6:35 or so. I decided to take advantage of the break in the action and take care of mother nature's business. Well, as it seemingly happens so often to all of us, I had not pulled up pants for more than 30 seconds or so and a gobbler sounds off just to my SE. I purred and yelped a few times on my slate pot and within a couple of minutes, out comes a gobbler heading straight for my half-strut jake decoy. After eyeing up his competition, he decided to turn away from me and check out my little hen. And the rest is history. Fat boy dropped at the shot. My 2025 season was over at 7:01 AM.
As I walked up to my downed prize, two hens fled the scene from my south, but I never spotted another gobbler. I looked at the spurs and decided he was likely a two-year old bird, and honestly, his beard was not that impressive. But my goodness was he a little pig, even for an upper Midwest gobbler! And his plumage was absolutely perfect; No missing tail or breast feathers and sporting a brilliant blue head. He was as good a two-year old Easter gobbler as could be taken from the Spring woods. And we are already enjoying some smoke turkey breast provided the harvest. Anyway, here is wishing the best of luck for all my Scattered Flock teammates and have a happy and blessed Easter.
Congrats again NS, great write up.
Congrats Notsure.
Congrats notsure, great story
I killed a big'un today, I'll get score and pics uploaded tomorrow.
Congrats austinc!! Will be looking for your pictures to post!!! :drool:
Found them, Awesome Job!! Congrats again austinc. Will get score updated tonight.
Ran over Sat morning was youth day, I go to one parking lot that lets me hear 4 different public spots. No youth hunters hunt this, too far of a walk. Heard first gobble at 5:50am, hear 2 Toms in area I want to hunt. Rode around to check other parking lots, only saw 3 vehicles.
Get to parking 4:30ish Monday morning, head in, get to tree at 5. Nothing gobbles till 6, back further in than from Sat. 2nd Tom is further South. I head to closest Tom, both are gobbling pretty good. Have to cross a swamp and up a hill to nice oak flat, get up on top, wait till he gobbles again, 100yds, move to 70, get settled in. He is still gobbling on his own and responding to 2nd Tom. I give him some soft responses after he gobbles. Didnt hear him fly down, but next gobble is for sure from ground. I went silent, few minutes I see him peeking around trees at 60yds, red head, he is headed right down barrel, I keep watching as he walks among trees, finally hits trail I excepted him to come down, 20yds, safety off, I cant see a beard...big bird, easily 20lbs, I think beard rot? Finally see a few hairs maybe 4", looking for spurs, cant see anything to say mature bird, even banding on wings looked like mature bird, another Super Jake, his gobble was really good. 2yrs in a row I waisted half a day on Jakes. Never got to see fan on this one.
Took off after 2nd Tom, of course he is on private now, wont move. Headed to a few other spots, lots of people. Back after them Friday!
Quote from: austinc on April 21, 2025, 10:47:21 PMI killed a big'un today, I'll get score and pics uploaded tomorrow.
CONGRATS again austin!! Great job with scoring pictures.
Congratulations Austinc!
Thanks y'all! It was an interesting day, I knew the public i hunt was going to be packed for opening morning, but usually the rest of the week isn't to bad. So I hunted small piece of private for the morning hunt and encountered 6 gobbling jakes, but no longbeards. About 1:00 I started packing the truck and was going to head out with intentions of roosting a bird on the public for the next Monday. I got parked about 3:30 and decided to hike 1.3 miles in to a knob that usually has a bird on it. I got there and found some old scratching, decided I'll hang out here until dark. I should be able to hear one fly up, if one doesn't slip in before dark I made a call and just few minutes I could hear foot steps coming up the ridge, but behind me, I turned just in time to see him pop up at 35 yards, but he was behind my right shoulder, I shoot right handed... thankfully he went behind a big tree and it allowed me to turn slightly and get the gun on my left shoulder and shot him left handed when he stepped out the other side. Just like that I got my first bird of the season!
:icon_thumright: :icon_thumright: You guys are killin' it! Well done! :turkey2:
Heading back over tomorrow morning, stubborn, will be going back to same spot as Monday, will try to get on powerline Tom, if it is a mature Tom, think I know area where he was roosted. Lot more hunters in the area while half the state is burning. 2 big WMA's on fire. I could smell smoke on Monday morning. Saturday calling for rain, I have to beat the crowd to a favorite spot!!
Hillclimber, 10th Legionaire and Kaleb978 any update on your seasons??
1 more Tom and we start culling birds for a run to the final, think this would be our first season doing that!!
Wish you all Safe and Successful hunting!! :gobble: :gobble: :you_rock: :you_rock:
Good luck, Jeff (and to the rest of your team as well) :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright:
Congrats Austin...
I spent opening weekend at the family farm in the WV and wasn't successful. The property is famously feast or famine for finding gobblers. Especially early before everything greens up. I was out saturday and sunday morning and never heard a peep. I did hear one gobble monday morning but he was 1/4 mile away on the neighbors property. I covered some ground and was able to call in 3 hens but no gobblers to go with it. They kids had fun with their grandparents on easter though so it was worth the trip. Will be back out this weekend on a couple of local properties that hold good bird populations.
Quote from: GobbleNut on April 24, 2025, 09:16:54 AMGood luck, Jeff (and to the rest of your team as well) :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright:
Ditto Jeff, good luck buddy!
Congrats 10th Legionaire looks like a great Tom!! Please check Muzzy or licaire's pictures to make sure you get all the necessary photos. Is that your 1st double bearded Tom?? Please post up a story. Post up a new thread or post here. I am hunting in morning, will be checking in afternoon. CONGRATS again!!! :z-guntootsmiley: :you_rock: :z-guntootsmiley: :you_rock:
will post the sad details tonight, but we broke 500 guys!! Awesome job from the whole team!! :you_rock: :you_rock:
10th Legion please help me out and get your pictures posted as soon as possible, we are now in the position to take down lowest scoring birds and only post the best 9 TOMS!!
522.21 4-25-25
CHASING a GOBBLE
Get to parking early, load up head to field I have to cross, farmer tilled field...1/4 mile of soft dirt later, I have to take a rest at woods. Make it thru woods, across 1st swamp and into woods to tree i was at Monday morning, good listening spot. 4:38am hear a Tom gobble, way to early and way off property. 5:13 have a Tom double gobble across lake from me, on public but maybe in safety zone. Decide to wait, somebody has to be closer. Then a Tom starts hammering on other side of swamp I just crossed. There is a 40yd wide strip between lake and private, have fought birds here before. Decide to head his direction, he's gobbling a lot. Get back across swamp, he's still gobbling but going away, got to private line and call, nothing, he keeps going away from me.
Back across swamp, will head towards 1st Tom, have a good walk to get there, cross 2nd swamp, make it up the hill where I had encounter Monday morning, hear hens to the South, towards power lines, standing trying to hear whats going on I hear multiple Toms gobble out on power line cut. Turn around and cross swamp again, head South, there is a block of woods that is private, but you can go around West or East sides. I am on West side, so I march on, they are gobbling a lot. Get within 100yds, call they respond back, keep gobbling, but are drifting East towards fields. I dont like where I am, they keep answering but sound further away, have to head back the way I came in to get to East side where it sounds like they are headed. Get to Northeast side of block and call, they have moved closer to where I was.. head back to west side, they are in the woods on West side, I get to where they have a road cut into private, perfect spot for them walk into range. I go deeper into woods to get some cover around me, get set, call they are closer, only single Tom answering and gobbling on his own, go quiet, scratch leaves, he gobbles, but not getting closer.
Start playing silent game, so do they. Hear Donkeys start braying, he gobbles, but now he is straight out in front of me, lot of vegetation. Wait a little, call hes moved to my left, Eastside, but closer. Really have no shot to my left, too much vegetation/ junk. Finally see bird moving 25yds coming towards me, he cuts around some trees, Jake with another Jake following, they are coming to me but walking parallel to me headed behind me on my left, guns till pointed forward, Tom gobbles behind them, he walks same trail, see beard swinging, got thru 1st opening before I could move gun, I try slowly swinging to my left, someone sees me, hear treaded PUTT. They all pop up their heads, and start walking off, Tom walks behind a tree, as soon as he pops out of other side, I see big head and beard, cant see body, I squeeze off trigger. Bird flopping, get over to him, it was 1 of the Jakes, I thought they were behind me.
It was a good hunt, heard a lot of gobbling this morning, did hear the super Jake I fought with on Monday as I was loading up bird and calls.
Headed back over in a few hours, rain in forecast, have a favorite spot for rain days. Will redeem myself. Ate 1 tag so far, start new tag tomorrow and Monday.
Today was first day I had an opportunity to hunt. I was unable to do much scouting so I went in blind today. I sat up a bit to far from the roost today and was playing catch-up the rest of the day. They all flew down to far away and I could not peel the toms away from the hens. Heard/saw lots of toms so I created a new plan for tomorrow and bugged out before I spooked them. Lots of hunting left and I am on good birds. Will hopefully have more updates soon. Congratulations to all who have tagged out already. Team is looking in good shape this year!
I'm heading to Indiana this Wednesday for my first out of state hunt. Looking forward to it!
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Good luck in Indiana. :fud:
Good luck Scott, safe travels. Sorry you had to sell your OG Push-pin, that will be hard to replace. Glad you were able to sell the Misfire, I was going to get myself in trouble with the boss and buy it.
Quote from: JeffC on April 28, 2025, 07:43:59 PMGood luck Scott, safe travels. Sorry you had to sell your OG Push-pin, that will be hard to replace. Glad you were able to sell the Misfire, I was going to get myself in trouble with the boss and buy it.
Thanks Jeff, it wasn't an easy decision but I figured I'd rather sale it and make some more memories hunting. It definitely won't be easy to replace
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I finally got to.go again today after killing that bird last week. Had to go to a different piece of public since we can only kill 1 per wma each season. I picked one on the map and picked a few spots to check out and took off. Got parked about 4 am. Little after 5 another truck drove past and went to the end... right at gobble time, I listened to one bird hammer 75+ times, where the other truck went... but I heard another bird gobble 3 times on the limb and decided to try him. I got eased in there and setup, got him to answer me twice, but he'd done got above me on a bench on side of the ridge, and I knew the likely hood of him coming down to me was near zero. So I gave him an hour, he never gobbled anymore, then I made a big loop around and came up the end of the bench, I made sure to sit just hair below the top, so he had to come up on it for me to have a shot, I expected him to be on the other end roughly 100 yards, so I setup facing that way and called. About 5 minutes after calling, directly to my right I heard the sound we all hate, a putt! I turned my eyes and there he was at 20 yards to my right, at then end of the bench. No idea how he snuck in without Me seeing or hearing him, but anyways, he putted and immediately went behind a tree walking off, I used that opportunity to turn with hopes to shoot when he came out the other side, but obviously he's played this game before, because he kept that tree between us as he left putting. I started calling back to him and he'd cluck back at me, that lasted for 2 minutes or so before he hushed and disappeared. I gave him 30 minutes then made another loop and tried again with no luck. Ending up covering 5.7 miles on the day without anymore action. Wednesday evening I'm headed out of state, if I manage to get one there quick, I'm gonna come home and try this bird again.
That's the game we signed up for... :OGani: good luck out of state.
Good luck austin, safe travels. Your ahead of the game knowing you still have a Tom that's still alive.
I wussed out on Saturday hunt, alarm went off and woke to pouring rain. I should've gone, rain stopped at day light, would've helped with yesterday's hunt. Got to new zone for yesterday's hunt, my "honey hole", someone has found MY TREE, saw trucks there 1st week, area has had lot of pressure. Got to hear lots of Whippoorwill's, even heard a Pheasant cackle. 1st Gobble sounded like a Jake, hen answered, way off public. Toms started around 5:20, of course they were 400+ yds off public, gobbled great till fly down, then walked further away. Did have a hen fly off roost I was hunting. Nothing else. Thankfully pressure seems to be getting lighter, only a few trucks went by. Will be going back to different zone on Saturday, but it looks like they are calling for more rain.
Good luck to guys still hunting.
Im on the board. If i can get tapatalk to cooperate i will get pics up this afternoon. Have to go to work for a while.
Quote from: HillclimberWV on April 30, 2025, 09:03:27 AMIm on the board. If i can get tapatalk to cooperate i will get pics up this afternoon. Have to go to work for a while.
Congrats, good job.
Congrats Hillclimber! If your able to get pictures up this afternoon of early tonight, I will get you loaded on the scoreboard!! Looking forward to your pictures!!
I went to a property i have had luck the past couple years and know typically what they like to do. I took a jake decoy with me because they like to run the fields and theres not much cover on the edges.
I wasn't able to roost them but had a good idea where to set up. So I got parked this morning and didnt make it 50 yards from the truck when i heard one gobble well before daylight on the ridge above me. They were in the group of trees i wanted to set up under. So i just sat down and waited for them to pitch out.
As it got lighter i could pick out several birds in the trees only 70 yards away but couldnt see any beards. There were 3 gobbling but one sounded like a jake. I didnt make a call just watched them pitch out into the field and work out of sight. I waited a couple more minutes and made some calls to make sure they were working away from me. Once verified i backed down the ridge and made a big loop to below the field they were in.
I got to a small knoll in line with where i thought the turkeys would go and set up my decoy jus lt so the head was poking over the knoll so they would have to cross it to see the full thing and would be within 25 yards of my setup. I was kinda out in the open but figured they would focus on the decoy.
After getting setup i made several series of calls over the course of 35 mins or so. The gobblers had gone quiet and i was debating moving up for a peak when i see a hens head pop up. Once she sees the jake decoy she starts clucking and makes a beeline for it. As shes clucking the gobblers cut loose jist on the other side of the knoll. I see another head pop up but its a hen. Then 3 white heads come over the knoll. One in full strut. I saw a full fan so i put my red dot on him and let them work fully into view. Once they did i think they knew something was up they turned like they were going to spook so i let the hammer drop.
All in all it was a fun hunt. I still have a tag in WV and 2 in PA. Hoping to get back out this weekend.(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250430/dbbd57d7d87215500604295f1e012df8.jpg)
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Congrats again Hillclimber!! Great job with pictures and write up, will get you entered tonight.
10th Legion you and I need to upgrade our birds to get back on the board.
Good luck Hillclimber on getting another Tom, Safe travels and Happy Hunting!!
Quote from: JeffC on April 30, 2025, 03:44:20 PMCongrats again Hillclimber!! Great job with pictures and write up, will get you entered tonight.
10th Legion you and I need to upgrade our birds to get back on the board.
Good luck Hillclimber on getting another Tom, Safe travels and Happy Hunting!!
Congrats Hillclimber!
I didn't think mine would hold up but that's good from a team standpoint that we could upgrade.
I think I mentioned earlier I have a couple out of state hunts coming up and can hopefully upgrade my score. We shall see.
Okay Hillclimber you are on the board. Kaleb, Keith and I are on the clock to go find some big old Toms!!!
I will be heading out Saturday, probably heading back to area I started the season on.
We are having a great year, let's keep this going till the end :you_rock: :z-guntootsmiley: :you_rock:
Yeah keep at it. Best year we have had as a team.
Haha, congrats! Talk about me feeling the pressure. Birds are henned up badly here but I still have lots of time and lots of birds. Congrats to all who have tagged out so far.
:turkey2: yeah the team is on a roll this year. :popcorn:
Had a rough morning in Indiana yesterday, very cloudy, very humid, and was raining off and on. Heard 3 separate gobblers gobbling on the roost, they gobbled to a live owl from about 6:20 until about 6:22 or so and the owl quit and so did the gobbling. I was about a mile loop to get to the ridge it sounded like they were on and when I got there it was crickets, I walked about 5 miles and never heard a gobble, left that place after a hiker came through and went to another about an hour away and it was a jungle, weeds to my belly button and I'm 6'2. Walked about a mile in there and never saw any sign or heard anything. Then it started raining pretty good around lunch so I went on back home. I'll get em another day
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Congratulations Hillclimber!
Turkeys are on STRIKE! Hunted yesterday, only heard 1 gobble at 5:50, way after 1st light, so far away I barely heard him. Usually hear 5 to 8 Toms gobbling in this area. Was very humid and warm. I headed into area where Ive heard a Tom the last 2 times I hunted this area, nothing, I was heading back to starting point when I hear Tom gobble, same one as earlier, moved closer, but I know where he will be going, he struts in front yard of a house. I am across a heavy traveled county road, behind private property from him, over 300yds. Nothing else to work, I try calling to him, gave him 1 hour, nothing. Moved to different area, very little sign, nothing will answer calls.
Headed back to different area tomorrow, rain in forecast. Will be looking at fields. Good luck to those still hunting!
I had a tough first 2 days of my trip, but killed this one on morning of day 3, 10 minutes after he flew down.
Congrats austin, glad you were able to get on 1! Do you think it's an upgrade on your 1st Tom? Your 1st was a nice Tom.
Quote from: JeffC on May 04, 2025, 10:37:45 AMCongrats austin, glad you were able to get on 1! Do you think it's an upgrade on your 1st Tom? Your 1st was a nice Tom.
No it wasn't an upgrade, he had 3/4" spurs, 9" beard and was only 17-18 lbs. Good solid 2 year old.
I AM STUPID!!!
New mantra, take pictures after you shoot Tom!! Went to different area, saw sign when I walked it last week, know birds are in the area. Get set up on edge of public, hoping they are roosted deeper in, bumped a bambie out while trying to get into some cover off field edge. Getting light, see movement across field, here comes the deer, 4 of them, just feeding along edge, lead doe walks right into me, figure she's going to go nuts any minute, got to 10' from me, had to smell all the permethrin, looking at me she only stomps a few times and walks back out into field, never blows.
Finally gets light, dead quiet except for a Guinea hen wandering around woods across field. 6:35 they erupt, at least 5 Toms, 3 or 4 Jakes, all across field from me, 100 to 150 yds. Didn't hear hens so after they've gobbled a few times I answer, they gobble right back. I only would respond once every few times to their gobbling, finally I hear some hens start answering, they are roosted with the Toms. They never flew down till almost 7, was cloudy, foggy morning. They go silent. Hear gobble way out front, they are headed towards road, probably going to safe zone, private houses across road where Guinea hen went. Head towards them to keep an idea what's going to happen. I try calling to them, Toms gobbles out of sight but see hen in plowed field, close to road, still on private. Moved closer to front of WMA, can't go closer to road as it's a Safety Zone, house across road. They stayed out in field eating for over an hour. I am really worried that the famous Jersey road hunters will be soon arriving and start messing with them, they are only 50yds off road, they watch ever vehicle drive by. Then what I thought they would do they do, start heading for front corner to cross street, but a car comes down road and turns into driveway, they spook, head back into field, took pictures, 2 Toms, 3 or 4 Jakes, 3 or 4 hens. 2 of the are Smokey birds, one has a beard, cant tell if its a Jake or bearded hen, other is a hen. They are feeding closer to public, headed back towards woods I am in, I move deeper down field hide behind a thorn thicket, deer trail to my right, they are slowly moving towards me on my left side, lead Tom and jake go by, 30yds in private, 3 hens feed by, including Smokey hen, I think I have time to get picture of them, 15 yds, they are past me, I then see the strutter out of left eye, maybe 3yds, on public, other side of thicket, try putting phone down get gun up start swinging on him, hen spots movement, she was standing by deer trail, thought she couldn't see me she never Putted but took off running into field, one of the birds gobbles at her running, the Tom goes on alert, was going to shot through brush, he's gone, running across field.
I gave them time, followed them to back of field, they entered woods, private side, they answered calls for a while, another group from deeper in woods started talking, they all headed deeper, I followed but could never get the Toms to break. Fun hunt, hopefully I didn't push them out of area. Going back tomorrow. See if they are still in area, also want to try another area I haven't been on.
Never got good pictures of the Smokey birds.
Can't ask for a better hunt that doesn't end with a dead bird
Quote from: austinc on May 04, 2025, 10:13:57 AMI had a tough first 2 days of my trip, but killed this one on morning of day 3, 10 minutes after he flew down.
Congratulations :icon_thumright:
Will post story tomorrow, 10 1/2 hours to kill this Tom, same group I chased Monday. Another good hunt. Didnt help our score, will be back over Sat.
:fud: "10 1/2 hours to kill this Tom" :OGani: Sounds like it's going to take awhile to write down this story Jeff... :popcorn:
Congrats Jeff !
So after playing with this flock on Monday, 6hrs, I headed back to spot Wed. morning, pull into parking at 4:05am, someone is already parked. Light up truck, windows fogged up, someone sleeping. They never stirred, I took my time getting ready, plenty of area for 2 people to hunt, also thought might be someone just looking for spot to sleep.
Didnt really think I would hear the flock still here, anyway, just wanted to be sure. Walked edge of field towards area they were roosted Monday. 5:30 bird gobbles, same roost, on private, 75yds from me. Guy starts screaming on box call, bird gobbles a few more times till a jake gobbles, 1st bird might be a Tom but a few of his gobbles are weak and short. Guy is still cranking on box, Ive heard enough, main flock is gone.
I head back to truck, head deeper into public, go around area I want to hunt, no trucks parked. Its now a little after 6, get to my favorite tree, as I am getting comfortable hear gobble across road where they roost, private between houses. So we start talking back and forth, I move around field edge, staying in woods, can see strutter in front yard of house. This goes on for about an hour, finally I see the Smokey hen, she is the leader, she is moving across yard headed towards where I am parked. I move around edge trying to get closer, Tom still answering me but following the smokey hen and another hen, 2 more Toms and a jake. They are getting closer, I get set up, last gobble sounds like hes in same woods as me, I go quiet. Waited 15 min. nothing, call, no answer. Waited for another 30min. Nothing. I cant see center of field because of rolls in terrain get up and move back to where I started, call hear gobble but sounds like hes back across the street.
Its now around 9, decide Ive waisted enough time on this flock. Start cutting thru woods towards truck, get to edge of another freshly plowed field, theres the flock, already halfway across. Decision time, can run to truck and drive around to other side of field where they appear to be headed or stay in woods closer to where they roost. Also they are now in public field, wide open to 2 roads. Decide to follow along as they feed along opposite side, following the 2 hens. Keep hearing trucks driving by and slowing down, luckily no one tries to sneak in on them. And yes I am taking pictures as they feed, not going to call, just hoping they will come my way. They take about an hour to get to end of field, another road, another safety zone across road. Really thought they would continue across, but a few trucks roll by, they are only 10yds off road, they kinda get spooked by 2nd truck, move towards me. It may happen, crawl up behind brush pile, have jake and 1 Tom in range, but I really want lead Tom, hoping he is older, hes been in and out of strut as he was closest to the 2 hens coming down field. Finally, the 1st Tom, skinny but nice beard, and jake start going back up field, safety clicked, he walks into my shooting window, drop him. 10:30, shouldve been dead on Monday morning, but I am still really happy to put my hands on him. Wasnt the hunt I was hoping for, not looking to ambush, but he answered my calls, Smokey was just more attractive than me.
Done with this area this year, 3 Toms out of these woods the past 2yrs. Didnt see the bearded smokey bird with them, I hope it is a jake and will come back next year looking for him.
As I was sitting on 1st field, I see this snake shed hanging in tree. 4' black snake shed.
Great story and bird Jeff. And ambush hunts can be a lot of fun. I experienced my first successful one in Montana and it was thrilling!
Congrats on the bird Jeff and great story
Well you out smarted that one :icon_thumright:
Looks like all the hens around my house have gone off to be full time Moms. Had 2 Toms and 4 Jakes come thru this weekend, no girlfriends. I just put in for Friday, looks like it may be my last trip over, crappy weather all week, depending on how birds are acting on Friday will decide whether I run back Sat. Season closes on the 23rd.
Congrats Jeff!
Our season ended yesterday, been so busy I didn't get time to hunt this last week and looking like I may be done for the year. I'm wanting to take a quick memorial day trip to MN or wisco, but not sure I'll be able to yet.
Good stories and pictures, Jeff and crew. Congrats to all of you on your success this spring. Hope to read about more of it... :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright:
Well guys the Fat Man (ME) is starting to sing... hunted this morning, heard 1 gobble at 5:39am, that was it. He was across a road and deep on private. Hit 5 different areas in 2 different zones. Didn't even see another hunter. We had a storm blow through last night, maybe it affected them? Will be giving it one more shot Monday, season closes Friday. Good luck to those still hunting.
Tagged out in WV finally. Went for a stretch without hearing birds decided to hunt PA for a while and give the property time to cool off.
PA kicked my butt though i was in birds alot. Including having a gobbler fly down 60 yards from my truck while my pants were down. Managed to get them up and the gun up as he walked closer to me idk how he didnt see me but it was still fairly dark. He came within 30 yards and i pulled the trigger and click. I forgot to load my gun. He putted and took off before i could get to my shells.
Today was an easy one. Went back to the farm i let sit for a while. Got into where i know they strut and just waited. Heard 1 gobble on the roost but didnt call back. Waited till they gobbled on the ground. Made a few clucks on the box and two gobbled. I just set the box down and waited. Within 15 minutes both of them popped into view at about 25 yards. I took the closer one and my hunt was done. Nice two year old but not an upgrade.
Still got some time in PA so not done yet.(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250518/ed65790a5945c18869dd898f604feea7.jpg)
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Congrats Hillclimber !
Congrats Hillclimber on another fine Tom, good luck if you get another chance.
Didn't hear a single thing this morning. Walked around and saw zero sign, finally had a hen answer me around 9ish. Did hear a Quail for the first time in many years. Good luck to those still grinding away.
Great bird Hillclimber. I've never taken a turkey in my birth state of WV. Maybe I'll work on that next year.
Another one down congrats HillclimberWV. :icon_thumright: