Season start?

[JeffC]

went to state forest closest to my house for some scouting, lot of people trails now. Zero fresh turkey sign, only found a little old scratching. Even deer sign was minimal. Did spot 2 hens while leaving, at this point I doubt I will even buy a MD license.

[JeffC]

Had a good morning, was able to get the OTC tags I needed and wanted, look out Jersey birds, will put sometime into scouting over there now that I have tags in hand. Save Maryland for next year.?. Getting closer!!

[HillclimberWV]

Thats good news Jeff. More tags means more opportunities.

[notsure]

I managed to get permission on the MN property I've hunted in since 2014. I honestly thought that was a done deal following the 2022 deer season.

[austinc]

Well my season may be delayed a bit... I got 3rd degree burns on my index and middle finger on my right hand. I still got most movement in them, but dr says it'll be 3-4 weeks to heal and they'll probably stiffen up some over the coming weeks. Guess I could try to shoot left handed lol

[crow]

Well my season may be delayed a bit... I got 3rd degree burns on my index and middle finger on my right hand. I still got most movement in them, but dr says it'll be 3-4 weeks to heal and they'll probably stiffen up some over the coming weeks. Guess I could try to shoot left handed lol

Sorry to hear about your burns, I know they are stinking painful.
Shooting left handed if your right handed is definitely doable, Col. Tom Kelly covers this in His 10th legion book about gobblers coming in behind your off shoulder (3:30 if right handed)

I practice shooting left handed set up against a tree with dove loads several times a year to stay tuned in and have shot several gobblers this way. it will feel awkward at first but you should have time to get used to it, at least for standing or slow walking gobblers. Good luck to you

[JeffC]

Thanks for the update austinc, sorry to hear about your hand, Ive never shot left-handed, poor eyesight in left eye, but crow is on to something, grab some dove loads and try, better then trying in woods and wounding a Tom. Please keep checking in and up-dating.

[HillclimberWV]

Yeah thats a bummer about the burns. Left hand shooting is definitely doable if you can get your eyes to cooperate. My brother and i would shoot both ways when we were kids and 22 shells were cheap.

[zelmo1]

Good luck with the lefty shooting, it is totally doable. I will also be shooting lefty, it is my off hand, as my shoulder surgery rehab is not going as fast as I hoped. I did it a couple times before cuz I am a big fat cow and would rather chance shooting lefty, which I do practice, than try to move my fat butt, lol. Good luck bro. Z

[austinc]

I've practiced shooting rifles, bows, and others before, just never had to with a shotgun. I figure having a red dot it won't be to bad. But, the fingers are feeling better each day so I think I'll be ok by time season opens.

[HillclimberWV]

Good news on the update glad you are healing. Im sure if you get a gobbler in that red dot you wont care which hand is on the trigger.

[austinc]

Good news, yesterday afternoon I'd got a few pics of hogs rooting up a hay field and I went to test the fingers out... managed to shoot and kill 5, so the fingers work fine lol.

This morning I got up and went to scout some public, got ears on 3, found one at about 9:00 all alone and gobbling up a storm, he was in a great spot and I think he could or been killed, But season doesn't open for another 14 days. Hopefully he keeps hanging out in there, I'll check on him in 10 days or so and see if he's still in that area. If he ain't,  I got solid leads on others if not.

[JeffC]

Thats great that the finger gave you no trouble. What did you shoot hogs with? day or night?