Weekly check in thread.

[JVA54]

  Well......... turkey season has come to southern Illinois, looks like I'm going to have some awesome weather.......winds14-20mph gusts of 34...... 100% chance of rain and severe thunderstorms.
    Can't wait!    

[turkeykiller22]

Killed another double bearded turkey this morning!! Walked up the mountain in the dark and one gobbled about 100 still up the mountain. I set up on him started calling and two more bird came in from below me. Shot him at 42 yards, double bearded 8.5in and the other was about 5in. 1 in spurs on him!!! Its my 3 bird of the year, and second that has been double bearded!!!

[JVA54]

 You got your name right you are a turkeykiller!!
     Congrats!!  

[blackmagic]

Congrats Turkeykiller
I managed to call a pair of studs in yesterday following 4 hens.  Unfortunately they came in from behind me and the hens walked by at 4ft and to the front and the gobblers were 8ft off and slightly behind my left shoulder.  One was drumming and strutting while the other just stared.  When he gobbled that close, it almost made me jump out of my chair....i'll get one sooner or later

[davisd9]

Well fellows Friday morning was great.  Thursday evening I got to a field and there was 2 strutters with 3 hens dancing in the field.  I stalked them until they flew up so I would know where the big boy of the group was.  Got there early Friday morning, 6:00 am, and set up.  A 10 minutes till 7:00 he started hammering.  At 5 til 7 I yelped and he started double gobbling on the limb.  At 7:00 he hit the ground and started strutting to me gobbling.  I would call he would dance and gobble.  At 60 yards he hung up, walked back 10 yards, then came back for 20 minutes.  Finally he cut to the left and I thought he was circling around so once he got into some higher weeds I repositioned.  Heard him gobble and he was close.  The I see a bird walk out in front of me cross the small tree line I was in going to the decoy.  When he got to 50 yards he got nervous.  Did not run off but I think he was figuring out that she mobile was a little to pretty.  So He acted like he was about to run, and I rushed a shot a missed.  That is not the bad part.  Some how this was a different bird that got me confused cause when I shot twice, something to my left caught my eye and it was the strutter about 35 yards out.    He saw be swing the gun and was off.  Later that morning I slipped up on 3 two year olds feeding at 37 yards and was set up for a shot, but they were behind a limb that I could not shoot through and never stepped out the the open, three steps would have done it but that is turkey hunting for you.  Friday was the best day, but saw and heard a lot of birds all weekend long.  Hope that you guys had as good as a weekend as I did.

[somedude]

My woods were DEAD Saturday.  Oh well, more time ahead.

[JVA54]

  Shot one today! 10 1/4 beard      7/8 spurs   20lbs 8ozs 
 
    I will post pics later.   

[davisd9]

Way to go! 

[turkeykiller22]

YEAHHHHH!!!! Thats what im talking bout!! Cant wait to hear a story and see some pics!! We now have two birds on the board!!!! 

  Shot one today! 10 1/4 beard      7/8 spurs   20lbs 8ozs 
 
    I will post pics later.   

[blackmagic]

JVA 54, way to go!  BTW, my wife would kick my butt if I fanned out a dead bird on my wood floors 

[JVA54]

JVA 54, way to go!  BTW, my wife would kick my butt if I fanned out a dead bird on my wood floors 

Mine was not very happy either, but i ask her if she rather take her new digital camera outside in the rain.

[JVA54]

 Sunday the wind blew hard all day, I thought it was going to slow down by dark but it only blew harder. I planned on roosting one sunday night, but quickly gave up on that idea. The weather forcast for tomorrow was for severe thunderstorms. Decided to get up and look at the radar and go from there, surely it was not going to rain all day. I was up at 5:00 am look at the radar, heavy rain to the north and light rain to the south, looked like might have two or three hours of dry weather so I took off. Sprinkle on the way there, but it stop before long. The wind was not blowing as hard so that was good, might be able to hear one if they where gobbling. Didn't have any idea where they be roosted, didn't think they would be gobbling anyway. Owled a couple of times all I heard was another owl, decided to go set on the edge of a field where I seen turkeys before, as I was going there I heard a faint gobble. Headed for the gobbler and set up about 150 to 200 yds. from him on the edge of a open green field thinking that he would fly down into it. He didn't, he flew down in a pipe line right of way that runs east and west, gobbling his head off. I yelp  to him to let him know I'm over here, purr and he gobbled back.  There's a big ditch over where he flew down I was afraid I was on the wrong side. I was wanting to move, kicking myself  for not getting closer. Decided to stay put, when I hear raspy yelping to the east, thought another hunter had heard him and was moving in on him, it is public ground. I now was wishing I was a lot closer to him, about that time I see him fanned out in the edge of the pipe line right of way and two hens in the field. Yelped at him and he came quickly, they all moved through a low spot in the field. lost sight of him, next thing I know he is all most past me . I see the top of his fan I swing to my left about the time his head popped out, sent a load of winchester #5 at him and he disappeared. Walked over and stood on his head and call my wife to tell her I got one because she thought I was nuts for going. That raspy yelping must of been a hen, I didn't see any one else. Beat the rain boy was I happy!

[davisd9]

Sounds like you had a heck of a hunt.  Congratulations again.

[somedude]

    Congrats on the bird JVA 54!

[davisd9]

Well fellows I am getting back out there first thing in the morning.  Going with a friend in the morning that doubled yesterday afternoon.  He has been like a mentor to me and I am excited to hunt with him.  I will be out all day tomorrow and all day Saturday so I hope to add to our score.  I will try and keep ya'll up to date.  Take care and be careful!