Who's up to the starting gates next?

FullChoke · March 28, 2018, 09:51:47 AM

At this time of year, every weekend brings a fresh batch of season openers to new states. When does your spring turkey season get under way?

In MS, this weekend represents the first days that many popular public Wildlife Management Areas have finished their draw hunts and are now open to the public. This opens up many thousands of acres of great turkey hunting through the state. I will be mountain biking and sneaking through some of my favorite areas this upcoming weekend.

Maybe I can find one gobbling.

Cheers

FullChoke

Sand Man · March 28, 2018, 02:02:11 PM

North Zone in Texas opens Saturday. Hope I can get a hunt in before Easter duties. Closing on the sell of my house this week then the house we are buying mid-April. Perfect time to sell, buy, and move homes huh? Hopefully I can get on the score board before season ends.

xarcher · March 28, 2018, 03:48:28 PM

Trying to schedule a work-action late next week. Looking at northern AL and/or Southern TN. Waiting until the PA opener 4/28 is cruel and unusual punishment.

paintbrush · March 28, 2018, 03:59:54 PM

Nebraska gun opener on April 14th will be my start for this year. It just can't get here fast enough!

FullChoke · March 30, 2018, 02:39:45 PM

To everyone terrorizing the avian population this weekend, to you I wish safety and success.

Cheers

FullChoke

FullChoke · April 01, 2018, 02:38:40 PM

The public land doors have flown open and it was worth the wait!

Saturday morning found me on the mountain bike making tracks back to a creek that has always had turkeys in the past. As the bright morning started breaking, the woods absolutely lit up. I heard 6 gobblers all around me. I set up and called with no direct response, but there's one lonely soul to the north that can't find love. I gather up and take off in his direction. Half way across a clear cut, 2 gobble together at the tree that I just left. An admittedly early season amateur move, but I just shake it off, shake it off. The north gob must have found a friend, or just ran out of gobbles as he shuts down. No other action for the rest of the day.

This Easter morning breaks gloriously with me at the same spot as yesterday and the two brothers yodeling on the creek. I slip on past them about 200 yards, cut into the woods, setup near the creek and let loose with the same mouth call that got them charged up the day before. A gobble immediately follows the excited yelping. I cut back at him and he cuts me off with another focused gobble. Game on. I reach down to grab my mask to put it on and discover that pocket is empty. I have a gobbler zooming in on me with a vital part of my camo missing! I grab some dirt and start smearing it on my face as fast as I can, but it ain't really working. I pull up my collar, pull it across my face as best I can and grab it with my teeth to get it to stay in place. Looks like it will have to do. Casanova closes the distance until he is 40 yards away in open piney woods with a small brier thicket just blocking him. I can just see him as he extends to gobble, and the drumming is constant and absolutely music to my ears. Try as I might, giving him the horniest hushed pillow talk that I can muster, I cannot make him take 5 steps forward. Eventually he becomes bored of this woman's teasing barroom shenanigans, gives me the gobbling version of the finger, and walks away.

No bird, but man what a show! I absolutely love this sport!

Cheers

FullChoke

3bailey3 · April 01, 2018, 03:25:20 PM

Wow two Awesome hunts!

FullChoke · April 01, 2018, 04:20:16 PM

3Bailey3,

Just between you, me and the fencepost, this was just north of where I tipped you to that one that you shot.

Cheers

FC

Sand Man · April 07, 2018, 05:45:47 PM

Finally on the board. Got to go out for the 1st time yesterday. Had 3 strutters with 30 hens in a wheat field. Got the hens to feed my way and ended with 2 stutters in one shot. Didn't plan on it but they crossed as I was trying to shoot the biggest bird. Still can't believe 30 hens did not bust me.

harleytom · April 07, 2018, 07:29:05 PM

Quote from: Sand Man on April 07, 2018, 05:45:47 PM
Finally on the board. Got to go out for the 1st time yesterday. Had 3 strutters with 30 hens in a wheat field. Got the hens to feed my way and ended with 2 stutters in one shot. Didn't plan on it but they crossed as I was trying to shoot the biggest bird. Still can't believe 30 hens did not bust me.

Congrats on what sounds like a great hunt!

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

FullChoke · April 07, 2018, 09:01:16 PM

Fantastic! If they allowed us to score everything taken with one shot, you would have a load!

Congratulations

FC

cramerhunts · April 09, 2018, 05:37:02 PM

Got out last week in Texas while working. Super windy but made the most of it and called one in off the roost. Was great to get out and get one on the board. Up next weekend in home state of Arizona hoping for an upgrade!

FullChoke · April 09, 2018, 05:44:02 PM

A guy who carries decoys, camo, calls and a gun in his truck to a work site can't be all bad. Congratulations for scoring one for the board.

cramerhunts · April 09, 2018, 07:18:38 PM

Quote from: FullChoke on April 09, 2018, 05:44:02 PM
A guy who carries decoys, camo, calls and a gun in his truck to a work site can't be all bad. Congratulations for scoring one for the board.

Haha, thank you! This time of year those are constant occupants in my truck.

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