2020 Wild Turkey Season Thread

[1963beretta]

Thats awesome DVXDude. Your apprentice wont ever forget that moment

 

[archer2u]

8:45 making a coffee after shots fired on all the surrounding plots and I look up and he was strolling in like he owned the place and stopped at 9 yards. No mask or gloves on, Back to to my gun. The hen decoy occupied home enough that I managed to get situated and dropped him like a stone. Back to my coffee and quiet moment to reflect on what just happened (lucky bastard lol).
My wife works at a hospital and hasn’t really been home since the whole covid thing started and I’ve been playing teacher, fast food chef, and house maid to the kids. So when she told me she would work from home on opening day so I could go in the bush I could have kissed her (stupid covid measures). So I am truly grateful for this beautiful jake, even if it’s the smallest turkey I’ve ever harvested, it’ll be the best tasting turkey I’ve eaten this season.

 

[blargon]

Hey I,m tryin to cheat a bit here , lost access to my personal shooting range . So I gotta ask a few questions lol

I've had good luck with Winchester #6 turkey loads

 

[blargon]

even if it’s the smallest turkey I’ve ever harvested, it’ll be the best tasting turkey I’ve eaten this season.

Jakes are far better eating than a 5 year old 21lb tom...

Seen a big tom yesterday with an all white hen

 

[hoytcanon]

At 9:45, a big Tom has gone down. I planned on getting this hunt on film, but it wasn't meant to be. The birds came in from an odd angle and much further then I anticipated. I had 3 hens bring in a jake and two Toms. The hens passed by like they had somehwere to be and the jake and a large tom were in hot pursuit. The target Tom stopped well behind and while waiting for him to follow the others, he let out a couple putts. Knowing my cover was blown, I quickly refocussed on the leadings jake and as luck would have it, the other Tom presented a shot at 48 yards. He dropped in his tracks. Tale of the tape to follow

Nice bird, Alvaro...

 

[Runningfool]

Congrats folks! My morning hunt was fantastic and more than a little humbling
With my range being closed due to covid-19 my pre-season practicing with the bow was severely curtailed...that and the opening day excitement got the better of me! But what a glorious start to my season! I left the field smiling from ear to ear, reminded that I am human and so thankful for all hunts, the perfect and the imperfect.

 

[1963beretta]

Nice bird, Alvaro...

Thanks Greg! How are you guys making out?

 

[hoytcanon]

Thanks Greg! How are you guys making out?

Slow... I think I found my birds for tomorrow morning though. Gobblers were over a ridge on the first stand, called in and passed up two jakes on the second stand, called back and forth with a nasty, old, trailer-trash, smokers cough hen on the third stand, she had a gobbler with her, but he seemed to like the tattoo'd skanky type, and I was sounding way too pert and cute. All quiet so far on the fourth stand... going to hit a small spot quick for half an hour and then finish the evening in a pretty classic looking hardwood bush sandwiched between rolling cornfields and a cedar swamp. Tomorrow morning going to set-up on the ten gobblers I found today... it is hard living five hours away, I can't scout until I come down to hunt.

Almost stepped on this little guy this morning...

 

[53Izzy744]

Went with my dad, chose not to do the blind since i still have to go in to work each day so i didnt want to take a chance with me being so close to him in a blind. Got to the property a little after 6am. We positioned ourselves on a side of the atv trail through the property in a small clearing. did some calling and heard a few gobbles. We figured we can try here even if its not a big clearing. Set up 3/4 jake, standup hen, laydown hen on the other side of the atv trail (i say trail but its just an opening in the clearing that we drive our atvs to the back of the property). Im in some cedars and my dad is about 10yrds to my right in some more cedars, decoys are 15yrds from us.

Got a couple of close gobbles from the property next door (close to our border) and knew they were heading towards us.


Setup



So i am covering the right side and my dad is covering the left, we dont hear any gobbles but they were just over the other side of the fenceline way in behind some cedars, there are two openings along the property they can come through in that area as well as the atv trail itself. From my vantage point i can see one area near an opening and one direction of the atv trail. My dad can see to my left and down further to the back of the clearing.

As luck would have it, 2 turkeys walk out from the right side, coming right at the decoys but i am directly behind the decoys so i cant move. There are trees blocking my dad from seeing them.




So while i am frozen i am trying my best to see a beard on either one. Neither are strutting and just kinda walking really carefully, im sure they see me behind the decoys in the cedars but i am not moving, it was cold so im thinking they might see my breath in the air. Either way, they hang just behind the cedars to where my dad cant get a shot yet. One has a blue head while the other is red, i still cant see any beards and i cant signal to my dad that there are two just behind the trees.

So i wait for what seems like forever, i cant pull the gun up and use my scope to see a beard cuz they will surely see that. Luckily they slowly approach and study the scene. My dad eventually shoots and drops the one with the blue head. The other flies off and i dont get a shot off, but again i couldnt see a beard so i figure it mightve been a hen.

Dad got him at about 20yrds



So my dad calls a bit while the bird is flopping, and i hear clucking towards where the other turkey flew off. They chat back and forth as i ready myself incase it comes back i can make sure with the scope if its bearded.... nothing, it wonders off. We wait a bit and i say screw it, we got one lets go check it out lol




It was a jake! My dad could see from his angle that it had a beard, and when the 2nd one flew off he saw it had a beard when it turned around and clucked a bit before leaving. I never got a chance at the 2nd one but i didnt really care. Id rather get a bigger one and i was just happy my dad got one and we did it together since he missed out on mine last year (he showed up 15mins after i nailed one lol)

Not a big guy, small beard and just bumps for spurs but he will make a nice turkey breast dinner for my parents.

I stuck around and tried a couple different spots but didnt hear anything else. My dad got that one at about 730am, i stayed till 830 then went back to help him get his atv battery in and change the front wheel.

Super happy with my day, got some feathers for my daughter and i will try again sometime soon on my own or if dad wants to get another tag we can go together.

 

[RichardK]

T shirt and shorts right now, gonna be hard to fully camo up when I head back shortly

 

[1963beretta]

Slow... I think I found my birds for tomorrow morning though. Gobblers were over a ridge on the first stand, called in and passed up two jakes on the second stand, called back and forth with a nasty, old, trailer-trash, smokers cough hen on the third stand, she had a gobbler with her, but he seemed to like the tattoo'd skanky type, and I was sounding way too pert and cute. All quiet so far on the fourth stand... going to hit a small spot quick for half an hour and then finish the evening in a pretty classic looking hardwood bush sandwiched between rolling cornfields and a cedar swamp. Tomorrow morning going to set-up on the ten gobblers I found today... it is hard living five hours away, I can't scout until I come down to hunt.

Almost stepped on this little guy this morning...

Good thing you didn't sit on him!

And I agree that its much more difficult when you cant scout ahead of time. At least you now have a handle of where the birds are located. Im confident you can put the sneak on one and shoot it in the face. I look forward to hearing about it, especially if your hunt is anything like last years!

By the way, I stole your idea of the picture of the spur over the ejection port. Didn't come out as good as the ones you have taken, but Im no photographer and my gun is no Browning

 

[Browning_300wsm]

My 4 year old girl and I headed out the door at 5am to the blind about 400 yards from the house. It was -7 when we left so it was a little chilly for her. Shortly after 6 she had enough. That's ok, I'll give up extra time in the woods to have her with me anyday! The season is still early. Didn't see or hear anything except a grouse drumming 30 yards behind us the whole time. That kept her entertained.

Did some stuff around the farm today and we headed back out around 5pm and sat til 6:15 or so, we were both so tired we could barely keep our eyes open. It was a beautiful 16 degrees with the sun beating in on the blind. She said "Daddy I think the turkeys are sleepin, I think it's time to go home." So we came home and snuggled up on the couch. Lots of days to hunt yet! Was great to get out.

 

[Mossbergguy]

Went out for opening day, first time turkey hunting was a beautiful day! however not a bird in sight but i did manage to see a black bear stumbling through the woods, I didn't have my phone on me so I don't have any pictures unfortunately but I am excited for the rest of the season! Also I am hunting in the Renfrew County area any tips and tricks for a new turkey hunter would be great.

Thanks, Good luck with the season everyone!

 

[Wellse]

Tagged my first bird of the season this morning.

1¼" spurs, 10¼" beard, 24lbs.

Tried him yesterday to no avail, he came out about 45 minutes after I had headed up to the shop to repair some equipment. He roosted in the same wood block again so I tried in the same field, slightly different location. Very minimal calling, only a couple clucks and yelps to get his attention when he came out on the far side of a brush pile. Almost had it all on camera but double tapped the record button and accidentally stopped the recording after a couple seconds, bit of a bummer. Still super stoked for this harvest!

 

[Runningfool]

Congrats on your first bird Wellse! He’s a beaut!

 

[rkm456]

Seen a couple of jakes thus far, but no triggers pulled yet.

 

[Wellse]

Congrats on your first bird Wellse! He’s a beaut!

Much appreciated! I think my post may have been a bit misleading, should have read "first bird this year" haha. I've shot a few with more impressive measurements, but never one that weighed in as heavy.

 

[archer2u]

Jakes are far better eating than a 5 year old 21lb tom...

Seen a big tom yesterday with an all white hen

Had the heart, liver and tenders tonight for supper. And you are right it’s the best eating. I’ve shot some bid birds with big old beards in the past that were border line edible and I’m now reminded of my grandads old phrase “ you can’t eat antlers “ lol.
Awesome to see white wild turkeys, see a few tan colour phase birds around here every few years.

 

[1963beretta]

Tonight I made turkey parmigiana with cutlets of one of the breasts of the bird I harvested yesterday and it was as tender as could be especially given my bird was likely 4+ years old. Yesterday I made a broth using the carcass and again, the meat that I pulled off the carcass was really tender as well. Im happy with that.....a great big bird that is great eating as well. Although its legs may be a different story.....

 

[archer2u]

Tonight I made turkey parmigiana with cutlets of one of the breasts of the bird I harvested yesterday and it was as tender as could be especially given my bird was likely 4+ years old. Yesterday I made a broth using the carcass and again, the meat that I pulled off the carcass was really tender as well. Im happy with that.....a great big bird that is great eating as well. Although its legs may be a different story.....

I’m going to try my luck with the instant pot for the legs and thighs, pulled hot turkey sandwich’s maybe on the menu (not tomorrow the missus made lasagna for tomorrow) .