Anybody Go Out Today?

[T.J. Clarke]

This is my first spring hunt, and first time with a box call.  Saw 2 hens a few days before the season, snooping around trees, guess they were looking for nest sites?  Had a Tom walking around the house for several days, last being the day before season started.  I snuck out the back door and practiced calling....sadly he ignored me.  LOL.  It is all new to me.    All I seen so far during hunting...... a coyote ran past both my decoys.   Having fun just being out there.  

Congrats on your tom. 

[Johnsfolly]

1 hour ago, T.J. Clarke said:

This is my first spring hunt, and first time with a box call.  Saw 2 hens a few days before the season, snooping around trees, guess they were looking for nest sites?  Had a Tom walking around the house for several days, last being the day before season started.  I snuck out the back door and practiced calling....sadly he ignored me.  LOL.  It is all new to me.    All I seen so far during hunting...... a coyote ran past both my decoys.   Having fun just being out there.  

Congrats on your tom. 

Keep at it. Turkeys are great and frustrating at the same time. Even if you don't get a bird you will learn so much each time you get out. Good luck!

[Ketchup]

2 hours ago, T.J. Clarke said:

This is my first spring hunt, and first time with a box call.  Saw 2 hens a few days before the season, snooping around trees, guess they were looking for nest sites?  Had a Tom walking around the house for several days, last being the day before season started.  I snuck out the back door and practiced calling....sadly he ignored me.  LOL.  It is all new to me.    All I seen so far during hunting...... a coyote ran past both my decoys.   Having fun just being out there.  

Congrats on your tom. 

Turkeys have the best eyesight of any creature in the wild when being hunted. Been busted so many times while in a tree with a bow, just by blinking or softly sucking my snot back up my nose. 
 

Keep at it. That first time you call a bird in, harvested or not, you will never forget. 

[Terrierman]

I honor the turkeys I shoot by sharing everything but the breast meat with the many hungry creatures that Mother Nature has placed near me.  IT IS NOT WASTED.  Mother nature wastes nothing.  Nothing right down to the nutrients that fungi release to the soil nearing the end of the trophic chain.

[fishinwrench]

1 hour ago, Terrierman said:

I honor the turkeys I shoot by sharing everything but the breast meat with the many hungry creatures that Mother Nature has placed near me.  IT IS NOT WASTED.  Mother nature wastes nothing.  Nothing right down to the nutrients that fungi release to the soil nearing the end of the trophic chain.

I'd like to do the same with the overabundance of deer around here.  Just carve off the back straps and let the coyotes and buzzards have the rest.  

[MrGiggles]

Got mine on Monday. Pretty much identical to Billetheads. Short double beard, which is new to me.

It was kind of a dreary opening morning here. Not many gobbles but some. Had a young gobbler in range early, must have been just in between a jake and full blown long beard. He had a fairly long beard, but it kinda stuck out in an arch like a horses tail, and was pretty small over all so I passed. He never did pop into full strut but puffed up a little like he wanted to.

Anyway a short while later a pair of gobblers came down the hill into the field. They didn't really like that scrubby bird on their turf and ran him around for a while, staying just out of range the whole time. Was a good show though. Eventually they made their point and moved off to my right where I couldn't really see, I figured they were gone.

Fortunately that pair must have broken up and one crossed in front of me again, just barely out of range, probably 45 yards. He circled to my left, getting closer with every step. 45, 40, 35. At this point there was a tree in the way so I couldn't see, but he continued and popped into view again at 30. That was his last move. 

A ground blind is the best thing ever for turkeys. It is amazing the movement and noise you can get away with in them.

[Johnsfolly]

Congrats @MrGiggles on a nice gobbler. Loved the report as well.

[Seth]

I'd rather run and gun turkeys like what you fellers did than setup in a blind and have them come to me. Birds just aren't setting up to allow us to do it like in the past. 10+ years ago when there were more birds, you'd go after one and if that didn't work on you'd beat feet it over to another one until you got your bird. Congrats on the birds!

FYI I finished up the rest of the leg/thigh meat yesterday by making street tacos. I threw the meat in a cast iron skillet with a little oil and carne asada seasoning, crisped it up, put it on tortillas with pico, shredded queso, avocado and lime juice. It's a tough call on whether I liked the tacos or the pot pie the best. I'm frying up some breast for dinner tonight.

[Ryan Miloshewski]

Run and gun special this morning in Kansas. Set up where we heard them Monday and did not hear much of anything until 8:00 am or so. Had one answer me twice about 100 yds out in the neighbors. He was with hens and just ignored me. Did a nature walk and found this guy. He was with four other strutters and about 15 hens on the field edge with line of sight to my advantage. I was able to get in range and lay one on him. I'd rather call em in, but this way is also fun. Good ol' Missouri bushwhackin' in Jayhawkerville.

Very weird so far this year. Not a lot of gobbling and the birds are acting like it's March, not April, in KS. Haven't hunted MO yet but will be now.

Haven't measured him yet, but he's heavy and probably one of the most "Missouri" looking beards I've taken in KS. Long, thick and coarse. Spurs look to be 1.25 or so. Pressure is off, and now for some good eats!

[Johnsfolly]

7 minutes ago, Ryan Miloshewski said:

Run and gun special this morning in Kansas. Set up where we heard them Monday and did not hear much of anything until 8:00 am or so. Had one answer me twice about 100 yds out in the neighbors. He was with hens and just ignored me. Did a nature walk and found this guy. He was with four other strutters and about 15 hens on the field edge with line of sight to my advantage. I was able to get in range and lay one on him. I'd rather call em in, but this way is also fun. Good ol' Missouri bushwhackin' in Jayhawkerville.

Very weird so far this year. Not a lot of gobbling and the birds are acting like it's March, not April, in KS. Haven't hunted MO yet but will be now.

Haven't measured him yet, but he's heavy and probably one of the most "Missouri" looking beards I've taken in KS. Long, thick and coarse. Spurs look to be 1.25 or so. Pressure is off, and now for some good eats!

Congrats on a very Nice gobbler! That is a thick beard for a KS bird. Maybe a MO bird on vacation😉.