2006 Turkey Trophy Room

[ecoaster]

Lone Wolf's all inclusive congrats got me thinking that we ususally have a thread for deer harvests, so why not turkeys? I'll get the ball rolling by reposting my story and pics.

I was a bit discouraged by the numbers of hunters this morning, but I went back out this afternoon to try to roost some birds. When I got to the property there were no vehicles , so I changed plans.

I'd been seeing dominant toms in a big field that borders the public land with an isolated treed area that I thought the birds to be roosting in. After no luck with calling this morning, I decided to set up on the edge of the field, put out the "love birds" and wait.

At 4pm I saw a hen making her way down the field toward the decoys. When she got to 150 yards I lowered the binoculars and I saw a gobbler at the edge of the treed area. She covered 300 yards and went into the woods beside me and he only went about 80 yards. He was staring intently at my jake intruder.

He came down to my treeline about 100 yards from me. I waited 10 minutes and nothing. Then, I thought I saw some red. Then some white. Then Mr. Tom in full strut working the treeline toward my decoys. At 50 yards the safety came off and at 25 yards I pulled for the top of his head (slightly right, to accomodate for my gun ). Over he went in a heap.
As he came in he would not come out of strut, but he did not strut or gobble once on his way across the field.








He came in at 4:45 PM. No calling. He saw the decoys at 300 yards and that was enough.

1 inch spurs, 8 1/2 inch beard, and 20 lbs 4 oz. Not too shabby for my first tom.

Got my second tag at the check station. Ready for tomorow! As long as I see the bird and they see my decoys, no more calling for me. It took me a year to learn to put the calls away and be patient. This tom took 45 minutes to come into range.

Man, what a rush that was!!!

[wabi]

turkey season opened here this morning and the landowner where I hunt took his shotgun along and set in the blind with me. About 8:30 three gobblers crossed the creek and came up along the path that passes 20 yards in front of the blind. I told him to take the one on the far left (his side) on the count of three. As the second one walked into my view I put the bead on his head and whispered, "one....two........." then both guns BOOMED!
My blind is set up in a clearing between the creek crossing and woods and turkeys use that travel route daily. Makes it real simple - set down, be quiet, & wait..... they will come
His weighed 19#, mine was 17#. Both had 8-10" beards and 3/4" spurs.
I'm guessing two year olds and should be good eating!

[pphoenix]

Forgetting a morning of rain, snow and very cold weather overall, moved location around 11:30, was at the new location by 12:30, decoy out, my new doghouse blind set-up, and nice sun shinning into my blind.
Around 2:30 seen turkey out on filed, gave him a few yelps, with diaphragm call, followed by slate and again with diaphragm call, turkey didn't seem interested and kept walking, lost sight of him shortly after as the field deeps towards the middle.
At around 3:00 seen a head pop-up at about 15 yds, waited until i almost lost my balance and Tom stopped looking at the decoy to shoot him , gave him a second shot by accident that damm gun really kicks especially when you're out of balance.
Turkey was 20lbs, 9 1/2 beard, 1 1/4 spurs




Meat in the frezeer , Turkey waiting to be mounted, can't wait to see it , and now i'm only taking the phoenix to try filling my second tag, the shotgun is staying home
To bad i didn't have the phoenix, 15yds with the tom frozen with that head bright read staring at the decoy, would have been nice time for the phoenix. And it would have been a single shot

[sidekick]

TTT

[Woody Williams]

My son's Indiana crossbow bird....

His story..


I work with Andy Kaiser ( http://www.kaiserkalls.com/ ) and had asked him to make friction call made out of copper. A couple of weeks had gone by and Andy never mentioned the call again. I didn't want to bother him about it because I knew he is busy with work, hunting & making calls.

April 21st was my birthday and to my surprise my Mom & Dad had gotten me a call made by Andy. I couldn't wait to try it out on a big ole gobbler.

I never heard a bird this morning but I knew there was several gobblers using the field I was set up on. Around 7:45 I saw 2 gobblers and 4 hens to my right about 100 yards and they where working their way to me. The gobblers ended up about 45 yards away from me but because I was using Dad's crossbow they where out of range. They followed the hens in the woods. About 10 minutes later they appeared in the same spot I saw them the 1st time. This time they where crossing the field and going away from me. The gobblers where bringing up the rear. Before they crossed the ditched I started cutting at them with my new call. The gobblers popped their heads up and saw my jake and hen decoy and made a bee-line to them. I couldn't believe they left the hens. At 15 yards I shot the front bird. When the bolt hit him he jumped in the air and ran to the other side of the field. The other bird joined him. I watched them walk away. I sure didn't feel good about the shot they way he was acting. I called Dad and he joined me to look for the bird. We found the bolt and feathers with very little blood on them. We never did find any blood on the ground. After a long search we came to the conclusion I had just grazed the breast.

Being dejected I told Dad I was going home and would try again on Friday. He went back to his place and went back to mine to gather my things. A bird gobbled about 100 yards away. I quickly got back in my blind and got my stuff ready. I called to him a few times with only one response in 20 minutes.

I was thinking to myself I need to stay here all day and quit feeling sorry for myself. About that time a bird gobbled behind me. This was a different bird. I have had birds come that way before and knew he would come if I just didn't call anymore. It took him about 10 minutes and 4 gobbles and he was within 15 yards. This time I made sure I was aimed where I should. I can't believe how fast he died after the bolt hit him!

He had 2 beards. 10 & 7 inches. Weighed 20 lbs and 1 1/4 spurs.

Thanks to Andy for making a great call and thanks to my Dad for being a great hunting buddy!



My bird…….

I got into my blind at 5:00 CST. This is the same blind that my son killed out in yesterday.

The blind is set up on a field where we had
scouted heavily prior to season. This field was next to a field of ours that
burned about a month ago. It had greened up well and the turkeys are hitting
it hard for seed and bugs.

About 5:40 I heard some gobbling on a hillside about 150 yards due East if
the field. I'm set up on the West side of the field. I gave a few yelps and
got an immediate response. I then just shut up.

The gobbling kept up and I could tell the bird was circling the end of the
field on the north. Every now and then I heard a double gobble. A hot bird
or two birds?

To make a long story short two gobblers appeared at the North end of the
field about 100 yards away. I clucked once and here they came.

The lead bird was dominant and kept breaking into a half strut as they
approached my jake and hen decoy.

When they got with 10 yards of my decoys and at 15 yards for me to shoot I
put the little green 20 yard dot right where I wanted to hit (wing butt) and
squeezed off the trigger. SMACK! Down he went.

He weighed out at 21#

He had 1 inch spurs

and a 9 1/2 inch beard.

I'm happy..

[larderlake]

Hey Eastcoaster That area looks familiar the 7th I do beleive

[buckbuster]

Nice turkeys yaw.

[A.W]

ttt

[GREY OWL]

I just hate this time of year, everyone's talking about Turkey hunting, and we've have zippo here for turkeys. The only turkeys I see is on Stat. holidays on the table.

But I still enjoy seing all you guy's pictures. Have fun !!!

Grey Owl

[bow hunter]

These were taken with a shotgun not with the xbow, but thought people might like to see them anyway

[sidekick]

[quote="bow hunter"]These were taken with a shotgun not with the xbow, but thought people might like to see them anyway

Beautiful birds bow hunter, CONGRATS!!!!!

[redmandant]

Well heck, I will add a pic also. This is my Birthday Bird (day after, but who's checkin)

Long story short, 45 mins of struttin', spittin', and drummin'.
What a rush

16lbs, 6" beard, nubs for spurs.

P.S. he tasted great deep fried in peanut oil.

[Buck Fever]

Congrats to all the successful hunters.

Everyone should also enter the contest at Canadian Extereme.; The contest is on with nice prizes.
It is called the Gobbler Giveaway Contest.

Here is the link


http://canadianextreme.com

I hope to be eligible after this weekend

Good Luck

[Bowster]

I'm newly registered on the forum but have been viewing as a guest for a while. You all are great and have excellent advise for a new hunter like myself. My brother took this 21 1/2 pound gobbler with 8 " beard and 1 1/16" spurs on public land May 1st.

[GaryL]

No luck yet on this end , However I wish too Congratulate all that have taken a TURKEY so far this hunting season....