2020 Turkey Success Thread

[hersh2209]

Missouri limbhanger

 

[huntineveryday]

With my oldest tagged out, I was able to take my 4 year old out last evening. He's been out before, but he can't take the walk in to some of our spots. We set up catching the turkeys coming back to the roost and were able to get a nice tom right at the end of daylight. Griffin got a pretty good show, we had hens and jakes strutting and attacking the decoys before the tom came in. When the tom came in he went right for the jake decoy as well.
(Jake on the left, two hens on the right)

 

[kamcgraw]

Opening day gobbler. Kids loved it!

 

[HGrodner]

Two turkeys for me and one called in for a buddy so far this season. First bird (last picture) for me came on opening day. Him and a buddy were gobbling good, but not responding to soft calling. I cut at them once and shut up. They were running into my lap about 5 minutes later. Buddies bird came a couple weeks later. No birds heard off the roost. We were headed back to the truck when a lone gobble came from the opposite end of the field. We worked our way along the finger of woods that stuck out into the pecan orchard, cut through the bottom, and onto a road on the far side. There were two roads about 15 yards apart that ran parallel.Had three toms on the upper road and we sat on the lower road. A calling battle with two hens made those toms come to about 20 yards from us, but wouldn’t peak over onto the bottom road. I sent my buddy crawling about 10 yards To get within view of the upper road while I called to get his biggest bird ever. My second bird came on a hunt that I thought would last 30 minutes. We get to the listening spot and hear one hammering off the property about 150 yards. Got to the property line and made some soft calls which he answered. Long story short, they flew down and started strutting in some pines and wouldn’t budge. We sat for an hour and a half, gave them the silent treatment, etc, and they wouldn’t come. We Ended up working away from them down a road for 30-45 minutes. On the way back up the road they hammered close. We gained about 30-40 yards and they hammered again within 60 yards. We dove off the road and had two of us set up on one tiny little tree. I thought the turkeys would come up the road, but instead came through the thick woods. Killed my bird at about 25 yards. My buddy missed the second bird as it crossed his lane. It’s been a fun season so far!

 

[bsnedeker]

Finally connected on my first turkey! This is my first year hunting turkeys and I've been chasing them for the last three weekends as well a couple of evenings. They have been incredibly frustrating because they are EVERYWHERE and they are gobbling their heads off but I cannot get one to come in. Was out Saturday morning and was calling to a gobbler for about 1.5 hours on and off, he sounded really close at one point and then seemed to go the other way. I'd finally had enough so I went and tracked him down and got him with a spot and stalk...blasted him from about 55 yards and he went down right away. He is a little Jake but I didn't know that when I shot him, but I honestly don't care, I'm just stoked to have finally connected!

 

[voyageurpursuits]

Finally connected on my first turkey! This is my first year hunting turkeys and I've been chasing them for the last three weekends as well a couple of evenings. They have been incredibly frustrating because they are EVERYWHERE and they are gobbling their heads off but I cannot get one to come in. Was out Saturday morning and was calling to a gobbler for about 1.5 hours on and off, he sounded really close at one point and then seemed to go the other way. I'd finally had enough so I went and tracked him down and got him with a spot and stalk...blasted him from about 55 yards and he went down right away. He is a little Jake but I didn't know that when I shot him, but I honestly don't care, I'm just stoked to have finally connected!

Huge congrats! I know all too well that struggle. I have a feeling that now you've "cracked the code" a bit, you'll have a change in luck. That first bird you call in and kill will feel even better.

 

[camo_deerslayer]

Colorado High Country Merriam’s, love this time of year!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[NoWiser]

I helped my 9 year old nephew get a tom on his first hunt ever on opening weekend in Minnesota. I finally made it out this past Saturday and got a nice tom for myself. Man, I love turkey hunting. Headed to WI in a couple weeks to try for one there.

 

[IdahoHntr]

Was able to track down a bird in Idaho a couple weeks ago. It was a cold and snowy couple of days, but we managed to get into birds the whole time. This tom and his buddy put on a show at about 100 yards for a long while, before we finally closed the distance. Really love chasing these turkeys up in the mountains like hunting elk! Gets me by till September.

 

[TheGreek]

Got lucky this morning on my Uncle’s farm in PA.

 

[SEIA]

Called this old guy in for my brother on Friday. 10 years and 1 day from the day he called in my first turkey for me and only maybe 50 yards from the same spot. Family farm, lots of memories there. Was happy to add another.

 

[archer109]

My boy Trapper killed this one a couple weeks back. Hadn’t had much luck calling so had to resort to spot and stalk. He made a helluva shot with his 20 gauge. He did end up winning $20 in our biggest beard bet!!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[cmankingsley]

A couple good ones here in Kansas.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[wadegarrett]

2 misfires at 20 yds... what are the odds? Thankfully the 3rd shell was good - downed my first bird right before he ducked back in the woods.

 

[Cobie33]

Helped a former 5th grade student of mine, from back in 1998 when I taught Elem and who had won my first turkey calling contest test for the after school Outdoor Club for 5th graders, to her first gobbler this last Wednesday. Textbook roost hunt. She had attended my hands on turkey class in March to get back into chasing turkeys and had busted her behind getting after them this spring here in Iowa having some close calls while hunting on her own. I just helped her seal the deal. She’s a natural and could have taken this bird without my help. Still great to be a part of!

 

[SoDaky]

Great stuff!

 

[huntineveryday]

I had found an area birds were using to strut after fly down while scouting, but two different times this season I hiked in to hunt it and left to hunt turkeys gobbling further down the creek. Thursday morning I stayed put and was able to get a tom that stayed pretty quiet. I actually had a hen gobble at me more than he did!



This morning I went back out and did the opposite. I got in early to a spot I'd seen birds roost, but left when I heard several toms gobbling off the roost. I was able to sneak in and set up pretty close before fly down, and with a little calling I was able to talk the flock around the corner. This guys was leading the way, so he filled my last tag for the season!



That's a wrap for 2020 season, it's been a fun one!

 

[RS3579]

My son and I. His 1st turkey hunting experience. He did great. 5am wake up 8:40Am bird down. Talk about some pressure, if I missed he’ll never let me live it down. The 10 Gauge did well. He was so excited to be there. Good luck to all the hunters!

 

[Thedeerfarmer]

Knocked this guy down in the first 40 minutes of my hunting in Illinois ar the farm! 11.5” beard and 1 1/8” spurs.

 

[hunterted67]

Called this nice CA Tom in for my partner to ambush. Nice 30yd shot with his bow.