2026 Turkey harvest pics

[Brookj]

 

[brancher147]

Opening day public land mountain bird in VA. Was close on the roost but he went the other way…made a big loop and 4 miles later got him killed at 1145

 

[JohnMC]

Colorado - archery- using the Ultimate Predator Decoy

 

[Trout&Buck]

Finally ended my 6 year dry spell with a Jake this morning for Iowa's 1st season opener out at one of the local wildlife areas.

Shooting a 20ga mossberg 500 youth model with federal Grand slam 1 5/16oz #5.

 

[Taudisio]

 

[Bigolmuley]

Utah,
I knew some pines they had been roosting in. But went in early and set up. Hen and Jake. Didn’t realize there would be snow, but you just roll with it. Sat for about an hour and finally heard a gobble in the pines. I called just to let him know I was there. Next 30 minutes hardly a peep. Then started hearing hens and 2 other birds gobbled. I was getting excited. They flew down the opposite direction and were getting further and further away. I kept calling, and nothing. I knew where they were headed, so I packed my decoys up and put them behind the tree I was leaning up against to grab later. I headed over to go down a ridge 100 yards away when I hear him gobble, and he was close! I book back to my spot, sat down and pulled my gun just about up when he popped out behind a brush pile. He locked right on me. He was about 40 yards out and turned just glaring at me side eye! I knew it was about to go south. He turned his head slightly away and I wing the 20 gauge up and fired. Folded! Flopped a few times and done. What an incredible morning. Wish my buddy could have been there, but work…..
The snow made for some great pics.
9” beard. I guess I will head to Idaho since Utah is done. Only started hunting them seriously a few years ago. I have the bug.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Wiregrass Wilderness]

Got it done this morning in Alabama. Hunting a very small private land tract that the birds never want to be on, always on the neighbors land. I had these two gobblers at 71 yards and 25 yards earlier this year without getting a shot due to property lines. This morning I finally got them to come into the decoys on the property I was hunting. I used some DIY extra tall decoy stakes to get the decoys visible above the grass. Shot one of the two gobblers at 20 yards.

Benelli Supernova .12 gauge with Hevi-Shot Magnum Blend

 

[Irish Miner]

Runnin & Gunnin
12 gauge
3" Hevishot Magnum blend
45 yrds

 

[Yoteassasin]

Little man's first Tomás . 7yds with a 20ga mossy #4 steel duck load . He came in real sweet

 

[strousek]

Wish I would have had this one on video. This tom hung up on us at 60 yards in the trees strutting and drumming for 20 minutes. Then came running in and challenged the Jake decoy. Chest bumping and smacking the decoy before my son took him out. There is no better feeling than sharing these memories and passing down the obsession's to your children!

 

[roosiebull]

Opened yesterday, and the weather was bad, snowing and blowing, so I left my house at 6 yesterday morning, after a 7.5hr drive, in a blizzard for part of it I got up on the mountain and set up camp

Made an afternoon hunt and despite the crappy weather had a tom answer my first call, after a while he went silent and that was it for the evening

This morning I make it about 3 miles in and hear one going off right in the meat of the area, cut into the trees and sneak through the brush, get to where it opens up enough to shoot, take my pack off and use it for a rest, one short series of yelps, and he doesn’t gobble but starts spitting, I can hear him get closer until I see that bright head bobbing through the huckleberry brush, had my bead on him and let him get to about 15 and flattened him… it literally never works like that!

Pretty cool encounter, and it’s the biggest bearded merriam Ive killed, some mature gobblers have little tiny beards. Good start to the season, I think the weather and terrain is hard on beards

 

[TNHighlands]

Hard to beat easterns in East TN.

We put a hurt on em opening weekend including a couple monsters.

 

[Rogue Bay]

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Hard to beat easterns in East TN.

We put a hurt on em opening weekend including a couple monsters.

Those are some serious hooks!

 

[Wiregrass Wilderness]

Went out this morning trying to help a buddy tag a bird. Ended up calling in 3 coyotes. He shot one at 19 yards in the decoys. I had one to my left at 6 yards. They tried circling the decoys, seemed it wasn’t their first time hunting turkeys.

28 gauge with TSS

 

[eamyrick]

7:07 first morning sit. Called a pair of Tom’s on a Lonzo slate. Same spot I sat last year and still had the brush piled around to cover my legs. Going to try something different next year. Maybe CO. Taking my 9 year old Sunday for his first sit.

 

[surfr716]

first California Longbeard, not sure if its an Eastern or a Rio, more chocolate colored than copper and apparently the area has both. happy with my first bird of the season either way

 

[Rdan2]

Utah 2026 - my first turkey. I’ve hunted about everything but turkeys and don’t think this will be the last time I hunt these cool birds.

 

[Rogue Bay]

Got my first one of the season yesterday in southern Oregon. Looking forward to more outings!