2026 Turkey harvest pics

[Broomd]

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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.

Congrats! I shoot the same gun in camo, wife's little 20g.

 

[SteveAndTheCrigBoys]

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

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Bummer to waste TSS on a yote!

 

[brockel]

Finally got out this morning

 

[SteveAndTheCrigBoys]

April 15th opener was a wet morning. Which means a wet bird. Not the best for pictures! Spotted them before they spotted me. They were feeding towards me so I just set a hen deke out to keep them headed my way and ambushed them.



Got my buddy on one a couple days later. Flew down from the roost into the decoy and put on the full show for us.



Had a couple missed opportunities but overall great trip. Might have to try and get my second bird sometime in May...

 

[Falon]

Managed to get one of my Washington birds this weekend, was a tough season for me. Between lack of birds where I hunt and hunting pressure from others, it's public land I know pressure happens. Super happy to have one down.

 

[RocketRob16]

Got on an opening day Arkansas bird. He roosted about 300 yards away from where he was before season. Headed the other direction from me when he flew down. I was able to use the terrain to cut him off and get 100 yards from him. A little scratching in the leaves and he came right in with a second gobbler in tow. 12g shooting Rocky Ridge #9 TSS. 34 steps.

 

[elkhunter505]

Had too much fun in about 30 minutes of hunting on Saturday. Filled both my tags on Jakes out of the same group. Have some friends coming to hunt next weekend so I figured I’d just be caller instead of chasing birds myself. Prior to being led to these birds by a kind bear hunter, I was watching a cougar hunting some deer. Was an absolute awesome day.

 

[bucko]

Great day for the grandkids

 

[Jswell]

Got my first animal ever just before the weekend in CO. Really sad it’s over! And now fully hooked on turkeys and excited for the big game draw.
Mossberg 88 12g

 

[huntineveryday]

Nebraska
Private Land
Winchester SXP Longbeard w/Vortex Viper
Fiocchi Golden Pheasant 3" #5
Trulock .575
DSD 1/4 strut Jake, DSD upright hen
All birds 20-35 yards

Youth season went well. 3 hunts, 3 birds. First up was my youngest. It was a short hunt, snuck in, set up, gave series of light yelps and had immediate gobbles just over the ridge. 3-4 series total and we had two toms in to the jake decoy.


Next was my oldest. Went out for an evening hunt, saw a tom strutting with a hen. Snuck in close, set up with the hen decoy out. Got a hen to respond, got her fired up and in pecking at the decoy with a lot of back and forth, which brought in another hen with two strutting toms in tow.


Next my daughter was up. Went out the next evening in a different area. Snuck in, both decoys out, got a hen to respond and she got fired up and into the decoys fighting the hen decoy. After a lot of chatter, 3 jakes came in and milled around the decoys and her. Then we got some gobbles and two toms came strutting in. My daughter wanted to wait for a tom, and she was rewarded with a nice one for her first turkey!

Then regular shotgun season opened and it was finally my turn! Took a buddy out where I had put a trio of toms to bed the night before. Set up with both decoys. They were gobbling strong off the roost, but another tom and hen mixed in with them and gave me a little work. They finally came up behind us drumming the whole way before charging into the decoys to fight the jake decoy. My buddy was able to get his first turkey, and his buddies stuck around long enough for me to fill my tag.


Now all 3 kids are begging me to get them thier second tag so we can keep hunting. My oldest is challenging me to some turkey cookoff challenges. Which all has me feeling like I'm doing something right! We've got a lot of season left, so we'll probably get our second tags and keep up the fun!

 

[fishslap]

Nebraska
Private Land
Winchester SXP Longbeard w/Vortex Viper
Fiocchi Golden Pheasant 3" #5
Trulock .575
DSD 1/4 strut Jake, DSD upright hen
All birds 20-35 yards

Youth season went well. 3 hunts, 3 birds. First up was my youngest. It was a short hunt, snuck in, set up, gave series of light yelps and had immediate gobbles just over the ridge. 3-4 series total and we had two toms in to the jake decoy.
View attachment 1055251

Next was my oldest. Went out for an evening hunt, saw a tom strutting with a hen. Snuck in close, set up with the hen decoy out. Got a hen to respond, got her fired up and in pecking at the decoy with a lot of back and forth, which brought in another hen with two strutting toms in tow.
View attachment 1055253

Next my daughter was up. Went out the next evening in a different area. Snuck in, both decoys out, got a hen to respond and she got fired up and into the decoys fighting the hen decoy. After a lot of chatter, 3 jakes came in and milled around the decoys and her. Then we got some gobbles and two toms came strutting in. My daughter wanted to wait for a tom, and she was rewarded with a nice one for her first turkey!
View attachment 1055254
Then regular shotgun season opened and it was finally my turn! Took a buddy out where I had put a trio of toms to bed the night before. Set up with both decoys. They were gobbling strong off the roost, but another tom and hen mixed in with them and gave me a little work. They finally came up behind us drumming the whole way before charging into the decoys to fight the jake decoy. My buddy was able to get his first turkey, and his buddies stuck around long enough for me to fill my tag.
View attachment 1055256

Now all 3 kids are begging me to get them thier second tag so we can keep hunting. My oldest is challenging me to some turkey cookoff challenges. Which all has me feeling like I'm doing something right! We've got a lot of season left, so we'll probably get our second tags and keep up the fun!

Really great write up and pics. Nice work getting everyone a bird.