How long have you been "hunting"?

[Amos Keeto]

I never hunted turkey until I retired and moved to Colorado. They are the most frustrating birds I have hunted and I have hunted almost all upland game and waterfowl.
The majority of the turkeys here are on private land so myself and a neighbor hunted on public ground. The turkeys here are gypsies and move around during the year depending on feed and weather. We looked for roost trees which entailed lots of walking. When we found one, we waited until dark to see if they were using it. We also looked for fresh tracks in the mud around small cattle tanks. I shot a few. but pretty much leave them alone here.
Texas is where I have killed the most turkeys. Fun, but not much work except climbing the ladder getting into the tree blind. Shot lots on a friends property there. He passed away recently, so thats over with. I used to shoot them and pigs from a tree blind with an automated corn feeder located nearby. Not the kind of hunting I am used too!!LOL

I know this question was not directed to me, but I just had to tell my story.

CC,
Without a doubt!
In Texas, you can hunt over a "feeder". Here in OK, you have to be AT LEAST 100 yards from a feeder! Therefore, most of my kills have been "call ins".
In winter mode, turkeys form two groups.
One flock will be all toms. The other group will be hens with last spring's poults. Poults will be nearly grown.
'IF" you can find a flock of toms, you can pattern them. As they travel around feeding, you can almost set your watch by them.
Set up an ambush and be there about an hour before they normally come by.

About a week before "Fall, Turkey" opened, I spotted a flock of toms that crossed a creek at the same spot everyday.
It was about 25 or 30 birds. They would all run to the tall creek bank and mill around. After a minute of putting and clucking, 2 or 3 lead birds would fly across the creek. That was followed by the remainder milling about and flying across the creek in small groups until the entire flock had crossed.
By building a hide within about 30 yards of where they crossed the creek, it was as simple as selecting a bird from the stragglers milling around the creek bank!
IIRC, this bird went 19 pounds. Not a trophy, but a great T'giving meal!

 

[IdahoElk]

48yrs

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

CC,
Without a doubt!
In Texas, you can hunt over a "feeder". Here in OK, you have to be AT LEAST 100 yards from a feeder! Therefore, most of my kills have been "call ins".
In winter mode, turkeys form two groups.
One flock will be all toms. The other group will be hens with last spring's poults. Poults will be nearly grown.
'IF" you can find a flock of toms, you can pattern them. As they travel around feeding, you can almost set your watch by them.
Set up an ambush and be there about an hour before they normally come by.
View attachment 957892
About a week before "Fall, Turkey" opened, I spotted a flock of toms that crossed a creek at the same spot everyday.
It was about 25 or 30 birds. They would all run to the tall creek bank and mill around. After a minute of putting and clucking, 2 or 3 lead birds would fly across the creek. That was followed by the remainder milling about and flying across the creek in small groups until the entire flock had crossed.
By building a hide within about 30 yards of where they crossed the creek, it was as simple as selecting a bird from the stragglers milling around the creek bank!
IIRC, this bird went 19 pounds. Not a trophy, but a great T'giving meal!

One of the toms I got in Texas weighed 26#, it had so much fat in it, I wondered if could fly...LOL!

 

[Amos Keeto]

One of the toms I got in Texas weighed 26#, it had so much fat in it, I wondered if could fly...LOL!

THAT was a hog, CC!
Biggest I've taken so far was 23 pounds! He had 2 beards and his spurs were broomed and 3/4".
Of all the birds I've taken, I don't think I've ever taken even one with an ounce of fat on it!
Same with feral hogs. I've shot plenty of lean ones, but never a fat one.

BTW! According to the NWTF, who keeps records of such trivial knowledge, the heaviest turkey taken was a Rio that weighed 36 pounds! IIRC, it seems the records now show an Eastern that weighed more!

 

[Scoot]

Just like the OP I started at age 3. That makes this my 51st year. When I was 11 my mom lied for me so I could get a deer license and hunt a year early with my bow. Mom wasn't a liar by nature, but she correctly figured she knew more about what her son could handle than the state did.

 

[Brushcreekbill]

All my life. 39 years.
First deer when I was 10