Well it is February and that means March is right around the corner and every turkey hunter knows March is when Tom T. Turkey starts gobbling his head off in anticipation of meeting new girlfriends and doing the deed of procreating to keep his race alive. So with that thought in mind lets see some pic and here some stories from past seasons to help me make it through till the warmth of spring brings the distant music of the turkey gobble! :)
Here is my first bow killed turkey from last season (http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r27/sparson_bucket/42109015.jpg)
One that got away
(http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r27/sparson_bucket/faith002.jpg)
A bearded hen with the longest beard I have ever saw on one.
(http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r27/sparson_bucket/42109004.jpg)
Nice pictures Scott & nice bird....It doesn't open here till April 17th...I don't like wishing for time to go quickly but "I can't wait to get after em"...
I think we open on April 19 but Nebraska opens on March 27 and Kansas is April 1 for bows and I may just have to go scratch this itch I'm getting!
We don't open until April 10. Will be my first year after a trad turkey. With a no deer year behind me, I'm ready for gobbling.
You guys got it easy, we have to wait all the way until May 1st here in New York. Shot this guy last year at 15 yards after watching him walk in full strut across a 500yard long field. Man talk about gobbler fever, was shaking so hard thought my arrow was going to fall off the self. I've shot a lot of turkeys with the gun but this was my first with the bow and I am planning on trying to repeat it this year without the ad of the double bull blind. Going to be hard... (http://i1022.photobucket.com/albums/af350/howitzer4040/IMG_6341.jpg)
Nothing yet for me. This will be my 4th year with longbow. I really want those feathers from my 1st trad killed turkey for a couple of arrows I have planned for the upcoming deer season. Congrats you guys on your trophys.
I am looking forward to it. Got my first bird with trad bow, fall 2008, and 2009, got all 4 fall birds with a recurve, 2 during archery, 2 during shotgun season. Made my fall season!
I was close this last fall, and I got a good season about this spring, gotta wait untill the end of may!
Yup, us Yorkers have to wait till May. I took a good gobbler last year with my recurve.
We open in March here in Georgia. I have already done a little pre-season scouting just to get out of the house. I have located one group of gobblers that I am keeping tabs on. This will be the first year of chasing them with a recurve. I hope that I can hit one.
Late april here but I can't wait till they start hammering.
Hope to get my first trad gear gobbler this spring.
Hopefully, my new lefty Robertson longbow will make it by turkey season. If I only ever hunted where there were fall turkeys, the only deer I would shoot were the ones that got between me and the turkeys I was after. Can't wait, I am sooo sick of this deep snow.
I'm another mo guy we got to wait until the 19th of april. I took my first trad turkey this year during the last week of the season. Got her with a longbow. I'll be after em nesr the ozarks. Got a great spot near the state park.
I can hear it already! Plan on being in Nebraska the last week of April. Also got an IL permit for Mother's day weekend. What better way to celebrate the weekend then get my son out of momma's hair for a night and day! Well, that's how I sell it to her anyway! Got my first hybrid last year with my recurve. Hopefully another one this year along with an Eastern. Good luck to all.
-Jeremy
i live smack dad in the middle of the best turkey county in
MN but in Mn the designated bow season isnt till the end of May After 6 full weeks of gun season so you can bet your best box call I'll be in Neb or Kan in early April. Here is my 24 lb tom from Iowa last April (http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3644/3483274334_cab499993b.jpg)
Nice bird Jim!
I shot this bearded hen on 1/13/10 near the end of our fall season:
(http://i579.photobucket.com/albums/ss239/archeryrules/1-13-10BeardedHen006.jpg)
I got this Tom last spring:
(http://i579.photobucket.com/albums/ss239/archeryrules/03-09Turkey009.jpg)
I can't wait for March 20th to get here to go after them again!
Bisch
Great picks guys, Congrats!! :knothead:
Keep em coming :D
Tracy
Nice pictures guys, I'd like to see more.
I would love to post some pictures of dead turkeys, but they were all with a compound.
I am still working on my first trad bird.
Gonna try the Bull Head this year.
Good luck to all.
Paul
We get to start early---last weekend of March--and go all through April into May. I am scheduled for surgery Feb 16th, so I am hoping the doc will clear me to climb mountains by the opener. I sure love to hear those Merrim's hollering of a morning!
38 days and counting!!!!!!
Just got my dear john letter from the DWR on the turkey draw :readit: But this year there will be over the counter tags for the late season,first time ever in my state :jumper:
So come may I will be hunting turkeys!
Opens April 12 here lookin forward to it,
no special bow season in ny, cant beleive we have to wait until May 1st. This is the first year trying with a recurve. Should be fun. Mike
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/steadman_2006/Curtstriplecrownquest0482.jpg)
My first doubled, Dropped them with spine shots at 10 and 11yds
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/steadman_2006/Curtstriplecrownquest138.jpg)
They gobble all year around here and started strutting in December. I'm looking forward to April 1st!!!
Great picture Tracy!! Mabey we can add to the total this fall!
Tracy is being modest...
He has turkey fever in a bad way.. I hope to catch it soon my own self..
(http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n32/papsblueribbon1/2006Turkey007.jpg)
Todd
Excellent Tracy!! That is what I love about Kansas, you can kill two birds on the same day. No waiting a week to kill another one and not having to be limited to only killing one a day after the first week like here in MO.
Nice bird Todd!
Nice pictures guys.
Starts in April down here. I can't wait.
Ryan and Todd, all you guys got to do is show up.
Yep, 2 birds in the spring and 4 in the fall you can't beat that. We always get shots from are tree stands but I do set up blinds also.
Tracy
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/steadman_2006/CopyofIMG_0303.jpg)
Bad trail cam pick but check the beard out on this ol gobbler. Not very thick but super long!!!
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/steadman_2006/08trailcameraphotos109.jpg)
Won't be long guys!!!
Tracy
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/steadman_2006/MDGC0580.jpg)
gobble, gobble!!
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/steadman_2006/IMG_0461.jpg)
Great pics Tracy! That will get the blood pumping.
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/sf1oak/P5220006.jpg)
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/sf1oak/P3060009.jpg)
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a281/sf1oak/P4070007.jpg)
Thanks Bill :)
Nice birds Joe :thumbsup:
Got to be some more picks out there :coffee:
Tracy
I'll be close to ya KS this spring again!!! yay, I cant wait.
Didnt get to hunt turkeys in 09...the joys of living in alaska...ugg! This is from 08 in NE. First longbow longbeard.
(http://inlinethumb43.webshots.com/17194/2369351030039378858S500x500Q85.jpg)
I hope to do a repeat this season, the birds are scarce in my end of the state may first is the opener here.
(http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y275/420W/1241369767-1.jpg)
Nice birds everyone!
Spring birds....2009...
Opening day...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/openingday012.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/openingday029.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/openingday035.jpg)
Then on May 11th...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/2nd095-11020.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/2nd095-110222.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/2nd095-110292.jpg)
When you guys trad hunt these birds, do you use hunting blinds, natural blinds or just sit against a good tree with full camo? I had a small hen come cluckin' by my blind last Spring and lost a Jake who came to my clucks in the Fall, but then did that mysterious vanishing act wild animals can do... I ask b/c I probably would have had a shot on him IF I was not behind a ground blind I set up for deer hunting.
My first attempt at turkey hunting with a recurve was forty years ago and I was using a 48 pound Bear super mag. I still haven't tagged a turkey, missed more than I can recall, hit a couple that I couldn't find, missed a jake this fall. Never used a blind and seldom use decoys. Maybe this year. It sure has been a lot of fun. :pray:
I've hunted spring turkeys in the past, but never on a property that both had a good population of birds and was conducive to hunting them. But this year I have a chance to hunt a massive working cattle ranchthat has a lot of wooded draws and open pastures, as well as an enormous turkey population. To say I'm excited would be an understatement.
Man last summer I went up to my papaws property to pitch a tent my buddy and I were trying to kill groundhog's that are taring up everything we got up there.So I was trying to put up this tent not being quiet I was having trouble haha but when I got out there were turkeys all in the field and around my tent im talkin 20 yards and another time I was cuttin shooting lanes and a tom turkey came down the trail I got on my belly and crawled up to him within bow range and he never saw me then comes turkey season and did'nt see a single one.Aint it great :bigsmyl:
2008...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/turkeyhunt5-10018.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/turkeyhunt5-10034.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/turkeys/turkeyhunt5-10040.jpg)
2007...
Third day of the season...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/07turkeyseason013.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/07turkeyseason014.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/07turkeyseason016.jpg)
Then a week later...same spot...same set-up...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/07turkeyseason032.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/07turkeyseason024.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/07turkeyseason022.jpg)
Jason, Sounds like you have a lot to look forward to bud...good luck :thumbsup:
I look forward to turkey season as much as deer season :pray:
dang guru you got the turkey gift! nice pics too.
Thank you, but there's a lot of scouting that went into every one of these birds....
2006...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/jakehunt029.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/jakehunt030.jpg)
2005...#1...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/sony063.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/sony060.jpg)
#2...The Boss, my biggest bird to date...
to be continued.... ;)
#2 "The Boss"...my biggest...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/curtsstuff1792.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/curtsstuff211.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/curtsstuff210.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/curtsstuff192.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/curtsstuff201.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/curtsstuff203.jpg)
Keep em coming everybody...dang good pix...
Curt, your a turkey killin machine.. :readit:
Yeah right Mark...your pix would put mine to shame!
Out with'um buddy :notworthy:
Don't be shy my friend....
What part of Kansas will you be hunting Dan?
I wondered when my buddy ol Guru was going to see this thread :bigsmyl:
Curt we need to see if we can get you a Kansas "Boss" gobbler this fall.
Tracy
Nice Limb Chickens Curt!!
:notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy:
I know I can't wait. Last year was the first spring I tried birds with a bow and had a blast, just never did get them to commit that last 100yds. Every single time I had hens intercept and take'm away. I love turkey hunting as much as deer..maybe more. They are the wing(ed) spawns of satan, but I like'm!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v75/varmint101/321deercam0002.jpg)
I sure hope so Tracy!!! :pray:
2004...Opening day double with Dad...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/Dscf1325.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/Dscf1330.jpg)
Found this about 5 ft. from where the gobbler died...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/Dscf1332.jpg)
Two weeks to the day later...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/Dscf1351.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/Dscf1336.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v77/Guru39/Dscf1335.jpg)
Wow, that's pretty neat you found that arrowhead near your bird! I always like your turkey pics Curt.
Guru is a turkey bustn machine, great pics everyone.
Hey Curt,
What's the velcro just behind your broadhead for?
my guess would be a string tracker
Yes it's for attaching the string tracker string...check this out in the "How-to" forum...
http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=000094
Threads from last years birds with lots'a pix....
http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=073782#000000
http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=074095;p=1
Thanks Curt,
I understand it now. Do you always use a string tracker? What kind of results have you had if you don't?
thanks for that link again Curt, I may have to buy one.
I shot my bird with no tracker, the bird was dead in yards, maybe 10 or 15 max. BUt I can easily see how they can go forever if hit bad! Preventive maitenence!
More turkey hunting finds. Mmmmmm!
(http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r27/sparson_bucket/42109017.jpg)
Some great pictures from all. Still a ways away, but I'm looking forward to it again. Got this bird when he came in at 18 yards, actually missed him with the first shot when the guilotine head planed a couple of inches to the left. Was able to nock a second arrow with a woodsman. Shot him from a natural ground blind I had set up the day before. Could still see the "big boy" I was after on the roost, but couldn't resist taking a shot at my first turkey in range of my recurve.
(http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/Turkey_09.JPG)
Oh yeah!! Morels and turkey hunting go together : )
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/steadman_2006/IMG_0512.jpg)
Rainy day bird
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/steadman_2006/2006Turkey002.jpg)
Fall birds tails are always messed up.
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/steadman_2006/IMG_0476.jpg)
Good job everybody.....
Tracy your a turkey killin machine to... :readit:
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y230/bluegrassbowhunter/IMG_0815-1.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y230/bluegrassbowhunter/IMG_0510.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y230/bluegrassbowhunter/IMG_0502-1.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y230/bluegrassbowhunter/mejacobemily-1-1.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y230/bluegrassbowhunter/IMG_0441.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y230/bluegrassbowhunter/IMG_0349.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y230/bluegrassbowhunter/IMG_0656-2.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y230/bluegrassbowhunter/IMG_0593.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y230/bluegrassbowhunter/IMG_0914.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y230/bluegrassbowhunter/IMG_0572.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y230/bluegrassbowhunter/00small36926458.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y230/bluegrassbowhunter/IMG_0310.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y230/bluegrassbowhunter/IMG_0309.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y230/bluegrassbowhunter/IMG_0253.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y230/bluegrassbowhunter/IMG_0001.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y230/bluegrassbowhunter/IMG_0845-1.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y230/bluegrassbowhunter/IMG_0925.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y230/bluegrassbowhunter/IMG_0919.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y230/bluegrassbowhunter/IMG_0852-1.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y230/bluegrassbowhunter/IMG_0853.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y230/bluegrassbowhunter/IMG_0713.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y230/bluegrassbowhunter/IMG_0667.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y230/bluegrassbowhunter/IMG_0668.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y230/bluegrassbowhunter/IMG_0546.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y230/bluegrassbowhunter/WIDDERTURK06.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y230/bluegrassbowhunter/GOBBLER2.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y230/bluegrassbowhunter/TURK3.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y230/bluegrassbowhunter/433b05ebb4822290da1f0aab77d0ca98.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y230/bluegrassbowhunter/5c40768c1a7b616d03ddac4e60567e61.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y230/bluegrassbowhunter/archery%20turkey/WIDDERTURK-1.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y230/bluegrassbowhunter/archery%20turkey/DB22.jpg)
Good luck to everybody this Spring...
Mark
Last year in Wyoming
(http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc144/JuniorRed/DSC01304-1.jpg)
Awesome picks Mark :thumbsup:
I think you and Curt are the turkey killing machines :notworthy: :notworthy: :D
Spring will be here before we no it.
Tracy
Good gravy Mark! That's awesome. You take full advantage of the 6 bird limit!
So, I have to ask, which bow is your favorite?
Thanks Tracy & Matthew...Curt & Joebuc have forgot more about bowkilling turkeys than I'll ever know...
Matthew,Widows are my go to bows....
Awesome. I just got a Widow this past fall and love the thing. PSA II.
Do you have a head of choice?
Maineac,
My Dad always said, "a bird in hand beats two in the bush". Nice bird!
Bluegrassbowhunter,
I think you could give Guru and Tracy a run for their money. Nice birds!
Matthew,I've usually shoot the same head as I do on deer which is a 4blade phantom or a 4blade Stinger 99% of the time....I've shot 2 with the bullheads,one of them turned out good & the outcome of the other wasn't so good(my fault,not the head)but I hear alot about them being kill clean or miss completly & that's not the case(human error is always a variable to deal with,at least for me..lol)....will I use them again...you bet I will...just have to take a few precautions & keep your shots close
Fall bird
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/steadman_2006/IMG_0479.jpg)
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/steadman_2006/Curtstriplecrownquest056.jpg)
(http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h160/steadman_2006/IMG_0482.jpg)
Tracy you are a turkey killin machine! Between you and Curt I should get some real good pointers this fall :D :thumbsup:
Thanks Ryan! I'm sure Curt can teach you something about turkeys :knothead: Maybe you guys can teach me how to shoot better ;)
Tracy
Stop! I haven't started building arrows with last years' feathers yet.
OUTSTANDING!!!!!RC