Turkey hunting is one of my favorite times of year and this year I was starting it off early by heading to South Dakota. Season opened April 6th and that's when I arrived at the airport and then straight to the hills from there. I always enjoy the beauty of new land and somewhere different to roam. Country living at its best with plenty of wildlife to spare. Bare with me for I forgot my point and shoot camera and only was left with my iPhone camera.
Wish I would have known, I could have given you a back up spot...
That was about the most fun I've had chasing turkeys. BEAUTIFUL country and the birds didn't frustrate me near as much as the Rios in KS.
Good luck David!
Steve, there are way to many birds in SD, they have a problem. :knothead:
Im all ears!! well, eyes anyway!! :campfire: :coffee:
The Black Hills have a ton of acreage to hunt. While working birds in the hills I saw plenty of mule deer, elk, and whitetails. On the way in I also saw some very nice pronghorn. We worked some jakes while in the hills but decided to try somewhere else.
http://youtu.be/aA9z3iNVdHA
This is a bird I passed on the first sit.
Well it seems I'm computer illiterate so I can't post my pictures.
All in all considering I only had two days of hunting because of the blizzard that struck the upper midwest I had a ton of fun. I got a nice tom the second evening. Sorry for not being able to post pics fellas.
It's hard to beat the Black Hills for beauty! Congratulations on your tom! :clapper:
Bernie Bjorklund
NC Iowa/SW Wisconsin
Nice video Dave!! Congrats on a fine bird also I LOVE THEM MERRIMENS!
:thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Most-excellent!
Shoot straight, Shinken
:archer2:
Way to go Tom, nice bird. I planned to go this spring but work got in the way, next year for sure.
John
Dave it looks like you were not shooting through the netting of your blind? Tell us how you scouted for your birds?
John
The weather here has really mucked up the turkey hunting. It is snowing and blowing again this morning. Wind gusts up to 50mph.
I was fortunate that my son and I made it in on the last flight into Rapid City last Monday night. The airport was then closed for two days.
Thanks for sharing!
Congrats on putting it together on a travel hunt.
http://imgur.com/cridIrh.jpg
http://imgur.com/LS6pLbk.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/XmvHEkc.jpg?1
Congrats...beautiful bird.
Congrats! Beautiful bird! :thumbsup:
Very nice bird sir
Gorgeous land. I think you forgot to tell evryone about the shot >>>------------->. That was awesome shooting under pressure.
(http://i.imgur.com/cridIrh.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/LS6pLbk.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/XmvHEkc.jpg)
Just a little help so the pics show up right away. What a monster gobbler! Congrats on a great hunt. I think we all would like to hear about the shot.
Fine pics and bird. congrats,RC.
Wow, you were right near me! Good work.
Nice Bird David, Congrats
Trap
Nice bird Dave. What airport did you fly into?
Rapid City
Huntinmuleys, I was in Newcastle.
Congrats on the beautiful BH bird.
Nice bird.....Well done..
You were in newcastle even. Wow small world. With my work schedule, I haven't even got to hunt yet this spring.
Congrat's on a great bird.
Nice looking bird, that's some beautiful country.
-Jay
Very nice!!
Beautiful bird! Wish the weather would have cooperated better for you.
I would like to thank everyone for the kind words. I have been very busy with family, work, and some scouting for our home state turkey season.
The hunt in South Dakota was short but very rewarding in scenery and game seen. As for the hunt itself. We got onto some birds on the back side of a canyon and started working them around 3:00p.m.. If you hunt turkeys different species require different techniques. I called off and on for about FOUR hours to these birds trying to pull the hens in that had gobblers with them. We thought there were only 4 toms but ended up with seven toms, thirteen hens, and four jakes. After the hens finally broke off and worked there way over the toms were following. They came into our setup very briefly the skirted the decoys.(the toms did) we dropped the back windows and I prepared for a shot at about 17-18yrds and I just missed taking a few feathers. The birds walked off and started strutting at roughly 35yrds. After watching them for about five minutes Lance(my guide) encouraged me to take the shot that I've been shooting well the last two days. Well I neared down and picked a spot and was able to put a great shot on the bird and he went down rather quickly. The other birds went over and pecked at him to show they're dominance and then moved on.
Once again thank you all for all the comments.
Chad,
Have you and Cade been out in SD yet? Keep me posted.
Irv
Irv, Chad has a great post titled snow turkeys on here now. It's a great read.
That's a heck of a bird and a heck of a shot! Where did you hit him at?
Almost right on the wingbutt.
Thanks for the pics and congratulations on a great trophy. I get to go after them this coming Monday in my home state of WV.
Awesome bud....congrats!! :clapper:
Beautiful gobbler,congrates! :thumbsup:
Dave has been practicing for his Elk hunt and shooting those distances at home . Dave is very dedicated with his shooting and it shows. Awesome hunt Dave. Thanks for the updates while you were gone.
Definitely a great shot. Now I just need you Ohio boys to come down here and help a novice turkey hunter out, lol.
I predict a turkey mount at your place this year Pat. You could always move to Ohio. We could use about 400 achers.
Congrats On your turkey!
I hope so, Mike. But you only get so many opportunities.
Nice Turkey!
You guys are all to kind. I really feel sorry for the turkey that gets in front of Mike. He came over to shoot and was destroying my turkey target.