Turkey hunting 2024

[AER244]

Turkey legs make pretty bomb jerky, especially smoked. My opinion anyway. The drums are an absolute pain in the ass though- regardless of how it’s prepared.

My son and I are headed out Thursday evening, hopefully.

Congrats @ElkStalkR , darn nice bird!

 

[AER244]

@retrieverman only 23lbs, did you buy a new scale or what?

 

[Oklahomabassin]

Blind hogs do find acorns…
I gambled on where to set up this afternoon, and it paid off. I was about 400 yards northwest at the opposite end of a grove of tree along the river from my camera where I’ve been seeing turkeys, because I know they hang out in those tree. The wind was blowing pretty hard so I was up wind to hopefully get the sound to carry into the tree. I called a few times and after a while got a glimpse of something moving in the shade about 50 yards away. When he came out into the light, I could see it was a tom I’ve been watching that has something wrong with his beard (maybe beard rot), so I just sat still and watched him for about 30 minutes as he milled around my decoys (which I set up way too close). All of a sudden I hear a gobble south of me, but I was afraid to call back because of getting busted. Well, the other tom acted as my live decoy and coaxed this tom within 10 yards. It was a bang and no flop. The 1 1/4 oz #7.5 load dropped him like a hot rock even out of a modified choke.
He has a 9 1/4” beard and 1” and 1 1/8” spurs.
View attachment 471027
View attachment 471040
View attachment 471041

Congratulations buddy!

 

[birdhunter1980]

Congrats on the birds guys!!

 

[Oklahomabassin]

That's pretty much what I do with wild turkey legs/thighs. Usually a pot pie or tetrazzini or something similar.

I had a rough opening day in the wind. One gobble early this morning, but nothing showed. Turns out, I caught them going to roost this evening while I was out driving past the private property that borders the public. I know exactly where they are now and I'll be waiting in the morning. About 5 big toms in the group.

Fantastic turkey retrieverman!

Good luck in the morning!

 

[Oklahomabassin]

No luck this morning. Only heard one gobble way off. Wind was blowing so hard I sat out the afternoon and didn’t go back out till about 530. This guy showed up with 6 other gobblers. Biggest group of birds I’ve seen in years. Nice to see that many.

Congratulations! Way to make it pay off!

 

[dennishoddy]

Blind hogs do find acorns…
I gambled on where to set up this afternoon, and it paid off. I was about 400 yards northwest at the opposite end of a grove of tree along the river from my camera where I’ve been seeing turkeys, because I know they hang out in those tree. The wind was blowing pretty hard so I was up wind to hopefully get the sound to carry into the tree. I called a few times and after a while got a glimpse of something moving in the shade about 50 yards away. When he came out into the light, I could see it was a tom I’ve been watching that has something wrong with his beard (maybe beard rot), so I just sat still and watched him for about 30 minutes as he milled around my decoys (which I set up way too close). All of a sudden I hear a gobble south of me, but I was afraid to call back because of getting busted. Well, the other tom acted as my live decoy and coaxed this tom within 10 yards. It was a bang and no flop. The 1 1/4 oz #7.5 load dropped him like a hot rock even out of a modified choke.
He has a 9 1/4” beard and 1” and 1 1/8” spurs.
View attachment 471027
View attachment 471040
View attachment 471041

Great bird and great pics! Way to get-er-done!

 

[dennishoddy]

No luck this morning. Only heard one gobble way off. Wind was blowing so hard I sat out the afternoon and didn’t go back out till about 530. This guy showed up with 6 other gobblers. Biggest group of birds I’ve seen in years. Nice to see that many.

Congrats on the great Tom!

 

[retrieverman]

View attachment 471103@retrieverman only 23lbs, did you buy a new scale or what?

This scale is at least 3 or 4 years old, and the weight was almost 26 lbs. Hash marks are 2 lb intervals.

 

[hunter966]

Congrats elkstalker, nice tom.