Turkey Hunting?

L

lineguy

Guest
Just curious how many guys hunt thunder chickens around here? I am just starting to make my own pot and mouth calls. Maybe we should have a biggest bird contest and the winner gets a custom call of their own design...?

Just throwing it out there.
 
Where is "around here"? I have taken a number of Easterns here in MI and have taken Rios in Texas and Merriams in the Black Hills of South Dakota. This Spring I'm thinking about a dual hunt for Merriams in SD and WY.
 
My bad, this web site. Never hunted a Merriams, how do they compare to Easterns or Rios. In my opinion, every eastern I have talked to was more aggressive than the Rios we have here in western Kansas.
 
My plan is to try and finish my bow and black powder slam with a trip to FL in march. Then as long as I get them two I will try to make it a single season slam with both weapons with a trip to KS, NE, and here in WI. I have friends in each place so it works out to be as cheap as you can possibly do it. One of these days I will have to break down and find a way to save the cash to go after the Oscelated to finish my world slam. I guess I started it because i could do the hunts a heck of a lot cheaper then big game hunts.
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Nice Job Bogey!

Don't know about cheaper than Big Game?:D

For about 3250.00 you can Hunt the Oscelated Gobbler!:D

You've Hunted them Gobblers alot,just wondering/Curious to what the Longest Beard you've Taken on a Gobbler is?



Wisz was a Hell of a Sport this year even if He did tell the UDWR to F-Off during the Phone Call!:D
15" Bases?
30" 5ths?
Missing 450" Bull!
The next 4 years is Slicks Fault,again,GEEZUS!
GOOD GAWD A MIGHTY!
 
I think I said I started because it was cheaper:) It didn't end that way!! Tried the Gould's wth a cheaper new outfitter, then after not doing it the right way the first time, went with El Halcon and had a great hunt. I have a lot of Cabelas points and have been saving them for something like that darn expensive Oscelated. Would love to go with Lovett but with his health problems he won't be doing them any more.

Biggest beard?? Not real sure, the Eastern from here in WI(second from left) would probably be it. Going from memory it was like 11.5", on our certified scale he went 29.97#, but had both spurs broke off. I cheated on the mount and used good spurs from another bird
 
Here is my plan for the spring... and it could be a tough one to pull off.

Royal Slam, with a bow, all in the U.S., in one spring season. (has this been done before?, i'm sure it has)

Start it off with a Merriam hunt in AZ
Fly to Florida to hunt Osceola with a friend.
Drive up to GA to hunt Easterns with the same friend.
Stop in TX or OK to hunt Rio's with my Dad or Uncle.
Back to AZ for my Gould's!

I have big dreams! I could try with my recurve to make it even more difficult!
 
That is one cool display and something you would think would be in a Cabelas store, rather than in a home!
 
Ya if you have the Gould's tag you have to try it!! Good luck, with the proper time you will get them all:)
BRad
 
Fantastic display, Bogey! Chase, that is a great plan and will be incredibly fun, whether you get them all or not. Keep us posted.

As an aside, ever notice how the guys with lots of birds under their belts and years of experience call them "turkeys" and not "thunder chickens"? Just a pet peeve from a guy who has hunted them for over 40 years. Maybe I'm just old fashioned!
 
Bogey, Super Great mounts.

Love to hunt spring turkeys. Has become a passion.

Since I moved to WY 12 years ago, I have been hunting 2-5 states a year and take 3-6 toms a year. Killed a Goulds in 2008.

Tried to kill a grand slam in 1 year in 2007 but failed on my 1st hunt in Florida, but killed my 1st eastern. Lost my Kansas spot a couple years ago.

Most of my 50 odd toms have been Rio's and Merriums.

from the "Heartland of Wyoming"
 
Well bogey!

I've been Huntin em Hard since the 1st Gobbler season here in TARDville about 10-12 years ago!

I have seen a few odd ball Turkeys while Huntin!

Just a couple days before Season a few years back I seen a Mountain Bird that was a Solid Gray/Powder Blue Color,I tried my Best to locate this Tom & never seen him again,He was not Big Beard wise(About 7"!) but I've never seen another Tom Like Him!

Also seen a Hen the same color as a Hen Pheasant,she stuck out of the crowd/others like day & night,don't know what's up with that color?

Originally we had Rio's & Merriams!

Most of Our Birds are Merrio's now(Crossbreeds!) and I haven't seen a True Rio in years now!

With all the Predators we have here,the Big Toms are Smart SOB's!



Wisz was a Hell of a Sport this year even if He did tell the UDWR to F-Off during the Phone Call!:D
15" Bases?
30" 5ths?
Missing 450" Bull!
The next 4 years is Slicks Fault,again,GEEZUS!
GOOD GAWD A MIGHTY!
 
Cool display. Turkey hunting is awesome and I love to do it when I can. Love it when they are goggling and strutting. Way fun stuff especially when I have my youngster with me.
 
elkassassin I have never seen any of the color phase turkeys. I would love to shoot one of the smoke colored birds....of course that would probably cost me more money!

Thanks for all the kind words on the display. It started as getting lucky and shooting a real good meriams as my first bird other then eastern and having that done. I shot a bunch of Rio's before taking one to the taxi. When I decided on this idea I told him to just wait to do them and gave him the general idea for the mount. The first I saw it done is when he had it set up in my basement.
 
I seen them 2 bogey!

I Really wanted That Powder Blue/Grey Bird & ended up Wasting several days of Season trying to find Him!

I Guess you could Say I got my Butt Kicked!

Not the First time by a Gobbler though!



Wisz was a Hell of a Sport this year even if He did tell the UDWR to F-Off during the Phone Call!:D
15" Bases?
30" 5ths?
Missing 450" Bull!
The next 4 years is Slicks Fault,again,GEEZUS!
GOOD GAWD A MIGHTY!
 
I promise it won't be the last time they kick my butt.
Quick story on that: Got to KS last year early am after driving all night, saw birds in a field we can hunt, got to buddies and his kid(11, got him his first birds at 8) says lets go I know were they are going. Getting set up birds gobble over top of field, here comes 7 toms, hens, jakes, at fifty yards they start putting and around the corner of field comes the farmer spraying the field and right over our decoys......of course that ended the hunt. Move to new spot about an hour here comes tom and hen, after while they are just about in range and out of the tree above us a hawk flyes down and smacks my decoy.....again there goes the birds. So in about 2 hrs butt kicked twice in 2 hrs. ......in another couple hrs the birds cooperated and I filed up. But always and adventure
 
Oh Ya!

One morning sneaking in to a River bottom at 4:30 AM I here a pack of Coyotes up on top with a Kill!

I'm thinking:This ain't good!

But I figured I'm here now so I continued on as planned,I drop off in to the River Bottom & Get set up!

Waited for what seemed forever for Light to start showing!

I hear several Birds makin Unusual Sounds headed my way all the way down the River!

I see a Coyote headed my way when He notices My Decoy,I decide there ain't no way I'm shootin Him even if I get the Chance,one shot on that River Bottom & you've screwed yourself,these Big Toms are Wise as Hell!

He Stops,Looks at My Decoy,Sneaks over in to the Brush & the next thing I see is Him Loping up behind My Decoy at a Perty Good rate of Speed from down below me!

When He Sunk His Canines in to my Decoy is when I changed My Mind!

At 8 Yards & a Good Turkey Load I Rolled Him Perty Good!:D

Guess after the Venison He wanted some Dessert?



Wisz was a Hell of a Sport this year even if He did tell the UDWR to F-Off during the Phone Call!:D
15" Bases?
30" 5ths?
Missing 450" Bull!
The next 4 years is Slicks Fault,again,GEEZUS!
GOOD GAWD A MIGHTY!
 

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