bpd459
Gold $$ Contributor
It's that time of year. Let's see those kills.
- Thread starter hogpatrol
- Start date
Naildriver_2007
Gold $$ Contributor
Opening day.
Nothing beats fresh wild turkey huh. I unfortunately I didnt get to taste that bird, I just helped that young man fill his first tag and sent him home with Easter supper. He sure was proud to provide supper for his folks!
I’m waiting and wondering about a out of state elk tag now.
MikeT49
Gold $$ Contributor
Mike,. If you're talking in general, all states, so am I. I've finally got enough points to get drawn for a decent antelope buck unit in Montana. Never shot a speed goat, bucket list item. Also on the list is a Coues buck. My good friends brother lives in Arizona. I got an invite to do DIY hunt utilizing local knowledge. I suspect there's a lot of us with concerns. Hunts need prep. Kinda hard to prep not knowing what the hey is gonna happen. If you're talking Washington non resident info, I can keep an ear to the ground and give you a heads up. Mike
MikeT49
Gold $$ Contributor
Damn Governor won't let me hunt. These are pics of my first two toms. Still get chill bumps when I recall the hunt. I am by no means an ace turkey slayer. (ATS). Got a gag reflex so I can't use a diaphragm. I can make noises with a slate or box. I actually use a push-pull call the most. We finally got enough turkeys to hunt on my bow property, so had to try it. Had my chances the first couple of years, but blew it due to rookie mistakes. It was Memorial Day weekend, last two days. Put up a ground blind on the edge of a field. The new growth Japanese Oats were about 8" tall. Put out a hen decoy and a jake decoy. Figured the jake might piss off any old Toms that saw him. I break out the slate call and did a few yelp sequences. Probably sounded like dog shit. I catch movement to my right. A single hen walks out. I tried a few more yelps with the slate and to my surprise didn't scare the hen off. Then I caught movement way out on the field. It looks like three little cop cars are headed my way. Holy crap, it's three toms and they are coming on a run. They are madder than chit and their heads are absolutely bright red. I think to myself, "damn, this is just like on TV" They run right up the the jake decoy and the biggest one is prepping to beat the snot out of him. So I shoot him. The other two take off running. Thought flashes in my head that I have another tag. So I put the crosshairs on the trailing bird and send some #7 hevi shot his way. Poop, I missed. Now they are really booking it. I think to myself "say dumb chit, maybe you oughta lead em a smidge" Pulled out in front a couple of feet, touched er off. Bang, flop. I got my first two toms. Took maybe five seconds, seemed like minutes. The addiction starts.
If you haven't hunted turkeys, do yourself a favor and give it a shot. It's a freakin hoot. Some of the best fun you can have with your clothes on. Maybe someday I will be an ATS.
MikeT49
Gold $$ Contributor
Get yourself an "idiot box" as the purists call em. Whatever. I use four. Flambeau's Mad call "The Egg", Quaker Boy's "Easy Yelper", and two from Knight & Hale: "Tom Coffin" & "Lonesome Hen". Use one in each hand, sound like two different hens. Easy to learn & they flat out work. Screw the purists, some of us either can't use a diaphragm or suck at it. I love me some turkey breast strips, sauteed in butter with cajun rub and McCormick's Montreal Chicken. Ooh la la.
Wednesday morning before heading to work I stood in the driveway and belted our an owl call, and got a Tom to answer up behind the house a few hundred yards into the woods. It was the opener for my season and I thought he might be in the area later that day. So I came home from work Wednesday and took the time to cook and have supper with the family. After that the sun was still up aways and I walked up to the woods. I took my 870 Wingmaster .410 with the Browning tungsten #9 turkey loads. They patterned well and I was itching to try them out as they are supposed to be a viable 40 yard turkey load although 30 would likely be better. As I got to the edge of the woods a Tom gobbled on his own accord 3-400 yards off to the SE. I gave him a few cutting yelps and he answered so I went into the woods and sat down alongside a stump. Called a few more times with him answering consistently and pulled out a slate. After a few minutes (5?) I called with the slate a few times and he was 100 yards when he gobbled just over the fence line. He strutted back and forth til he found an opening in the brush and came up towards me. He came along the edge of a shallow draw and I finally spotted him at 20 yards over the edge to my right. He got nervous and disappeared allowing me to get the little gun up in his direction. I gave a few yelps with the diaphragm call and he showed his head at 25 yards and I shot immediately. He disappeared and I jumped up to check out things and he was down. Ran up and stood on his head while until the flops were done and I had him. I sent my wife and 3 kids a picture of the bird less than 25 minutes after leaving the house, it was a very enjoyable if short hunt! The little 410 worked great at 25 yards and there were at least a dozen hits in the head/neck with no hits anywhere else as he was over the crown of the hill. The bird was a 22-24 lb (guess) 2 year old with a 9.5” and 3” double beard.It was over so fast I bought an extra tag for 5th season as I have an urge to try it again. I have an old single shot 20 ga to try next with those tungsten loads.
MikeT49
Gold $$ Contributor
Nicely done! I'm drooling for that 870, want one. I have wanted to try a .410 with the advent of the new ultra heavy shot. But haven't even tried the new to me 870 20 yet.
Mike,
I bought that 870 wingmaster when I was an E4 active duty from a pawn shop in Colorado Springs (Ft Carson). It was a few years after they had quit making them in the wingmaster grade even at that time in 95 or 96. Not sure if they’ve done the 410 in Wingmaster since as I haven’t followed it much.
MikeT49
Gold $$ Contributor
Looks an Eastern? Done the hard way. Nice! IIRC that's what you have there? From what I've gathered they are a smidge more likely to be call shy than Merriam's. Where I hunt there's only Merriam's. There are a few areas with Easterns and a few places have Rios. A state mini slam is all three. Hunting and fishing opens back up on 5/5 but the stay at home order is still in effect. Say what? Kinda think it's not gonna be this year. Sigh.
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