2023 Hunting Season

[hunter24605]

No pictures, but my brother called me yesterday and said that he drifted to sleep and heard noises and opened an eye and a young gobbler that was 10 yards away giving him the stink eye. He waited until the bird turned its head and just barely started to raise his shotgun, but it busted him and hauled out of there. He informed me that had been using a copper/cocobolo call prior to falling asleep. It was a unique cinnamon color, that's the image stuck in his head of a cinnamon-colored bird doing that goofy waddle-run thing they do, at top speed.

 

[DrMike]

No pictures, but my brother called me yesterday and said that he drifted to sleep and heard noises and opened an eye and a young gobbler that was 10 yards away giving him the stink eye. He waited until the bird turned its head and just barely started to raise his shotgun, but it busted him and hauled out of there. He informed me that had been using a copper/cocobolo call prior to falling asleep. It was a unique cinnamon color, that's the image stuck in his head of a cinnamon-colored bird doing that goofy waddle-run thing they do, at top speed.

That is humorous. Never had a turkey do that, but I do recall a lovely bull moose that trotted by as I rested in the shade of a fragrant balsam tree. Yup, critters do slip by as we allow ourselves to engage in "deep meditation."

 

[TNBillyEarl]

Opening day was last Saturday. Here in TN - as in most of the southeastern states - they have moved Turkey Season back 2 weeks so as to get more hens bred. That certainly seemed to be the case last weekend; all the Toms gobbled once early, had hens come right to them, and disappeared. I hunted hard to no avail. This guy never gobbled this morning, but he put on a strutting show at 50 yards, 45 yards, 40 yards, and then I just lost my patience.

B

 

[DrMike]

Congratulations. I should imagine that it is difficult to just watch the strutting, especially when you know that he might just give up momentarily and disappear. Again, congratulations.

 

[hunter24605]

Congratulations. I agree with you. a few weeks ago I was fishing and every time a goose honked or a crow cawed, an old gobbler would let loose. He went on and on for the better part of the day. Went Monday and heard a gobble at sunup then nothing for the rest of the morning. I did have one come in, but I think he busted me, at about 60 yards he stopped, turned and wandered off the opposite direction.

 

[JD338]

Congratulations on your Tom, he is a dandy.

JD338

 

[JD338]

Shot this Tom on 4/22, opening morning with my 870 Magnum, Winchester Long Beard 12 ga 3 " #5's at 33 yards. Beard is 10" and spurs are 1 1/2".

JD338

 

[DrMike]

And that's the way it's done! Excellent, Jim. Congratulations on filling your tag.

 

[NYDAN]

Congratulations, Jim. That is a fine-looking gobbler.

 

[RL338]

Congrats on a nice size one

 

[hunter24605]

congratulations Jim. that’s a nice bird!

 

[JD338]

congratulations Jim. that’s a nice bird!

Howie, I forgot to mention that I used the Zebrano Wood Glass call that you made last year. It was the maiden voyage for this call.
I called him in and my wife wasn't comfortable taking the 30 yard shot with her xbow. (Sue is limited to a xbow right now because she had surgery a couple weeks ago). I let him walk and called him back about a half hour later. Sue again declined the shot so I smoked him.

JD338

 

[hunter24605]

Howie, I forgot to mention that I used the Zebrano Wood Glass call that you made last year. It was the maiden voyage for this call.
I called him in and my wife wasn't comfortable taking the 30 yard shot with her xbow. (Sue is limited to a xbow right now because she had surgery a couple weeks ago). I let him walk and called him back about a half hour later. Sue again declined the shot so I smoked him.

JD338

That’s great! I love to hear stories about the calls!

 

[TKessel]

Nice bird!

 

[NYHunter444]

Great hunt and what a shot !
I've been entering state tag raffles for elk and have yet to win one... but I'll keep trying...
And as to hills and dales, I hope I get lucky to shoot on a level plain.
Dragging whitetail winds me already.

 

[JD338]

My wife Sue filled her MI Spring Turkey tag this morning on a nice Tom, 10" beard and 1 1/8" spurs. Called him in with Howie's Zebrano Wood Glass call to 36 yards and she throttled him with her Franchi Affinity 20 ga and a load of Federal Prairie Storm 3" 1 1/4 oz #5's. This load shoots really well in her shotgun as shown with a 25 yard pattern.

JD338

 

[hunter24605]

My wife Sue filled her MI Spring Turkey tag this morning on a nice Tom, 10" beard and 1 1/8" spurs. Called him in with Howie's Zebrano Wood Glass call to 36 yards and she throttled him with her Franchi Affinity 20 ga and a load of Federal Prairie Storm 3" 1 1/4 oz #5's. This load shoots really well in her shotgun as shown with a 25 yard pattern.

JD338

That's Awesome, Tell Sue I said congratulations! That call is getting it done, to quote Mr. Oppenheimer, "Now I am become death".

 

[DrMike]

Excellent! Congratulations to Sue. Man, those pictures showing the woods in which her bird came in sure makes me want to get up off my duff and get out. Bear is open, but there is still quite a bit of snow in the higher elevations. Your pictures don't help me in the patience department!

 

[JD338]

Excellent! Congratulations to Sue. Man, those pictures showing the woods in which her bird came in sure makes me want to get up off my duff and get out. Bear is open, but there is still quite a bit of snow in the higher elevations. Your pictures don't help me in the patience department!

Mike,
You can always come here to hunt.

JD338

 

[DrMike]

Mike,
You can always come here to hunt.

JD338

Careful, Jim. I've been known to drive some distance just to get in some field time.