2023 Hunting Season

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
Congratulations to Sue and to her support staff. You two are having a great season so far. Do you only get one tag each or can you hunt some more?

Dan
 
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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
Congratulations on a fine bird. What load did you use? Dan
 
We are only allowed 1 bearded Tom so both Sue and I are tagged out.
I'm hoping my son in law will hunt this year. Here's a nice Tom waiting for him.

JD338
 

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We are only allowed 1 bearded Tom so both Sue and I are tagged out.
I'm hoping my son in law will hunt this year. Here's a nice Tom waiting for him.

JD338
Good luck to your son-in-law. Will you be assisting with the calling?
 
Our spring turkey season opened April17 but I hadn't been hunting yet. All the gobblers I'd heard were miles away and the only turkeys I'd seen on our farm had been hens.

After lunch today, I was in my recliner and my wife headed outside. She came back inside quickly and said, "There are turkeys in the yard!" I got up, looked outside , and saw a gobbler with three hens where the yard met the pasture.

I ran to my safe, got my 870 Express 20 ga, put two rounds in it, and went through the house to the living room door. I eased it open and saw the gobbler with the hens just beyond him. I raised the gun but had to wait until the hens were clear. The gobbler apparently noticed something was different (door open) and raised his head /neck for a better look. I floated his head above the front bead and pulled the trigger. At the shot, he hit the ground, flopped a few times, and that was all.
I later determined the shot was 32 yards, his beard was 10 inches, one spur was an inch, the other just under. It was a bucket list moment because I had long wanted to kill a bird with a 20, and this gun was given to me by my two stepsons 4 or 5 months ago .
Edit: i only had bathroom scales to weigh him with but they indicated 20 lbs.
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A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Congratulations on checking one off the bucket list. Dan.
 
Ugh! Finally get an open weekend to hit the Turkey woods and i get slammed with a double whammy of bronchitis and strep throat. If it was warmer and sunny I might sneak out, but drizzle and 30’s, I better stay in. 🤬🤒
 
Our spring turkey season opened April17 but I hadn't been hunting yet. All the gobblers I'd heard were miles away and the only turkeys I'd seen on our farm had been hens.

After lunch today, I was in my recliner and my wife headed outside. She came back inside quickly and said, "There are turkeys in the yard!" I got up, looked outside , and saw a gobbler with three hens where the yard met the pasture.

I ran to my safe, got my 870 Express 20 ga, put two rounds in it, and went through the house to the living room door. I eased it open and saw the gobbler with the hens just beyond him. I raised the gun but had to wait until the hens were clear. The gobbler apparently noticed something was different (door open) and raised his head /neck for a better look. I floated his head above the front bead and pulled the trigger. At the shot, he hit the ground, flopped a few times, and that was all.
I later determined the shot was 32 yards, his beard was 10 inches, one spur was an inch, the other just under. It was a bucket list moment because I had long wanted to kill a bird with a 20, and this gun was given to me by my two stepsons 4 or 5 months ago .
Edit: i only had bathroom scales to weigh him with but they indicated 20 lbs.
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Congratulations on a fine bird. Once in a while the stars, the moon, and the sun line up for an easy hunt. We all deserve one of those once in a while. Dan
 
Thunder and drizzle all day yesterday, but they were “talkative”. At least three different Toms, talking back, but they stayed just out of sight. Finally the last 20 mins of legal hours and he came in and hung up about 45 yards out only giving me glimpses through a bush. Finally he hopped up on a log and That was the end for him. The 3” longbeard XR #5 did the job. Smaller Tom with 5” beard. The Zebrano crystal call got them talking. Thank goodness I had my shooting stick, I held a bead for probably 3 minutes, without the stick I would have been pretty shakey. IMG_0219.jpeg
 
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