2025 Hunting Season
- Thread starter JD338
- Start date
longrangehunter
Handloader
- Jun 19, 2011
- 1,620
- 334
Sorry for the late reply! I used a 1970’s Remington 16 ga. 870 WingMaster. Shooting Federal Hi-Power 7 1/2 shot with a Modified Choke.
He was less than 20 yards from us when he stepped around the corner of the trees we were seated in front of.
longrangehunter
Handloader
- Jun 19, 2011
- 1,620
- 334
Great job Jim, and Sue! That’s nice that you both tagged out together on what would have been an exciting day in the woods!
RL338
Handloader
- Mar 23, 2017
- 3,936
- 6,861
Congrats to Sue and you for a pair of fine Toms.
You got a box full of turkey on the wheeler.
You got a box full of turkey on the wheeler.
- Thread starter
- #46
- Nov 4, 2004
- 26,184
- 11,611
Thank you everyone for the kind words. Yes, we got lucky and Howie's glass call put 2 trophy toms in our laps. It was indeed an awesome morning in the turkey woods.
JD338
JD338
this past Saturday was spring gobbler youth day .the lease had 4 youth hunters ,1 girl , 3 boys . 2 were successful ,1 boy , 1 girl . quitting time is noon . it rained and at times fairly hard until around 10am . the 2 unsuccessful hunters stayed out until noon . one was in a blind the other was not . both successful hunters were in blinds . all the hunters used the savage stephens single shot 410's with a red dot sight . they were shooting TSS #9 shot . one bird was shot at 40 - 45 yards . the one bird was a banded bird . the PA game commission traps birds for research and they will band some of the birds . some of these bands are marked for how much money you'll receive when you report it . this bird had a $100 tag on it . this was the first bird for each hunter . both of these hunters were hunting with their Dads .
6.5_sWv
Beginner
- Mar 5, 2019
- 205
- 207
My dad is a retired engineer from CSX Railroad. Due to over 40years on the job, his hearing isn't what it used to be. Try as he might, he tried several times when I was younger to "make it happen" on a spring gobbler hunt. Spring turkey hunting was his obsession. It never did, and as I got older, I had an interest in spring turkey hunting, but I was never obsessed. I finally lucked up and killed a gobbler on my own about 15 years ago and thats when my obsession began.
In the meantime, Dad's hearing continued to decline to the point where he cant hear the turkeys gobble unless they're relatively close. He jokes with me that I'm his service dog and basically his ears. I hear them and get us going in the general direction, then we formulate a game plan and setup together. For several years my goal was to do what he tried to do for me years before, which was put a spring turkey in front of his gun barrel. Over the years we had several close calls but never could seal the deal. Last April (2024) I was able to be with him on his birthday (April 18th) and had the pleasure of sitting at the base of a white oak when a very wary cagy jake stumbled within about 25 yds and he was able to shoot it with his Uncle Leonards Springfield 16ga SxS and all this went down on his mother's homeplace.
2024 Birthday Jake
This year, we spent opening morning together on a US Army Corps of Engineers public land tract where we have hunted and taken gobblers before. We heard a few, but never got anything going. In the last few days, we've both had other plans so we haven't been able to hunt much until this morning.
We launched the boat at around 4:55am and slowly made our way up the lake. We had a general area picked out to be at daybreak to listen for gobbling birds. Nothing happened at daylight and we never heard any gobbling. Around 7:45am, I heard a distant gobbler sound off so we headed up the ridge. I made a call, and he answered, but so did a hen. Immediately I began answering that hen in the same tone, pitch, and cadence that she responded to me with. This went on for about 3 or 4 minutes and all the while the gobbler was getting closer. Then the woods got quiet, and within another minute, the hen was standing 10 yards to my left, just fussing at us. I could see her out of the corner of my eye, but then Dad said he could see another turkey. As it got closer, we knew it was a jake, but as he closed the distance to about 15yds, Dad figured a bird in the hand was worth 2 in the bush and dropped the hammer. The time was 8:14am. Dad's Mossberg SA-20 with the Winchester Longbeard XR #6 flattened that jake. The hen split in a hurry, and we never saw the gobbler doing all the gobbling. We did hear him a few times more but he was moving several hundred yards away in the opposite direction. We took some time to take a few pictures, fill out the tag, and began working our way back to the boat. I never could get that gobbler to fire up again, and I assume he reconnected with his hen and got tightlipped.
Dad also got to use his box call that he bought from Howie Toler of Tolers Game Calls here on the board.
All in all, it was a great day, and I was beyond happy for him and was thrilled to be able to share another successful morning with him in the spring woods.
May 2, 2025
In the meantime, Dad's hearing continued to decline to the point where he cant hear the turkeys gobble unless they're relatively close. He jokes with me that I'm his service dog and basically his ears. I hear them and get us going in the general direction, then we formulate a game plan and setup together. For several years my goal was to do what he tried to do for me years before, which was put a spring turkey in front of his gun barrel. Over the years we had several close calls but never could seal the deal. Last April (2024) I was able to be with him on his birthday (April 18th) and had the pleasure of sitting at the base of a white oak when a very wary cagy jake stumbled within about 25 yds and he was able to shoot it with his Uncle Leonards Springfield 16ga SxS and all this went down on his mother's homeplace.
2024 Birthday Jake
This year, we spent opening morning together on a US Army Corps of Engineers public land tract where we have hunted and taken gobblers before. We heard a few, but never got anything going. In the last few days, we've both had other plans so we haven't been able to hunt much until this morning.
We launched the boat at around 4:55am and slowly made our way up the lake. We had a general area picked out to be at daybreak to listen for gobbling birds. Nothing happened at daylight and we never heard any gobbling. Around 7:45am, I heard a distant gobbler sound off so we headed up the ridge. I made a call, and he answered, but so did a hen. Immediately I began answering that hen in the same tone, pitch, and cadence that she responded to me with. This went on for about 3 or 4 minutes and all the while the gobbler was getting closer. Then the woods got quiet, and within another minute, the hen was standing 10 yards to my left, just fussing at us. I could see her out of the corner of my eye, but then Dad said he could see another turkey. As it got closer, we knew it was a jake, but as he closed the distance to about 15yds, Dad figured a bird in the hand was worth 2 in the bush and dropped the hammer. The time was 8:14am. Dad's Mossberg SA-20 with the Winchester Longbeard XR #6 flattened that jake. The hen split in a hurry, and we never saw the gobbler doing all the gobbling. We did hear him a few times more but he was moving several hundred yards away in the opposite direction. We took some time to take a few pictures, fill out the tag, and began working our way back to the boat. I never could get that gobbler to fire up again, and I assume he reconnected with his hen and got tightlipped.
Dad also got to use his box call that he bought from Howie Toler of Tolers Game Calls here on the board.
All in all, it was a great day, and I was beyond happy for him and was thrilled to be able to share another successful morning with him in the spring woods.
May 2, 2025
DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
- 37,814
- 7,525
The very best outcome for both of you. What I would give to hunt one time with my dad. He died within a few months of my arrival in Canada. We had always talked of going to the Aleutian Islands where he served in the Second World War.
I hear you, Brother. Hunting with my dad was everything. Some of the best days of my life.
Jim, that is a great story. How nice that your lease partners really work to get the youngsters started on the right track.
My dad is a retired engineer from CSX Railroad. Due to over 40years on the job, his hearing isn't what it used to be. Try as he might, he tried several times when I was younger to "make it happen" on a spring gobbler hunt. Spring turkey hunting was his obsession. It never did, and as I got older, I had an interest in spring turkey hunting, but I was never obsessed. I finally lucked up and killed a gobbler on my own about 15 years ago and thats when my obsession began.
In the meantime, Dad's hearing continued to decline to the point where he cant hear the turkeys gobble unless they're relatively close. He jokes with me that I'm his service dog and basically his ears. I hear them and get us going in the general direction, then we formulate a game plan and setup together. For several years my goal was to do what he tried to do for me years before, which was put a spring turkey in front of his gun barrel. Over the years we had several close calls but never could seal the deal. Last April (2024) I was able to be with him on his birthday (April 18th) and had the pleasure of sitting at the base of a white oak when a very wary cagy jake stumbled within about 25 yds and he was able to shoot it with his Uncle Leonards Springfield 16ga SxS and all this went down on his mother's homeplace.
2024 Birthday Jake
This year, we spent opening morning together on a US Army Corps of Engineers public land tract where we have hunted and taken gobblers before. We heard a few, but never got anything going. In the last few days, we've both had other plans so we haven't been able to hunt much until this morning.
We launched the boat at around 4:55am and slowly made our way up the lake. We had a general area picked out to be at daybreak to listen for gobbling birds. Nothing happened at daylight and we never heard any gobbling. Around 7:45am, I heard a distant gobbler sound off so we headed up the ridge. I made a call, and he answered, but so did a hen. Immediately I began answering that hen in the same tone, pitch, and cadence that she responded to me with. This went on for about 3 or 4 minutes and all the while the gobbler was getting closer. Then the woods got quiet, and within another minute, the hen was standing 10 yards to my left, just fussing at us. I could see her out of the corner of my eye, but then Dad said he could see another turkey. As it got closer, we knew it was a jake, but as he closed the distance to about 15yds, Dad figured a bird in the hand was worth 2 in the bush and dropped the hammer. The time was 8:14am. Dad's Mossberg SA-20 with the Winchester Longbeard XR #6 flattened that jake. The hen split in a hurry, and we never saw the gobbler doing all the gobbling. We did hear him a few times more but he was moving several hundred yards away in the opposite direction. We took some time to take a few pictures, fill out the tag, and began working our way back to the boat. I never could get that gobbler to fire up again, and I assume he reconnected with his hen and got tightlipped.
Dad also got to use his box call that he bought from Howie Toler of Tolers Game Calls here on the board.
All in all, it was a great day, and I was beyond happy for him and was thrilled to be able to share another successful morning with him in the spring woods.
May 2, 2025
That is fantastic. What a way to spend some time with your dad. Congratulations to both of you.
hunter24605
Handloader
- Apr 30, 2016
- 2,726
- 5,035
Nice birds Fellas!
Blkram
Handloader
- Nov 25, 2013
- 3,046
- 3,447
Sometimes things happen for a reason!
Getting a Tom would be a great thing...but doubling up on the same Tom, and another with your partner in life takes it to that next level! Congrats on a memory you'll both cherish!
- Thread starter
- #55
- Nov 4, 2004
- 26,184
- 11,611
You are exactly right Gil. I couldn't have written the script any better. God's plan was perfect!
JD338
DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
- 37,814
- 7,525
Excellent! Looking at the tread marks, did you tag it with a tank? 
- Oct 30, 2004
- 24,608
- 4,051
So far in 2025 only this.
Doc,Excellent! Looking at the tread marks, did you tag it with a tank?
They were building some military training obstacles close to where I got him and those are from a big front end loader, but I’m pretty handy about knocking elk down with a pickup. Just ask my wife!
V/R,
Joe
Congratulations. Would you share more info such as rifle used, cartridge used, bullet used, shot distance, etc.?
