2012_taco

Congrats, I shot a 2 yr. old this morning. 19.75 lbs., 7.75" beard, 3/4" spurs. Called in 2 of them @7Am. I used a new slate pot call that a friend gave me. I just love breaking in a new call! Hope I can enter the contest next year.

Lawdwaz, Don't you usually go to PA for turkeys? whats up ? Are you going on the 1st?

set up time usually depends on if I was able to roost one the night before. If I know about where they are roosted I can sneak in in the dark and get close. If I'm going in blind I have no choice but to listen for gobbles and run to get close and set up. Obviously I prefer the 1st scenario but can't always drive to my spot the night before, so I have no choice but to get up early and set up as best I can. Either way it is always better than going to work.!

it sounds like the list would be shorter if you asked who is not going out for turkey this spring! I'll be in Chautaugua Co.on the 1st.after that I will play the weather and work schedule and go when I can. but I usually get in the woods close to 10-15 days. Some mornings I just go close to home , if I don't hear birds I can still get to work without wasting a day off.

Thermacell will definitely be needed, carry back up fuel and scent wafers.

I just saw this thread, I wish I had seen it in time to enter. I'll know better next year. Good luck to all!!!

most guys I know have several saws, I myself have 3. echo 18", poulan 12", and an old Mccullah 20". all used, if you watch garage sales you can find a deal on good saw. But if you need it now go with the best you can afford. the most important thing is clean gas, proper mix of oil, and sharp chains.

a 10 ga single shot, Oh my aching shoulder!

Yes, Sunday would have been sooo much better. I'll try again soon.

no luck, it was windy and snowed for the first couple of hours. Went for a long walk checked all the normal locations, nothing not even a fresh track in the snow. gave up around 11:00. needed to get warm and have a hot meal. Today would have been the day to go out, but Sunday was out of the question. Sorry no pics.

the weather for Saturday doesn't look good. 43 for a high and snow !! good tracking weather. sunday looks better.

Thanks, Larry but the feds took your scale. lol

I think there are more hunters (after all it is addicting) and less turkeys (poor hatches last few years and more preditors) But all that said I will be out until I tag out and then I will call for any one who wants the company. I love the challenge!

never had great luck roosting at night. sometimes I just sit and listen you can hear them fly up and gobble or hear the hens that may be with them, sometimes owl hooting works but I usually listen for the real owls to start and wait for the gobbles. It is always better knowing where they are in the AM

I was planning on bringing my blind this weekend just in case it does rain in the morning I thought I could set it up on a field edge and wait for the weather to improve. Larry I guess i'll take pics lord knows I will need your scale again some time.

now this morning the rain is back in, only 30% and should clear out early. Sunday looks great!

went out Sunday, heard 1, only gobbled 2x. Went out Monday close to home, not a gobble! saw 4 hens alone. What's up with that? Taking out a youngster next weekend I hope this gets better.

The weather for this weekend is improving by the day. will be cold 40's but they took out the rain. winds out of the west @ 15+.

G man I look forward to a little dress rehersal next weekend.! I'll be there, I have an extra vest so he can have decent seat. (maybe I'll have him carry some of the load) all we will need is nice weather

sorry I don't have any thing to donate at this time,but for a youth an Easy Yelper is probaby the easiest call to learn to operate.

wow, what an interesting debate! I know all too well what everyone is going through. I have been trying differt shells for a couple of years with my 870 magnum 12ga. I have a comp n choke xxx full and I have been ok with federal flightwads3.5 #5. but 40 yds is max. I tried winchester 3 & 3.5 #5 and there was a noticable hole in the pattern at 40yds. NG. I recently broke the bank and picked up a box of hevi shot 13 3.5" #5 and they patterned great. Now i worry about missing at 20 yds. I will probaby paper shoot it @ 20 yds so I know where it hits ands how tight the pattern is. I don't see anthing on the choke packeage as to wheither it is ok to shoot hevi shots through it. But it does shoot them well.

Lawdwaz, you always have a treeked view on things. lol

I carry way too many calls but my favorite is a ML Linch old champian box call, it was my first call bought it at Twin Fair for $16. I always use a mouth call for close work. I would love to learn how to work a tube call as I know there are not many being used in the turkey woods. I will use a slate call when I am calling for another hunter and I can set up 40 yds behind him. the push pin type calls are the easiest call and they sound great. Probably could hunt the rest of my life with just a diaphram call and easy yelper!

I'm sorry to say I've rolled a few only to find what I thought was about 40 yds. turned out to be 45-48 yds. I guess my gun patern is ok out to 40 yds. max. but after 40 the pattern seems to fall apart. I was hoping to find a load that will give me a cushion for when I get impatient and take a shot that looks like 40 or less and turns out to be a little farther.

Got you hooked on the turkey tet !! HAHA I'm a skinner, only to get the breasts, had pour luck with plucking and cooking whole birds. I have heard of skinning the whole bird, wrapping the bird with cheese cloth and smearing butter over it then roasting it. The cheese cloth and butter helps to keep it moist. try cutting the breast meat into strips dipping in egg then coating with bread crumbs, deep frying it then shake it in Buffalo wing sauce.. its awesome.