mowin

I've seen them stay on roost for a extra hr, to gobbling there heads off and raring to go. I second, or whatever# were up too, that they tend to hit the fields in nasty weather. But I've caught them lying low in a groove of pines too. I tend to sit on food sorce and out of the wind as much as possible.

Had to start working today at 7. Was planning on going out till then because I was going to be working at the same place I would be hunting. Alarm went off, and I wimped out. What was in my clients field when I pulled in at 7? Yup, all buy himself in full strut. Think he looked back and gave me the finger too. Oh well. Hopefully Friday won't be as wet as there saying, and I can get out with a new hunter that recently joined this site.

I've got a spot to take a few shots to check the pattern. As far as calls, I use mouth or diaphragm calls. However, most people have a tuff time mastering them. A box or push pin or slate/glass call are much easier to learn, and make sweet hen sounds.

OK, grab some 3" magnum turkey loads. Winchester longbeard XR. Heavy shot, Remington nitro are all good choices. 5 or 6 shot would be best.

Ok, so you need to get some turkey loads matched to the specs on the barrel of your shotgun. I've got spots we can go to pattern your gun.

You will need camo pants, gloves, and a head net to go with your jacket. Lightweight stuff is best for turkey season. Can get rather warm walking around in heavy camo in May. What shotgun do you have? 2 3/4" , 3" or 3 1/2"? Like mentioned have you patterned it?

Jeff, I live in Rensselaer County near the Columbia County line. I've got a couple spots I could take you turkey hunting. There not super spots, but I could at least show you the ropes. If you've got spots you can hunt, I'm willing to go to those spots also. Even willing to go without a gun if that's the only way I could help out.

Exactly what one would expect to happen when touching off a 12 gage. This fox must have been deaf.

Well, this is a first.. buddy and his son called in a decent tom. He shot and the bird dropped. Within seconds a red fox came out of the brush and pounced on the trukey. He's seen the fox in his barnyard a few times running off with a chicken or duck, so he didn't need any convincing to shoot the fox.

Called in 6 Jake's for buddy of mine. He's 57 and hunted deer all his life, but never hunted turkey, and never shot one in the fall. He was going to pass and hope the Tom's would follow, but one of the Jake's walked within 10’ and didn't quite like what he saw. Alerted the entire clan. At 30 yrds out he decided a Jake was just fine for a first bird.

Taking a new turkey hunter out tomorrow. He's hunted deer for 43 yrs, but never spring turkey hunted. Good luck to everyone. Shoot straight, and be safe.

The key is to call the split second his feet leave that limb. I probably should add that sitting in the direction he normally flys down in helps. If they didn't land within range, they were there moments later. I've killed several using this technique. Doesn't work every time. Nothing does. And yes. I've been sitting under tom's I didn't know were there. Easy to do once the foliage is full. Always wondered what they were thinking looking down at some big lump clucking like a hen. Lol

One of my tricks that I've use many times is to know the limb he's on, and get close.. like 40 yards. Don't call at all, but the second his feet leave the limb, hammer him with a cutting and excited yelps. They will often hit the ground within range, gobbling like crazy. Problem is, it sometimes is before legal shooting. I've taken my share of gobblers, and I now like the challenge of calling them from a reasonable distance or from hens.

While it may be the way mother nature is supposed to work, Tom gobbles and hens come to him, I've only once had a bird stay on roost well after daylight gobbling now and then. If I'm within sight of him but about 80 to 100 yrs out, and foliage comes into play here, I'll tree call to let him know I'm "over here". If he's hot, I'll do a fly down cackle, and call aggressively if I think other hens have flown down already. I want him to pitch down in my direction if possible. If I know he's alone, no hens, I'll soft call until he's down. Then determine how hot he is and call accordingly.

I'm new to this forum, but it sure doesn't take long to figure out those who like to start a topic that's going to generate defensive comments just for fun. I noticed he hasn't been back since getting things stirred up.

Now that you mention it, they maybe Tru Glo sights. Put em on there so long ago, I can't remember what brand they are.

Just finished up some venison pastrami. Gosh I love this stuff.. In the brine for 2 weeks. Rubbed with black pepper, salt, onion and garlic powder Sliced and packaged..

Hell, there probably pissed they woke up...

In my area, last yr was dry and sunny. This yrs it's supposed overcast with little chance of rain.

I don't have any kids, but I've taken 11 youths on there first turkey hunt,(youth season) some relatives of mine, others friends kids, nephews ect. Now, not all were successful, but all heard birds, most got to see birds. I've taken several of those youngsters out the first weekend during the regular season. Some never seen or heard a bird. Unless the season starts on the weekend, it's gets tuff by the first weekend. Last weekend the bugs were very light it not non existent. Which is a great help in keeping a youngster still. Monday May 1st will be a feeding frenzy of bugs. If you choose not to take your kids out on youth weekend, (have you?) that's your choice. But don't criticize those that do.

Letinmfly, Thanks so much for taking your time to put this contest on. Thanks to everyone who helped with judging and prizes. Your dedication to our youth hunters is evident. Congrats to all the youth hunters this yr that we're successful. I'll let Kayden know the good news after school. I don't want to text him while he at school. He did call me before he got on the bus to see if he won.. lol. He's going to be very excited. Thanks to all the mentors who took the time to take a youth hunting. They are the future of our sport.

Hunted bear in Maine a few times. Only once had two bears come in and challenge each other. The noise is something one would imagine two anger bear would make. Only other time I heard a bear, was in the Catskills turkey hunting. I was filming a buddy, and I called in a very large, and possibly hungry, bear. It walked within 15 yards of me, and all I had was a video camera. It caught my scent, and woffed like a dog half assed bark, but it was very loud and deep. Serious pucker factor. Lol

I agree. The ratio of hens to Tom's is very lopsided in my area. Tuff to get one to brake away from a sure thing let alone 10 of them. By mid season the best technique is to ambush them. Don't call at all.

When I was 13-14, my story would have been... Bird came in. I shot. Got him... Lol. I know Kayden is still on cloud nine. His grandfather called me earlier, saying he couldn't get a word in without Kayden cutting him off. I know these kids are hooked. You can tell how happy and proud they are of their accomplishments.