PA Public Land Gobbler

[Uncle Nicky]

Killed a gobbler on Day 3 of the PA season. 19#, 3/4" spurs, 8" beard. I don't care what anyone says, PA & NY mountain gobblers are the toughest birds in the US to kill, maybe the toughest in the world

 

.

Edited May 8, 2014 by Uncle Nicky

[Zem18]

Nice Bird - Congrats

[greg54]

Congrats!!

[deerpassion]

Than u've never hunted osceolas in the fl swamps lol.. Nice bird though congrats!

[Lawdwaz]

Killed a gobbler on Day 3 of the PA season. 19#, 3/4" spurs, 8" beard. I don't care what anyone says, PA & NY mountain gobblers are the toughest birds in the US to kill, maybe the toughest in the world

 

.

 

To consistently kill mature spring gobbler or two each year takes a ton of time and dedication.  If you have them in your backyard, that makes things a bit easier.  If you have to travel an hour or more and back the same day it separates the men from the boys.

 

I've killed three in a season (between NY & PA) numerous times in the past but sadly that'll probably never happen again.  It just takes too much out of me physically and mentally.  Spring gobblers are THE most difficult thing to hunt, IMO.

 

YMMV

[whaler]

I tend to disagree. Sure, somedays they are tough to fool but most of the time ive had gobblers that are just lovesick or want to fight so much they forget their survival instincts. As long as you sit still you will rarely be spotted. A shotgun can reach a long way with a turkey choke and a heavy mag blend 3.5" shell.

 

You cant say the same about bowhunting a mature whitetail. He may come in like a fool but deer have a wider array of tools for defense than a wild turkey.

[Pygmy]

Congrats, Uncle Nicky...

Of the gobblers I have hunted, I wholeheartedly agree with you. Those mountain birds are tough.

As far as Osceolas go, I have never hunted them, although a good number of my friends have.

They don't gobble a whole lot..Doesn't sound like much fun to me.

I have killed easterns in a number of states but have never hunted another subspecies.

If I were to hunt another subspecies, it would be either Rios , Merriams, or Goulds, because I have heard that they all LOVE to gobble.. If I go across country to hunt turkeys, I want to hear LOTS of gobbling...<grin>>... I have little interest in osceolas.

[SteveNY]

NICE

[Uncle Nicky]

Than u've never hunted osceolas in the fl swamps lol.. Nice bird though congrats!

 

No sir, I haven't, but I do hunt the swamps & ag fields every year in Georgia, a few hundred miles away. Admittedly, the birds don't gobble much, but they do seem a little more curious, and the flatter terrain makes them easier to spot. I've always thought the terrain here in PA & NY is what makes our birds hardest to kill, they know every flat & ridge on every mountain like it's their own back yard (and it is )

 

Have an Osceola trip planned next year, it's been a "one of these days" thing for the past few years, I'm finally going to fork over the dough & complete my slam.

[Five Seasons]

 PA & NY mountain gobblers are the toughest birds in the US to kill, maybe the toughest in the world

 

.

 

what other countries have turkeys that people hunt? jk. just thought it was funny. Congrats on the bird.

[Uncle Nicky]

what other countries have turkeys that people hunt? jk. just thought it was funny. Congrats on the bird.

 

Mexico, Guatemala, New Zealand....

[LI OUTDOORSMAN]

I too have hunted turkeys all over the country and outside of it ( mexico twice)

I can honestly say after hunting 10 days out of 21 so far here in NY our longbeards are by far the toughest,smartest,cagiest,most ornery bastards on 2 feet.Were i hunted Osceolas they gobbled alot and came to calls.I also found the PA birds to be just as tough if not tougher to kill than the NY bird.I think its a combination of terrain,coyote predation and a large hunter population that keeps these birds sharp.Of course we all shot those lovesick 2 yr olds that run right in , but a fully mature NY longbeard purely called up and cleanly killed is a true trophy in my book.And yes I have to travel 4 hours to get to my hunting camp and spent long hours in the woods , i worked birds almost every day most with hens and some just plain outsmarted me.This morning I had 3 hammering away and coming when the whole thing went sour when a poacher tried sneaking up the back of the property and spooked them birds..The western states have more birds and less hunters and when I hunted them in Wyoming ,Montana and Nebraska they love to gobble, love to hear lots of calling and are easier to bring into gun range.

[Grizz1219]

They say Alabama and Pa are the two hardest to kill  Easterns on public land..