2023 turkey tour.

[reeltime]

My 2023 turkey tour started April 12th when we rolled into nebraska for a few days scouting prior to heading up to south dakota to start actually hunting.

Way too much to tell the whole story of each hunt, I started actual hunting on 4/15/23 in south dakota had idle/travel days on 4/19, 4/21 4/24

 

4/16/23 south dakota merriams

4/20/23 nebraska merriams

4/23/23 wyoming merriams

4/25/23 kansas rio

 

Arrived back at pa camp today to get in a couple scouting days or maybe go to west Virginia, I wanted to hit missouri on the way back but Judy had enough traveling.

 

Sent from my SM-S536DL using Tapatalk

 

 

[bigpaul]

That's awesome! I'm jealous.

[airedale]

Congratulations, an accomplishment for sure of goals held by serious Turkey hunters. I love the look of the Merriams with those white tipped feathers.

Al

[Grizz1219]

Congrats!!!

Sent from my LM-G850 using Tapatalk

[Pygmy]

Way to hammer em Lee  !!!!   Still running that Burrville Bomber  ??

BTW....I want to tell you once again how much it meant to me to have you and Judy, Andrew, and Larry show up at Sis's service...

[reeltime]

Way to hammer em Lee  !!!!   Still running that Burrville Bomber  ??
BTW....I want to tell you once again how much it meant to me to have you and Judy, Andrew, and Larry show up at Sis's service...

Thanks Dan. Still running the bomber, would rather leave my shells home than that call.

Dan, I felt it was our duty to show our support, and as I said before you need anything we are just a phone call away buddy.


Sent from my SM-S536DL using Tapatalk

[reeltime]

State 5 half done, bird 1 in pa. My buddy Matt and I doubled this morning.
5 states, 5 birds in 9 actual hunting days.

Sent from my SM-S536DL using Tapatalk

[reeltime]

State 5 half done, bird 1 in pa. My buddy Matt and I doubled this morning.
5 states, 5 birds in 9 actual hunting days.

Sent from my SM-S536DL using Tapatalk

[airedale]

Some nice Toms and quite a feat, I am impressed, congratulations.

Al

[reeltime]

Passed up a handful of 2 year old birds early on in the ny season. Last Friday morning I was able to get in tight on a 3 year old bird as daylight broke I had a hen pitch out from the tree I was leaning against and the gobbler rips off a gobble 70 yards out. He pitched down up on the flat. The hen was in the field behind me which allowed me to give a few soft clucks on the bomber longbox. The hen went ballistic yelping and cutting and coming towards me. He gobbled 1 time as he is full strut coming to me and the hen is getting close but its too late He is at 40 yds and closing in the open woods. The hen is so close I can hear her soft purrs. The gobbler stopped at 25 yards and periscoped to look at the hen I slid the safety off and lights out.

Yesterday morning I walked way back to the back pasture and it was well after light before I heard the first gobble.... way back towards the truck.. off I go, trolled my way just in case, finally got within 200 yards of the field and he starts cutting me off but not moving my way so I eased up and set up. Finally he broke and started coming in but when. He was in the fresh planted part of the field 80 yards out I was able to put the binos on him ànd see he had short spurs. He came in to 30 yards but I never moved the gun his direction.
He eventually walked back out in the field and continued to gobble. I hear something walking from behind me and a hen walks by at 5 yards. Gets to the field and runs out 30 yards and plops down like she is sliding into 2nd base. Lays there for a few minutes the gobbler paid her no attention. I hear more walking and another hen walks by me the path as the first one.
The other hen in the field laid down 3 more times and no response from the gobbler. The drift into a pasture but return 15 minutes later and finally after 2 more laying attempts the gobbler finally steps up on her back.
They come towards my side but go out the gas line, he starts gobbling again so I get up ease back 100 yards call and here he comes gobbling like crazy again. Then he turns and heads back to the original field. So I ease back to my original tree just before I get there a bird gobbles out front to the right in the woods, I was midstep when he gobbled but was almost sure it was hooks.
I got set up and he rips a gobble just at the woods edge and I know its Hooks, I catch movement to my left and when I look over there is the 2 yr old running across the field like the roadrunner lol.
I see 2 birds come out into the field and when I put the binos on them I see the twisted tail feather confirming its Hooks and he has a jake with him.
I call and the jake starts yelping and Hooks gobbles a few times. I do 3 more series of calls cutting off the jake and here they come. The jake came in the woods to my left and got to about 10 yards but I couldn't see Hooks one he walked behind a big locust tree. Finally I see him step out to the right but now my brain said make sure its him just as he fans up and I see the twisted tail feather. He breaks strut and periscoped, eased the safety off and at 25 yards it was over.

Now to finish off PA. And starting to really think about running to Maine.


Sent from my SM-S536DL using Tapatalk

[airedale]

You are the man when it comes to Turkey hunting, congratulations again.

Al

[reeltime]

Headed out to pa Sunday afternoon arriving in time to do some late season inventory of birds remaining and signs of hunting pressure. Lots of vehicle sign where people pulled off to park. Lots of boot prints. But did see birds.
Monday morning I walled away from the truck at 3am. I was hunting a farm that has been absolutely pounded by guys. I parked a mile from where I would be set up as the birds were extremely spooky.
I don't know what time I eased onto my seat at the base of my tree but it seemed to take forever to get light. But I thought I was in great shape when 2 birds gobbled 100 yards out and a hen was just to my left.
Long story short the gobblers stayed in the trees till the hen pitched down and they all 3 walked out the logging road all the way to the other end of the field.
Monday afternoon I went to where we doubled up on the first day and I passed up 2 longbeards as we already took 2 off this property and I was simply scouting and making my presence known to all the road hunters.
Yesterday morning I parked same spot but sat where I could cover that logging road,,, rhe 2 gobblers were roosted right where I sat Monday morning and the hen was behind me they flew down and went the other way. Lol.
Yesterday afternoon I parked a half mile the other side of the farm because if I didn't score before my 730 self imposed stop time I would be setting there till 930pm before I could sneak out.
I took the long way in and got set up at the base of a multi trunked tree. Shortly after 6 I had a bearded hen come out into the fresh planted field. She worked back and forth and was doing alot of purring.
Finally about 645 she had wandered out about 100 yards so I ever so softly clucked twice on the bomber she responded with a couple clucks and yelps and aggressive purrs.
2 birds hammered within 200 yards over the roll of the hill in the field. The hen was working towards me as I see 2 white heads crest the hill 150 yards to my left they hammer again and slowly start my way obviously seeing the hen and can likely hear her aggressive purring at the hussy intruder.
They walked into 30 yards before separating enough that I could safely kill just 1 bird. I sat until the other birds walked out of the field so while I waited for them to leave I sat there and filled out my tag thus wrapping up my pa season.


Sent from my SM-S536DL using Tapatalk

[reeltime]

It's been a season for sure, my walking counter rolled over 208 miles yesterday. After filling out my tag I sent Judy a text message... you wanna go to Maine? Her reply was "when"
I know I shouldn't go because we got tons of work but their season goes till June 3rd. And I would love to kill a gobbler in June.

Sent from my SM-S536DL using Tapatalk

[WNY Bowhunter]

On 5/16/2023 at 8:48 AM, airedale said:

You are the man when it comes to Turkey hunting, congratulations again.

Al

I agree with that statement. Congrats on a GREAT season once again!