Turkey scouting report

[TomBow]

I am itching to take my first trad harvest and turkeys are my quarry toward that end.  Since bow season opened last fall, I have been scouting the land that I plan to hunt, researching blinds (got a Barronette Big Mike 275 at Fleet Farm for $120 last weekend) and shooting often.  I figured I'd start a scouting report and ask others to contribute their exciting scouting missions.  I'll start:

Went out yesterday morning, drove the 40 miles or so down by Barnum and hit the spot at about 6 AM.
Conditions: Foggy, temp: 45-50 calm wind
Snow cover is all gone in the field and surrounding woods are wet

Sat the field edge right away and moved toward where I had heard turkeys slowly.  Got to the last small hill along the field edge to a spot where I could see into the NW corner of the field.  Instantly spotted two brown half moons so I ducked quick into the edge of the brush and snuck closer to where I could see the birds.  2 gobblers in full strut and six hens were feeding around.  They were in the field for two hours and the gobblers barely broke strut the whole time!  I never heard a sound all morning from turkeys, no gobbles, and the hens were all quiet.  There was a time as the birds moved to the south that ALL the birds where puffed up, Gobblers in full strut and the hens were in quarter to half strut (least that's what I would call it).  I am hoping that this early "spring" won't start the breeding too early but again, no gobbling, probably because these Toms had their hens.  Maybe they saw other turkeys when they all puffed up but I didn't see any others.

I hope to get out there again next week on a more sunny day. 

All righty then, that's my report, how about you?

Best of Luck to all,
TomBow

[Tod_Becker]

I have been seeing a few along the field edges. The toms seem to be fanned out most of the time. Eight more days to the start of the first season.

[mjh]

I was in my hunting area yesterday, birds around, my 5 day season has been cut to two due to work obligations but if I'm real lucky I get another day in, don't know yet,  I'll take the days that I can get

[TomBow]

I snuck in again last week, got there just about sunrise and went to the spot where I saw the birds last time.  A fair amount of gobbling going on so I got close and tucked myself in against a tree25 yards from the field edge.  Had 2 birds coming my way that walked by about 15 yards away.  I couldn't move to get a good look but they were gobbling on the way past and I heard a distinct spit-drum.  Later had a hen walk by me about the same distance.  Broadheads are at the ready, blind shooting practice has taken place and I am ready for the 28th to come.  Best of Luck to all.

[Scooter Trash]

I saw 4 today standing in the middle of a gravel road that runs up a ravine.  Two were in full strut.

[Bucksnort101]

Have not had a chance to get up to where I will actually hunt, but have seen many birds roaming around in the Elm Creek Park Reserve just out of Osseo.  There is a group of 3 Toms with hens that hand around by the Golf driving range just off Hwy 81 and Elm Creek Blvd.  Always seems two are in full strut and the third is off by himself and not strutting.   I think these are the same birds that were Jakes last year, only there were four of them then.
My hunt starts next week, going to have to leave the bow behind as I have practiced very little this year due to a bad shoulder.

[Bucksnort101]

Well, I had to cheat and use a shotgun as a bum shoulder has not allowed me to shoot much this year.  I managed to tag a Tom at 1:00 p.m. opening day.  28 pounds, 10.5" beard, 1.25" spurs.  Felt like it weighed about 60 pounds by the time I got it out of the woods.  Would have been nice to taken that one with a bow, hopefully next year.

[Tod_Becker]

Congrats, thats a real nice bird.

[Buck Fever]

I'm jealous BUCKSNORT!!! Thats a BIG bird in my opinion. CONGRATULATIONS

[Holm-Made]

Jacob got one this evening at Wood Tick's.  22 yards with his 20 gauge.  Matt thought it would be about a 22 pound bird.  The beard was 9.5".  I called it in and he shot it off his shootin sticks.  Not bad for an 8 year old.  He's having a pretty good spring.  I haven't gotten around to telling you about the Florida hog he got last month with the .243  I'll try to get some pictures in the next few days.  Chad

[jaybird]

I took out the 10-year-old son of a co-worker yesterday morning and he killed his first turkey. I was really proud of the composure this young man displayed when it came to the moment of truth and how polite and safe he was during the hunt.



The morning started slow. No roost gobbling, and only three hens spotted at a distance prior to 8 AM. Then things heated up. From 8-9:15 AM when he killed this bird, we had 10 different gobbler sightings.

This bird is one of a group of three that came on a beeline with intentions of kicking my Jake decoy's butt!

I and others worked hard to get the regulations changed so youth age 17 and younger could purchase a turkey license over the counter without going through the lottery. Frankly we took a bit of grief from adult turkey hunters when we were proposing this change as such things always seem to bring out the selfish in people.

Now three seasons into it we are getting nothing but kudos from folks and it is one more tool that a parent, guardian or family friend can use in the long term recruitment and development of a hunter.

[mjh]

Good Hunting Gentleman!  Great to get the kids out and being successful!

[Bucksnort101]

Congrats to Jacob and the youngster Jay took out hunting.  I remember the first Turkey I shot, my heart was pounding out of my chest, and I was 25 or so at the time, I can't imagine what I would have been like at that age;)

[Holm-Made]

Thursday night, Jacob and I are heading to Buffalo Co, WI to hunt turks for 3 days.  I've never been much of a turkey hunter but dang I'm having fun.  Who would have thought that hunting an animal that doesn't have a pair of vegetables would be so much fun.   LOL

[TomBow]

Turkeys are a blast when they are active and talking. 
How'd the hunt go, Chad?