Thanks kellyquinn !

I love those flash in the pan hunts! Great story!

Great story.. I love it when a plan comes together quicker than you think it will! I also never saw your post on getting the pics up or I would of tried and contacted you.. Sorry about that one..

Going back to the national Forrest in the morning. Hopefully be able to get close to some birds

Good Luck to you swambuster! The team is routing for you.. You have done great so far so enjoy your hunt.. Besides we want to hear your stories as well..

Also there is a lot of of memebers from the other teams are watching us because they know we can take this contest so keep up the great work everyone!

Sorry for the silent treatment. I've been either chasing birds or catching up. Here's a summary of My season so far: opening day a buddy and I hunt National forest. 4 gobblers all around us gobbling until they hit the ground, then silence. 9 o'clock we try to find a new spot but everywhere is covered with trucks. So we head back to my 30 acres. Bump a gobbler, Jake, and 2 hens and 3 deer going in. Call in a hen. Hunting ends at noon. Walking out we see a gobbler strutting against the skyline. Next day is Sunday no hunting. A big gobbler with a wounded leg is in my backyard all day. Monday we go to a family farm 3 hours away. We hear nothing. Catch bass in the afternoon. Since heavy rain is predicted for next morning we had back to my 30 and set up a blind. Hunt in blind next morning through off and on heavy rain and 20 degree drop in temp. Hear nothing and finally bail at 11. Next Saturday hear gobbles on neighbors but couldn't get them to come. Mon. Morning get up before work and set up near neighbors. Gobbles are coming from other side of my property now, past my blind. Move back into blind but he is gobbling his way up a draw.
This morning I get up to hunt blind for a couple hours before I have to leave for a appointment. Get to blind and a bear has torn it up and chewed my decoys. I'm not camoed up because I thought I'd be in a blind. Sit against a tree and call. Only one faint gobble far away at first light. As I'm reading the forum a gobbler snuck in quiet on me, behind my right shoulder and sees me when I raise my head up from reading. He clucks and does a flyby in front of me at mach 12.

Grey mass in middle is what's left of 3 decoys.

WOW! I am sorry to hear about your luck! My blind was hit by a bear last year and fortunately no major damage was done. I was able to sew up a few places on it and will be setting it up on Monday once our season opens up here. Becareful of over calling those turkeys. Be thankful you was not in your blind when the bear was there.

Both of my turkeys gave me the silent treatment last year. The first one was a nice tom that came in with three hens and another tom. No gobbling or any sound what so ever. I shot the tom that looked straight at me. I was not sure which one was the biggest I just shot thinking that one spotted me. My next bird was close to the end of the season during a rain and wind storm. A jake flew out in front of me as I was leaving my blind. I hauled up and another jake flew out and started running behind the first one. The first one turned to the right so I shot the second one. One never knows what they are going to do..

The team is routing for you with some better luck coming your way.. Stay safe out there and try to enjoy what hunting time you have left..

Ok guys team 1 now is starting to catch up to us.. But, we are still holding on to second right now and hopefully I can blast a bird or 2 to give us another boost up there. I will soon have 5 weeks to blast a couple of birds in. I have some real good spots to do it and hopefully my plan will come together..

Today was youth day up here and I am not sure exactly how many were shot or shot at today. I did here of a family that got 4 birds down with 3 kids out hunting today. The biggest from what I have heard was a 20 pounder.. Great job kids! I hope that no one has been in one of my areas.. I really do not think so but, it does not matter I still have plenty of hunting ground left.. Anyways there is no hunting here on Sunday so after I get up tomorrow I will be loading the truck up..So I will be ready to travel out to the turkey grounds come Monday morning!! Good Luck guys and hopefully we can get a few more birds on the scoring post..

Well guys I have to revise this one again.. Team 1 just pushed us back to #3 position. There was a late entry and they now lead us by 18.125.. So we are still running great and hopefully I can add a bird or 2 Monday to help us along.. We would like to hear how the rest of the team is doing? Anyone else out there giving their try at it? Let us know how things are going..

Hang in there talondale, keep after it will all come together. Went out this morning decided to go after this bird that's close off the road, but he has been gobbling every morning. He gobbled two or three times on the roost. Heard one other gobble way off in the distance,That was it. I don't know if they are henned up right now or the pressure is getting to them or a combination of both. What do you guys think?

Got us another bird. Not better than my first but a really nice bird. Crazy hunt. Details to follow.

Congrats blackheel can't wait to see pics and hear story

Today was a crazy day of turkey hunting. After the misfire on opening day, my goal was to get my nephew another chance at a longbeard. We arrived at our spot at 5:15 after a 2 hour drive from the Outer Banks. We loaded our stuff and headed towards an area where I wanted to hunt and on our walk in a tom sounded off right where I had wanted to walk through! Thank God that he gobbled so early to let us know where he was otherwise we would have surely busted him off the roost. We ducked into the field to our right, used the overgrown ditch bank as cover, and after some time, found a decent place to jump the v-ditch. We eased into the field edge and pushed as close as I felt comfortable. We weren’t set up too long when the tom came into the field, probably about 6:15 or so. He started towards us but was headed off by hens. For the next 2 hours he spent more time in strut then not but never got any closer than 125 yards. With his gobbling, he had attracted a nice harem of hens. They worked to our left out of sight and after about 10 minutes or so, I eased through the brush to check to see if they had moved into the field we had eased through first thing. Nothing. Eased back to my nephew and finally figured they had just gotten behind a slight bend in the field edge we couldn’t see. While he and his now harem of 4 were out of sight, we were able ease maybe 30 yards closer but that was it. He was still strutting almost constantly. Over the next hour and 45 minutes, the birds worked back across the field and were looking like they were going to leave the field to the north. I actually hoped they would so we could make a move on them. They slowly turned like they were going to maybe work our way but in no hurry. Then about 10:30ish the craziness began. Out of nowhere I spied a bird that I quickly could see was a tom coming into the field from the north. He was accompanied by a running mate. Their heads turned burning white as they rounded the edge of the field and headed towards the tom and his remaining hens. The tom we had watched all morning began sprinting towards us with the hens about 40-50 yards behind him and the two challengers about the same distance behind the hens. It didn’t take long and our long watched tom was standing 40 yards away in strut. I didn’t feel great about my nephew shooting at this bird with his 20 gauge and the two challengers were closing on a path that would bring them closer to us. It was all coming together, the 2 challengers were just about to where I was going to tell my nephew to shoot when it all changed in a flash! The first tom charged the 2 challengers and they started chasing each other in circles and within seconds he chased them to the east and out of sight in the brush! He was heartbroken as was I. I was wishing I had switched guns and let him get the single tom with my 12. A hen was left and I tried to pull her across the field with no dice. She melted into the brush too. I told my nephew that we would give it 5 minutes and try to see if they were in the field to the east. Time crawled. After 5 minutes I explained this was an all or nothing gamble because if we bust them, it’ll all be over. I gave him the option and he said go. Across the field we went. There was no way to quietly jump the v-ditch so I waded it, up to my knees in the water after last night’s rain. I crawled through the briars and eased my head out like a bear. No birds close. Further scanning confirmed that they were gone. Dejected I waded back to my nephew, who I had left on the dry side, and we started to ease back out. He said, “Uncle Brian, I think I see a hen up the field, come here.” I get to him, throw the binocs up and to my surprise here comes a tom hustling down the field, not spooked, but on a mission. His running buddy appeared working the brush edge that we were concealed within. They were after my jake decoy we had left out! I quickly called my nephew into the best position we would have. The farther tom quickly closed to about 30 yards and I had a shot but he said he didn’t. He was getting first crack. I had lost site of the second tom when all of the sudden there he was, 4 yards in front of me!! He knew something wasn’t right, his head changed colors, and he quickly walked to our 10 o’clock position which was a bad move. I told my nephew to “Shoot him, shoot him, shoot him” BOOOM. First one down at 10 yards! The second one ran about 10 yards, paused, and I dumped him at 41 yards! Our second public land double and his third tom, all public land birds!! This was definitely a day of highs and lows and I am so thankful that it all worked out. We punched tags with the spurs (new tradition started opening day) and were just ecstatic! I was glad after the opening day debacle that it all worked out! On another note, there was a pretty graphic first too. A portion of the shot cup from my nephew was buried deep in his bird’s head!

Final stats – Nephew’s bird – 18 lbs 8 oz 10.5” beard 1 3/8” and 1 1/4” dagger spurs
Mine – 18 lbs 12 oz 10 1/8” beard 1 3/16” and 1 1/8” spurs

Way to go blackheel!! We can hardly wait to hear the story!!

I am hoping to get us a decent Tom monday to put us back up in second or if we are lucky into first place ratings.. But we are going to need a few more birds inorder to keep us there from some of the others on the team! Congrats again blackheel!

We must have posted at about the same time!! LOL Now that is a first for me..


Great Story and I am very glad to hear that you and your nephew both got one!! I need a rough estimate on time and rt. or lft spurs? I am calling the biggest spur as the right spur.. The state is North Caroliner?

I have a score as follows...

Your score is 18.75 + 11.875 + 11.25 + 20.25 = 62.125
Nice bird for sure!!

Way to go everyone! My turn will be here before you know it.. All you folks getting birds is getting to me.. But, my turn to tryit soon enough now! I hope I can get a couple of them as well! Actually I will be glad if I can get one at these bird sizes! Congrats to all of you getting the birds. This bird clearly adds to our total of birds.. We are slowly but surely getting up there!!

I am wondering how all the others are doing. We have not heard very much from quite a few team members! Pull up a chair and chime in! We really want to know how the hunting has been. We maybe of help to you. Or you maybe of help to us as well.. So chime in and let us know what is going on out there in you world of hunting..

This what I have so far.. If anyone notice something I may have missed or have wrong let me know..

SS 1 bird 57.75
BH 2 birds 70.375 - 62.125
CK 1 bird 60.75
SB 2 birds 55.25 -- 55.125
KQ 2 birds 33 --- 60
The totals for best bird per hunter so far is 304.125
The total for all team birds so far is 454.375
This is a great score for having 8 birds so far!!

Which is currently keeping us in a great position! We can win this contest! We are that close if we can get a few more members posting a bird or two.. So lets go team we can do it!!!

Blackheel you were right that was a crazy hunt, but a awesome hunt and story as well. Thanks for sharing. Congrats to you and your nephew on y'all's double!

Yes North Carolina eastern.

Thanks guys.

Hope you get on a nice one when your chance comes Phil!

Thanks blackheel! I am hoping to as well. I want to try and do my part and help get the score up. I actually believe we are in a great position to win this little contest. I will do what I can to help make it happen. The area I am going to I have hunted the past 3 years and have gotten my tags filled each year. I am hoping for the same results. I had just now got home from work and have 1 more night left?? I may even call in. The mrs. says no but, I am leaning toward a yes.. lol.. Anyways if I do work I would be leaving about right now. I did see a couple of birds on the way home all puffed up and strutting.. Only they were on private land go figure..

Also do not forget I need some sort of time you shot your bird.. Thanks..

10:50 am for time of kill

Decided to sleep in this morning bad weather is coming in. Last Monday was the only day I didn't hunt. Going to recharge the battery. I hope all of you who are hunting are enjoying the woods and spring time.

Everyone needs to take a break once in a while.. Besides you guys have all been doing great!

I am hoping to bring back a good report sometime this week. Hopefully tomorrow will be a day for a first kill for me. I can hardly wait for it to get here! I want to be out there trying to help the team out.. I have a 2 bird max so if I can get them I am going to.. It is supposed to be a showery type of day with highs around 48 so it should be great out there.. I will head up and set up my blind. My game plan is to set in my blind all day and may end up with taking a nap.. lol But after that it will be serious stuff from Tuesday on.. I will have 5 weeks to get it done and the green grass is only just starting to come up right now.. This should make excellent hunting conditions! My second week I will be lucky to get anymore than 1 day in as a shutdown is going on. With that we normally get double coverage with everyone working then.. After that mornings and 2 to 3 full days to get it done..

Good Luck guys!! We are going to win this contest! Most of all enjoy your hunting in the great outdoors!!

OK guys!! I am packed up and ready to head out in the morning as soon as I get home.. I can hardly wait for the moment I can try out my itching trigger finger. I just hope one shows up to let me that is all. The area I am heading into is vast and the turkeys travel it every where. I am posting a picture of one of those such ares I am planning on hunting if I have to once the pressure picks up on them.. Just imagine this running for a little better than 83 miles! Some areas a road runs between the mowed field and the power line. I am heading into an area where the road is gated until next week to see if I can get that big bird that would not play well with me last year. My blind is already there waiting for me to set it up.. Anyways here is a picture of one section with out any road on it. I will hunt this area only when I get down to the final week.. Wish me luck guys..

Good luck Phil it has been a long wait for you to get out there. Hope you have a great time and get a great bird. Good luck!

Thanks swampbuster.. I may send you a short text if I get one while I am out there.. I can not text to the web as I always plug it in to do things.. lol I am planning on making the day of it. This is the first year of all day hunting for turkeys.

Good luck Phil and who ever is still out there in the woods.

Got a question for yall. I got a new to me mossberg 835 for the season this year and it's great when clean but the area I hunt is extremely Sandy so the shell would get stuck and I would have to slam the butt on the ground to load a shell after the shot.

Looking for input (recommendations) on a all around shotgun preferably one that will shoot all sizes and I'm not throwing the possibility of getting a semiauto. I've been looking at the stoeger but if I ever want to get a slug barrel they are smooth bore. Any input would help

Thanks kellyquinn! I too wish all out hunting the best of lusk! In case I forget I also wish those that will be starting May first the best of Luck as well! I will be traveling very early after this morning gets here. I will also check in for any updates we get..

I am not sure how the sand gets into you shotgun kellyquinn? Is it getting into the action or where is it getting in? this would be more helpfull to everyone.

Most of it is up in the action but pretty much everywhere including the tube and I think it's going in thru the bottom. My rem 870 has a cover there where as the mossberg doesn't. It is very sandy with out much green vegetation to keep it down. The slightest bit of wind blows it around. The 870 shoots 3" and I'm fixing to hand it down to my son. Figured I'd upgrade to the 3 1/2

I'm not much of a gun smith kellyguinn. Next to impossible to keep it out if the wind is blowing it every where. Other than carrying it around in a soft case until you set up on some turkeys. If I was to by a new shotgun I would close and hard at a Franchi. Manufactured at the same place as Benelli but without the Benelli price tag. 3.5 with bottomland camo was $999. It felt real comfortable as well. I personally shoot a 1187 sportsman(thumb hole stock) extremely comfortable. You can get it as a turkey gun and get a fully rifled slug barrel as well. That's what I have. Turkey barrel for turkey season and slug gun for deer season

I am not so sure about either.. I have an older semi that would most likely mess up as well with that kind of issue and would be a real pain to use. Mine is an old Remmington 1100 magnum that I haven't taken out of my gun cabinet in around 3 years.. With the exception to clean it every once and a while. I should get a choke tube for it and use it turkey hunting.. I am betting it would be a great shotgun to use with a 32 inch barrel.. But, instead I use an old vintage Ithica single shot goose gun. The only issue is I have to shoot low when shooting at them up close or I will miss him altogether..

Hey guys how is it going? I know we have some members of our team we have not heard anything from for quite some time.. We would all like to hear how it has been going with those out hunting right now. Even if your having no luck we still would love to hear from you all. There is a lot on some of the other teams that is striking out so far as well. This year's weather has been making it hard hunting for some. But, Chime in and let us know how it is going. Someone on here may be able to help out..

Listen guys.. You folks in the southland need to take care of your and your families while these darn storms are rolling threw.. No one needs any of that stuff. Stay safe is the priority here.. Forget about those turkeys and keep out of harms way if you can!!

Well Team I shot my first turkey on opening day and it is a nice one at that.. I will get the pics and info up after I have a nap.. As I worked last night.. This bird was 21.2 lbs. with a 9 3/4 inch beard and 3/4 inch right and a 3/4 left spur.. Should help keep us up there.. I will update after my nap and get some decent pics up after it dries and I get up from a nap.. thanks.. I am not 100 % sure on how all the other teams are doing as of yet. But if we go by what I am thinking we have just moved into 1st place team! But it is still any teams ball game right now.. I will be back at it again in the morning to try and boost our number of birds weight up some more.. That is along with my score as well.. Updated...

Your score is 21.125 + 7.5 + 8.75 + 19 = 56.375

Congrats Phil. Great bird.

I'm glad I was watching the weather and decided not to head up to NE Oklahoma for the spoonbill. One of the Tornados went thru pretty close to there and a couple people passed from it.

I have this Friday off and will give it one last chance at a Turkey in western Oklahoma. I'll hunt till Saturday evening then head back up to the NE for the Spoonies.

Thanks and you guys be careful down there! We do not want to hear any bad news happening to any of you..

I am concerned about swampbuster as well I think he must have been pretty handy to that area.. I hope all is well for him..

Hey guys my family and I are okay. We had a tornado that's passed by 6-7 miles to our south. However there is several community's and family's that has lost possessions and loved ones. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers. Pray that God would poor out his mercy and grace on them. I love turkey hunting and I am constantly thinking about it, but stuff like this really puts things in perspective

I am glad to hear that you and your family are ok! My thoughts and prayers are with everyone down that way... I was also talking with my brother in Tenn. and they are concerned as well with those storms running threw that area.. There just has not been any let up with all this strange weather..

Hey Phil..nice bird!!
I haven't had any luck..had some snow and strong winds blow in, and even a bit of snow...but that is nothing like the states hit by tornadoes...my prayers out to all of you. I took thurs and fri off of work this week and think i've found a good place. Hopefully i will have some good news to report...
Dano..

Thanks and good luck Dano! I am heading back out in the morning to try and find another one.. I never made it up to where my blind is. I saw 4 toms while driving in. They all ran except for the one I shot of course. Stay safe out there and I will try to give a story to this bird once I get back tomorrow night..

Hopefully you will have some better luck on getting onto them as well. I only saw 2 hens when this one showed up out of the blew with no gobbling or nothing..