Scouted my public area by St. Louis. I can see the arch from the island. Put in 6 miles and found quite a few tracks. Busted 2 mature toms. Am here working all week, and will return for more scouting Saturday morning. Really nice cool hiking weather.

I just find out I got 3 tags for IL. So happy

Are you hunting private or public?

Went to my place yesterday afternoon and discovered I had another mature longbeard. Now I have seen five 3 yr. old + birds and two 2 yr. olds. I haven't seen this many longbeards around my property in 25 years. Life is good.

Picked up two Wisconsin leftovers so now I got 2 early season Illinois tags and 3 late season Wisconsin tags. All are good. The WI tags are so cheap for NR I always go heavy on them. Will work in my schedule around these to get my travel expenses paid for. Love my job. Hunt mornings, work afternoons.

I am hunting private. I have first, third, and fifth. Zim there are a lot from tags left for IL. Let me know

Opening day Saturday hope to put on on the books for you fellas

JS, it all starts for me Saturday also. It's looking pretty good right now. Good luck to you and the rest who are hunting.

I ended up calling for a friend who had never turkey hunted. I called one off the roost and he flew into a tree nearby and checked out our set up. He hit the ground and started strutting at 40 yards. At 35, my friend moved or something and the bird spooked. I could have shot him, but that is turkey hunting!

Had to go check 1 camera tonight, 6 longbeards!!! I couldn't believe it, been several years since I've had the amount of birds I have.

Good luck to all the hunters this weekend. I hope Jr shoots straight this weekend.

MO
 

DTC,
Hey what part of MO you live in? I'm actually in Arnold right now. On here for business, inspections in SL suburbs. I used to have more of Missouri out to Columbia & up to Unionville. A few years ago I bought MO tags and hunted several public areas. I found very few birds north of Truman Reservoir up to Iowa border. Truman had a lot. I was told the population had been hit hard in the northern half of the state. Hopefully the wet Junes ended and you guys got some good poult survival since I was there. Sounds like it.

I'll be back scouting Chouteau Island Friday afternoon & Saturday morning before driving home.

Killed this 20 1/2 lb rio in Texas this morning. He had a 9" beard and 1" spurs.

I live in SW MO, about an hour east of Springfield. I"ve had 2 bad hatches in the last 3 years. I have several jakes this year so next year I will have several of those 23-25 lb 2 yr olds running around.

It was a great hunt too. Birds gobbled good on the roost and even better on the ground. This ole bird didn't like his hens coming in to check out our jake mobile. DTC Jr made an awesome shot at 15 yards. We like them close!!!lol He is 11 years old and that is his 5th rio. Yes, I am a proud dad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ready for youth season in MO now. Can't wait to get back out with him.

Great Job on getting us started DTC Jr!

I just seen superstrutter has made a post in the score thread. Great Job also but we need a story from ya!!

Got an opening day Louisiana gobbler this morning at 8:30. He is a real nice bird for down here. He weighed just under 22 pounds and had a 10.2 inch beard with one spur at an inch and the other just under an inch. He scored 61.025. Congrats to you jr. I'll post your score also.

Just posted DTC Jr.'s bird. It scores 58.5

Great job DTC Jr. and superstrutter way to go.

Good job DTW Jr & superstrutter! Both good scores to kick it off with. :groupwave:

I got two reliable toms patterned for my Illinois opener April 7th. I expect to take one of these if my setup is not busted by competing hunters. Given the layout of the land it is likely. So I am looking into taking my bike to get farther in. Just messin around as my Wisconsin spots are my bread & butter. :fighting0007:

I will be leaving for Texas this week (Thursday) to hunt a few days. Should be able to get a couple Rios. Then it will back to my property to chase after Eastern # 2. Good luck everyone.

Living the dream!!

taking my 11 year old daughter out to slay a Gobbler on Tuesday of next week.... does her bird count for our totals?

BDB

Heading out in the morning... Gonna be cold... I will keep u guys in the loop. Just me this time, so no one to blame it on!

I'm dying to hear some stories or see some pics! Youth season in MO is April 12-13. I can't hunt until April 21, I might not make it!

Just got last leftover tag in the mail. Got 6 total. Gotta be a winner in there somewhere! Now poking around for some place to squeeze in spring walleye fishing.

Now that I got our NWTF banquet out of the way, and proud to say that I am now an owner of a Glock 40 that I won in a raffle, I can grab the bow and head out tomorrow. Talked to the landowner the other day and he said he hasn't seen a bird but I'm not going to let that discourage me. They may be in there by now. Time to go and at least observe the situation!

Had a great three days in Texas. Killed a nice bird each day. Day 1 I killed a 21 pound double bearded Rio. Beards were 9.5" and 6". Both spurs were over an inch. He scored 74.5. Day 2 I killed a 17 lb. 10 oz. Rio with a 9 1/4" beard and 1 1/4" spurs. He scored 61.125. Day 3 I killed a 19 lb. 14 oz. Rio with an 11" beard and 1 3/8" spurs. Pictures are on the score thread.

Awesome job superstrutter!! You are one bad turkey killin machine!!

Nice cache superstrutter. Where in Texas were you? I took my first turkey on the Kenedy Ranch (next to King Ranch) in the early 90's. The father-in-law leased a portion. Was my first hunt for anything. Took the jake, a doe & a hog.

Zim, I killed the first bird in Fashing, the second bird in Three Rivers, and the third between Goliad and Runge. All places are southeast of San Antonio. There weren't that many birds this year. I was really expecting to see a lot of 2 yr. old birds because of the good hatch a couple years ago, but I didn't. All three birds were older, probably 3 and 4 yr. olds.

How great job superstrutter way to go.

I'm not sure if it counts or not on our team totals, but "Little bitty Brasco" jelly-headed her first bird ever this morning!
I am still grinning and she won't stop retelling the story :)

She really conducted herself like a veteran! I watched her eyes bug out when the big old Tom started strutting her way, then I saw her close her eyes for a moment, take a long deep breath, and relax, and get ready for the shot!

That is good stuff right there. Congrats on a great bird. Now she's hooked!!!

Nice job Donnie. Congrats on her first bird. She looks excited. I imagine you were just as excited. Now go get one for yourself. I will taking my BIL out soon to try and get his first bird. I guided a guy while in Texas this past weekend in between my hunts and got him his first gobbler.

I am so happy she shot a big gobbler. Congrats!!!!

Anyone else hunting now? Let's hear some updates. I went to my property Wednesday after work to get Eastern # 2 but to no avail. It was pretty windy and hard to hear anything. Heard nor saw a turkey. Going back tomorrow. Looks like it should be a good day.

Here's a couple pictures from the farm just south of my house.
Maybe DTC Jr and I can tag a couple of these boys.

Great pics DTC. Hope you get a couple. When does your season open?