Youth season is a week from today and our "big boy" season opens
April 21st. Birds are really grouped up here, I heard close to 30 birds on our farms this morning and didn't make it to 2 of my farms. Jr was talking about youth season last night, he's ready!

Got bird number 5 today. He weighs 18 lbs. 2 oz., spurs 3/4", and has an 11" beard. This bird came in silent. There was a 25 degree temp. change this morning. I guess the cool and windy morning had them quiet. He scores 55.125

5 birds????? Holy cow! You are sure carrying the team in the overall bird total. How many more can you get? Been down to my spot and haven't seen anything. But next weekend is the shotgun opener so I'm hoping they are in there by then.

Lots of action on this team before our first season even opens! But that will change in 10 hours. Opening day here in Illinois. Forecast for rain, but if it's not too bad I'll be out there!

You are my hero right now! My best year was 4 turkeys and that's happened twice. The first time I started off with an Osceola in FL, got home just in time to head to TX and kill a rio and finished the year off with 2 easterns in MO. The 2nd time I killed in MO and went to NE and killed 2 merriams and then finished up in MO.

Semi Live Hunt
 

Ok well I drove between the rain clouds and walked out with my cart to set up in a wide open cut bean field. If the 2 toms peek out of the trees within a quarter mile they should see them. I'm set up in my blind so when the rain comes I can stay out.

Been working close to my hunting spot today so I drove by over lunch. And what do I see, 1 really nice tom all by himself. That means they are there so I am now excited about this weekend!

I am done in Louisiana. We are allowed 2 gobblers. I have one Texas tag left, but I'm not sure I am going back. My BIL is in a club in Arkansas. I may go with him one weekend. Good luck this weekend.

Not a bird seen in first two days but it's finally dried out, so I'm packin the bike tomorrow to pedal 2 miles in. Should find some over here.

After guiding my daughter on her first hunt on the 1st (SUCCESS), I headed out today to the same spot. Heard a LOT of gobblers on the roost, but once they flew down (somewhere) all we saw all day were three hens.
I know the spot holds a fair amount of birds so I think I will head back in the morning for another try.
Friday a NEW spot that should be hot, then Saturday yet another spot.... I'm hangin up my shotgun if I can't get on the board by Sat afternoon !!

BDB

Biked 2 miles in to see/hear nothing for 3rd day! Yikes this new property I'm trying sucks! But did get met up by a CO in the parking lot. He carded me then asked if I was Zim from Bowsite forums! Haha it turns out he'd been reading my threads for over 5 years. We ended up chatting quite a long time and exchanged contact info.

Overslept this morning, so I'll take day off and go to breakfast. Have to work this afternoon anyway, so it was a good day to miss.

This first tag was an experiment anyway. I always do well in Wisconsin.

Youth season in MO opens Saturday and the weather looks
like it's going to be pretty good. DTC Jr should have a chance
to up his score.

Nothing on the last day of my 5 day tag. This was the worst turkey hunt I have ever had to experience. Area was basically devoid of birds. Trying this new place gave me a good dose of Illinois public land reality. I figured it was a bad idea picking a place right next to St. Louis, but I had to try due to the potential of future working vacations. However, it was in fact grossly over pressured with extremely few birds.

Got 2 weeks off before my real hunts start. After hunting in numerous states, I believe Wisconsin is the hidden jewel for public land turkey. One year I toured the whole state of Wisconsin and found the highly touted areas like Boscobel (turkey capital)/Wisconsin River shed had great habitat but TONS of hunters! However, I found several outstanding obscure public parcels in 3 different zones that were loaded with turkey and where I never saw another hunter. These provide a totally different experience. But as a NR I have to wait a while for the later season leftover tags. These hunts are in remote areas where I know I will take my toms.

I scored this morning on a good bird. I will post a picture later. 22 lbs, 10" beard, and 1 1/4" spurs. My dad called in 3 gobblers, they put on a show. It was awesome!

Can't wait to see the pics Jr! Congrats!! Well, my birds are there but no bird down for me yet. Sat for a completely silent 2 hours. I wondered if they were there. So I changed spots, still no responses. Got up and just started stalking around and seen some in the neighbors field. Tried doing a sneak but by the time I got somewhat close they had moved out to the middle. 5 longbeards, 4 jakes and 2 hens were all in a tight knit group. Threw the fan in the air and the jakes seemed interested but there was 1 particular tom pushing everyone around. They just slowly meandered off. So I didn't spook them so hoping next time will be successful!

Well, I have had a spectacular 4 day hunting extravaganza!

I guided 3 people, and for the first time EVER I was able to take my wife on a hunt!

We have no family so there is no leaving our little ones with Grandma over night. We've been together 13 years and have never had a night away! :o

We found a 18 yr old babysitter that would show up at our house at 5:00am so we could get out for her first hunt ever.
Last night I went and roosted them in a really hot spot that I had been holding back just for this! No hunting pressure and they'll gobble if you fart!

We showed up at the spot earlier than we needed too, because I wanted her to get the FULL experience in case we never get this chance again. Dead calm, and dark, and silent. Then the animals start to wake up. The birds, and the owls etc... then a G O B B L E !! Right about 20 yards to our right.I could see her eyes REALLY get big, and she squeezed my hand really tight. * we were FULLY exposed on the edge of a field with zero cover! I wanted her to know the feeling of a big ole Tom bangin it out, and spittin and drummin right in her lap!

we had one Tom start gobbling on the roost really early, way earlier than normal. He gobbled for 20 minutes before anyone else did. Then he had another tom answer him... then a hen, then the entire forest started trading gobbled, yelps, and clucks.

Then, once again... way early... I heard a hen on the ground (still pretty dark) and then I heard two birds fly down and no more gobbles from the 2 nearest to us.
I am looking to my right and I can just make out the tops of two big fans above the dry grass at about 25 yards. at first I wasn't convinced that what I was seeing was two Toms until the literately erupted into a violent fight that lasted only like 2-3 seconds, and then you could hear wing flapping all in the woods.

Silence for 20 minutes... I was making some hen calls and not getting a lot of response, so I switched to a fighting purrrrrrrr...... GOBBLE GOBBLE !

That was the ticket. In my mind the two had been "arguing" on the roost and the a$$ whoopin was swift and severe. I kept up the fighting purrrrs while watching the area where they were fighting, then out of the corner of my eye I notice some movement to our front and center.
I whispered to my wife who had also been looking to our right "look in front of you"!
The Tom was at about 40 yards and trotting at us (no decoys used). Then a hen flys into the field, and stops right in front of us. I didn't NEED to call but I wanted to set him off, so I did a few more purrrs, then off to our right there was a thunderous gobble, and our tom answered right back... BUT..... he was scared! He was reluctant to strut, and was on a determined course in the opposite direction of the other Tom in the forest.I put my bead on him, and told my wife "if he keeps moving away I'm taking the shot". At this point he is at about 10 yards and gobbling at everything! He is definitely on his way AWAY from the Tom in the woods even though the hen is right in front of us. I think he was the non-dominant bird afraid of getting caught with the boss's wife. Well, he got to about 35 yards and I peppered him. The hen stayed put for several minutes and "talked" with the other Tom.
After about 10 minutes she wondered off in his direction. We decided to get up and walk that way.... We stood up "PUT...PUT...PUT...PUT" BUSTED :)
There were still several birds on the roost! They all bugged out, and I snuck over to see TWO big Toms in the draw. I tried to calm them down... no dice.
I know that if they were to keep on course they would end up on the other side of the trees in the adjoining field, so I headed that way with the wife in tow.

Upon reaching that field we see 3 Toms and 3 hens, and....... my friend on a combine!!

He stopped and saw the Tom we had but I told him were were after #2. He offered to go the long way around to not scare the birds but I figured they were used to the big machinery.... WRONG... they FLEW over the treetops!

We decided to make the stalk through the woods and pop up where they flew away.
After a long stalk I popped my head up and to my surprise there was ONE Tom on the field at 50 yards and walking away. I called but he kept strolling.
I low crawled thru the grass to within 40. Waited for him to face away, head down, and I stood up and quickly closed to 30 yards before he noticed..... too late for him :)

THREE beards!!!!

This piece of ground has got some REALLY heavy birds!!
I'll post all my numbers later today.

Wow I've not seen multiple beards all being so thick. That bird will score a lot of points!

Here he is.

Good going guys. Sounded like an awesome day Donnie. Just make sure you give me the measurements of your birds so I can post them.

Donnie, when you give me the measurements, let me know the species. DTC Jr., your bird scores 67. That is a great bird, congrats. I posted your score. Can't wait to see what your triple beard bird scores Donnie.

Congrats BDB!!! That was one story that had me on the edge of my seat like I was there. But you didn't finish the story....Is your wife hooked?

Good bird Donnie

I haven't either. the camera angle is all weird too.
They weren't as thick or as long as the picture makes them out to be.

NICE bird!!
You whooped my butt on the "trophy" parts! None of my beards or spurs were that large this year.... but they were fat :)

Hunter - Big Donnie Brasco
Date Killed April 12
Bird #1 *EASTERN from KS
Weapon - Shotgun (DEATH-HAMMER)
23.5 pounds
Right spur 0.95
Left spur 0.90
Beard 8.4 inches

Hunter - Big Donnie Brasco
Date Killed April 12
Bird #1 *EASTERN from KS
Weapon - Shotgun (DEATH-HAMMER)
25.8 pounds
Right spur 1.0
Left spur 0.95
Beard 8.2 in, 5.9 in, 3.5

Those are some heavy birds Donnie. Your triple beard scores 80.2 and your little bird (lol) scores 58.6125. I posted the scores on our scoring thread. We are off to a great start. Keep the birds coming guys.

You posted this back on 3/5. I'll be dang if you didn't get too close to this lofty prediction. Granted it took 3 beards to come close, but whose counting. I am a little disappointed in you though. You didn't quite get those 5 inch spurs (lol)

LOL.... I'll do better next week boss!

My family and I have been blessed beyond words this entire year!! This great hunting season is just icing on the cake.

There HAS been a 29.5 pound bird taken off this piece of ground. I'm not exactly sure of the beard and spurs but I know they were pretty darn huge as well! When you shoot a mature gobbler on this piece of land that is under 25 pounds these old timers don't even blink.

This is OLD German baptist ground and always has been, where NO ONE hunts but family and a very few chosen "outsiders".
I got permission years ago purely by accident. I think they own over 700 total acres and I only know of a few other turkey hunters!

* Don't even get me started on the huge whitetail population!!


BDB

Wow DTC JR and Big Donnie Brasco You two did great so happy for you guys. I start tomorrow. I been scouting for 3 days now seeing a lot of big gobblers.

Thank you my friend....

Have a fun and safe hunt and get a whopper !!

I shoot a nice turk this morning 3 hers came in with a nice tom.

April 14, 2014
Bird Easter in IL.
Weapon Z7 Mathews Bow
Pounds 22.2
Beard 9 5/8
Left spur 3/4
Right 5/8

I will be going to Texas tomorrow. I send Arrow Master Pictures

Congrats on a nice bird turkman. Your bird scores 55.125. If you can, would you post a picture of your bird on this thread?

You guys are rolling!! Congrats on some nice birds. I get to hunt a week from today and I can't wait.

Turkmans bird congrats my friend :)

Thank you, Arrowmaster. I hope you kill a lot of nice turkeys this year.

Has anyone seen some running team standings somewhere on the site?

We're sitting good right now, but it's early. We have the most total birds (10 with a score of 638.0875) and the highest best bird per hunter score ( 276.825 ).

Nice job turkman! I'm hoping to add to our total this weekend.

A pic of this seasons spurs.

That's awesome!! Tomorrow is the big day in MO. We did a little scouting yesterday and saw 9 toms on one of our farms. Weather is calling for rain so it might be a little tough.