On March 4th, 2024, I finally got an Osceola! It's been a long time coming. I've killed a lot of big toms before, and this wasn't one of them lol. I only had 3 days to hunt, and it was the last day. Hadn't heard that first gobble when 5 jakes come in and started flogging the jake decoy. I really didn't want to shoot a jake, but with it being my last day to hunt, I figured a bird is a bird! He did have a 4 8/16'' beard and weighted 13 lbs. This completes my Grand Slam for turkeys! Now I'm waiting for WV and Ohio season to start! Good luck to all the turkey hunters this year!!

Hey, you got it done! Congrats!

- Jake

Way to go!

congrats! eagerly awaiting wv season as well

Ridge Runner, have you been hearing any gobbling?

very little yet, still bunched up in big flocks,, alot of strutting going on though

Good to know, thanks for the update!

My pro bass fishing buddy just got back from a family vacation in Florida. His 12 year old daughter loves to hunt so he hired a guide for a turkey hunt. She shot a nice Osceola on one hunt then a couple hogs with guide on another.
Before they came home he hired an aligator guide and his daughter shot a decent 8 foot gator and an armadillo. He said glad to get home because he was going broke with guides and the resulting taxidermy costs.

I hear ya, part of my Osceola hunt was 1 free hog. I shot a 154 lb sow the first evening. Hunting Osceola and alligators are not cheap! I did walk up on an alligator on the second day. I was about 15-20 feet from it before it decided that was close enough! It was in the 6' range.

Congrats on completing your slam. Funny what you'll shoot on the last day especially to complete a slam. Trying to finish mine I needed a merriams. In five days in NM I think I called in every jake in the state finally took one on the last morning . I enjoyed hunting them so much I actually shot fourteen more since that one and not another jake lol