Spring 2019 Live from the Field

[thwack16]

Congrats Hawthorne!

[Jdw]

Congrats on the Tom Hawthorne.

A friend and I had a good hunt on some public land this morning.
There was another hunter at the first place so we went to plan B and it turned into a textbook roost hunt.
Dead bird by 7:00. He came in fast for a 3-4 year old Tom.

[Bigburner]

I got completely worked over the last couple days. Saturday I headed out to a secret public spot at around 11am after a heavy rain and got about 100 yards from the truck and longbeard to my right at 60 yards. We had a stare down he relaxed I dropped to the ground put a tail chaser on my gun and then tried to belly crawl towards him hoping he would get fired up and season over. Total failure awesome rush totally worth it. Nothing for the rest of the afternoon.
This morning same spot heard nothing off the roost. Cloudy morning and I figured I’d get something to drift into my spot. I had a hen and a jake decoy out and around 8am a hen clucked through and nothing tailing. 9 o’clock rolls around and I let out a few clucks and the woods explode. I have one at my 3oclock and 3 at my 6. The one Tom on my three got lost in the shuffle and the three others hammered about 100 times each for a good 45 minutes getting within 10 to 50 yards and I never saw a one due to the cover between us. They walked back and forth on the train tracks bordering my spot. Just pissing me off and I had zero recourse. I got restless at around 12 and took a walk due to lack of activity and I popped out on the track and it was the same three birds about 250 yards north. I could tell with my binos they were more like 2 years old birds and not jakes. I put a move on them but they had other things going on. I decided to hunt with a gun again this year. Just for a little easier time. I’ve always killed my birds with a bow. But I hunted all this past deer season with trad equipment and I still shoot every day just about and I’ve been shooting from a sitting position and at 20 yards my 4 arrows are usually kissing. So today I was having a blast practicing in the back yard and the next accomplishment high in the list is a trad turkey so F-it I have 4 days left and I’m going for it. I can’t say I’ll do it next year. That just puts it that much further out of reach. I couldn’t think of anything harder I guess.

[Jdw]

I went for a short hunt this morning before work.
There were at least 2 toms and some jakes gobbling on the point across from me. The dominant Tom was about 250 yds and a more subordinate Tom was 125 yds.
The subordinate Tom went silent at fly down and the dominant Tom went the other direction to a cut corn field.
I called lightly for about 30 minutes and then started easing up a ditch trying to get closer to where the gobbling Tom went. When I got about 200 yds away from my original location the subordinate Tom started gobbling where I had been sitting.
It had been about 50 minutes since he flew down and got quite.

That has happened to me before but just goes to show patience is a virtue when you are chasing turkeys.

The longer I turkey hunt the slower I go but I didn’t slow down enough today.

[Bigburner]

Season is done baby! Took the bow and gun. He hung up so he got a face full of #6. First gun bird. I worked my but off for this one. It’s been 3 years since I last got a one

[Jackson Marsh]

Congrats Bigburner!

[matt1336]

Nice bird bb! I’m waiting to get off work and take the kids to school so I can chase some turkeys. #nosleepweek.

[UofLbowhunter]

Day 3. Woke up late this mornin but proceeded as plan, drove 2 hours to get to a public land spot. This wma has produced a few monster toms for me over the years! Took off on a walkin only access And stumbled on a fresh dusting area with 3 or 4 dusting spots in it. All freshly tore up as can be. Was lookin to find a spot to sit and chill for a little bit and had a hen come in and bust me before i could sit down. Im still sittin here but gonna give it a few before i ease on. As much dusting that has been goin on. Something has to be close

[UofLbowhunter]

Day 3. Woke up late this mornin but proceeded as plan, drove 2 hours to get to a public land spot. This wma has produced a few monster toms for me over the years! Took off on a walkin only access And stumbled on a fresh dusting area with 3 or 4 dusting spots in it. All freshly tore up as can be. Was lookin to find a spot to sit and chill for a little bit and had a hen come in and bust me before i could sit down. Im still sittin here but gonna give it a few before i ease on. As much dusting that has been goin on. Something has to be close

Strike one finally had one gobble about 1/2 mile away. Made the journey got within to ridges and was deciding what to do, he was hammering by then. Picked a spot about 20 yds away to set up, then had a small flock of crows come in between me and him. Crows start raisin cain and he went silent, about 20 min later he gobbled a couple of more times still movin away. So now im back at truck either to go move in and relocate him or go somewhere else

[mipubbucks24]

My wife, father in-law, and I all scored on opening day in Michigan!

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[mipubbucks24]

Also thank you Dan and the crew for making picture posting much easier!!!!!

[Jackson Marsh]

Congrats mipubbucks!!

[Ack]

Congrats to all the killers! I'm patiently waiting for May 6th, then it's game on.

[Jdw]

My wife, father in-law, and I all scored on opening day in Michigan!
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Congratulations !

[BigHunt]

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She worked hard for him but made it happen..

We filled our boots up several times yesterday going after this swamp bird

24.11lbs