Tri State Turkey Beat Down - My Season in Review

[bowmaster5687]

I have been MIA on here for awhile but figured I'd post a few pictures and give a report on my season. Hunted three states this year starting back in mid-April. Here is a picture from my opening morning spot a few days prior.


While excited, I was also still alittle down in the dumps. My grandfather had passed a few days prior and his funeral was also on opening day. I almost opted to sit it out but figured he'd rather have me out there chasing birds than moping around so I set the alarm for 2:30 and was all in. I awoke to pouring rain and it showed no signs of letting up (which it didn't). Fortunately, I didn't have to spend too long waiting around in the monsoon. Seven hens charged in followed by a very upset gobbler. Turns out he really hated the jake decoy sitting in the middle of HIS field. He had been using that little clearing just about everyday for a week and a half. I'd like to think I had some help from someone that day.


Day two found me on the same property. Fortunately the weather was much more user friendly. I slid through some pines along the edge of some hardwoods well before daybreak. The gobbling started around 6 and was nonstop. Flydown came and the 3 longbeards that were making all the racket seemed to be facing the other way but one set of yelps changed that in a hurry. The gobbles went from "eh, they're getting closer" to vibrating the trees around me. I saw the beard (s) on this guy and decided that it was time for the 10 gauge gauge to bark before he made it to the decoys. Of course I forgot the tripod, but I made it work as best I could.




New week, new state, same old story... a few quick mid morning, textbook run-and-guns and two more birds were on the ground. With another double beard in the mix





Time for homefield advantage. The PA opener was finally here. Unfortunately a band of storms rolled in around 5am. Normally not a big deal until you forget the blind stakes and the winds are gusting over 40mph... Nevertheless, we made it work. Had 20 birds work through the pasture and after the 3 longbeards had their fill of chasing a dozen or so jakes around they came to play in the decoys. Needless to say, 3 quickly became 1 and we were on our way home shortly after 7am



Headed off to British Columbia for a bear hunt and managed to arrow this solid boar.


Back home by the middle of the month and watched a pile of birds make their way to roost one Sunday evening. The stage was set, phone calls made, plan devised and it was time to triple up. The double beard ended up taking a friend's arrow at 11 yards and the other two longbeards stuck around just alittle too long...


Check out the wing coloration on this guy. Spotted him the evening before and we were fortunate enough to knock him down


The real icing on the cake....Check out these spurs. True 1.75". Wouldn't have believed it had I not put the tape on them myself


Managed to find myself out on a few other hunts with friends and had what has to be my best season on record as far as success rate with 10 hunts yielding 13 birds. To heck with waiting til next spring, fall turkey season can't get here soon enough.

[1iagobblergetter]

Heck of a great season. Great pics..Congrats!! 

[SteelerFan]

Heck of a great season. Great pics..Congrats!! 

Congrats!

[TauntoHawk]

That's an absolute onslaught of a season

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[birddogdoc]

Helluva season!  Love the bear too...Congrats

[GobbleNut]

Congrats on a great season.  Good story and pics.

The thing that caught my eye was the picture of the bird with the small beard growing off of the main beard sheath.  ....Never seen that before.  Although that does look a separate beard to me, I wonder if "technically" that would be considered a separate beard?  Pretty interesting, regardless.

[vt35mag]

Man, I would have bought a lotto ticket after that season!  Great job!

[appalachianstruttstopper]

 

[guesswho]

Well done, congrats!

[longbeard11]

Absolutely amazing season with some stud birds!!!! Way to go man. What states were u in? I saw PA but what were the other ones?

[TauntoHawk]

Congrats on a great season.  Good story and pics.

The thing that caught my eye was the picture of the bird with the small beard growing off of the main beard sheath.  ....Never seen that before.  Although that does look a separate beard to me, I wonder if "technically" that would be considered a separate beard?  Pretty interesting, regardless.

Never seen that either

[nitro]

Great season!!! Some true trophy class spurs! Congratulations!!

[cramerhunts]

Awesome season no doubt! Congratulations to you on some great birds and bear.

[Blong]

Seems like you have the best down figured out! Keep on making them thunder chickens take dirt naps!

[TRG3]

Sorry to hear of your grandpa's passing. Now in my seventh decade, I can thank my grandpa for taking me hunting as a pre-schooler and heading me toward a lifetime of hunting. I thank him for that. That was in the late 1940s, long before Illinois had a deer or turkey season, just basically tree squirrels and rabbits. While I still enjoy squirrel hunting with a .22 and chasing rabbits with beagles, I'd have to put spring turkey season at the top of my list with deer hunting somewhere much lower. And...congratulations on an enjoyable season.