Two birds, two days.

[Captain_Ahab 5,000+ posts]

Been a rough turkey season so far for me. Had shot at 2 birds, and had nothing to show for it but feathers. Got me a new gun and laid the smack down on 2 three year olds this weekend.

First one

10 1/2" beard

1" spurs

18.5lbs

The jail bait he was strutting behind.

Where he fell. Notice all the beard I blew out.

If you look close you can see the pop-up blind I shot him from.

Ivory Spurs.

Puppy putting the sneak attack on him.

Second one

10" beard

1" spurs

18.5lbs

One more to go in MS and then off to Missouri as soon as schools out!

Click to read more...

 

[rocky 59 5,000+ posts]

One more to go in MS and then off to Missouri as soon as schools out!

where in Missouri?

 

[Captain_Ahab 5,000+ posts]

where in Missouri?

We will stay in Winona,MO.

Its in the Southeastern part of the state.

Some nearby towns are Alton and forgot the bigger towns name. Oh well.

 

[perfecxionX 10+ year member]

when was the last time you paid for meat?

 

[mazdakid 5,000+ posts]

when was the last time you paid for meat?

im always charging him for my meat

 

[DidUHearThat? 10+ year member]

Nice birds.

What gun did you get? I think I see a pistol grip.

 

[Atimm693 10+ year member]

I live in Missouri and haven't been turkey hunting yet, I plan to go this year.

What is involved? Do you have to call? I just want a meat bird, I'm not trophy hunting.

 

[Captain_Ahab 5,000+ posts]

The gun is a Remington 870 Super Mag Max Gobbler

http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/shotguns/model_870/model_870_SPS_Max_Gobbler.asp

 

[Captain_Ahab 5,000+ posts]

I live in Missouri and haven't been turkey hunting yet, I plan to go this year.
What is involved? Do you have to call? I just want a meat bird, I'm not trophy hunting.

The great thing about turkey hunting is that every mature gobbler is a trophy. No horn **** here. In MO you can shoot jakes (1 year old gobblers) so i guess that could be considered not a trophy.

The ideal hunt is to be at a top of a ridge before daylight and listen for gobbling. Once you hear a bird gobbling, go to him, get about 100-150 yards away (as close as you can without spooking him) and try to call him in.

There are a TON of birds in the Mark Twain Nat'l Forest. Way more than I have ever heard before anywhere other than a pay hunt in Texas. And ya'lls birds are a lot more unmolested than ours our. They are a lot more willing to come to calling. The easiest thing would be for you to go to Wal-Mart, invest in a slate call, and buy an instructional calling DVD, or read about the types of calls on the internet. All you really need to know how to do is yelp,cluck, and purr. Nothing fancy at all, and you can learn it in ten minutes. Don't worry about all that crap the pros do on TV. The biggest thing is patience. A bird may take two hours before he finally comes in.

I'll warn you though, if you go, and you get to work a bird, you will be addicted!

 

[Atimm693 10+ year member]

The great thing about turkey hunting is that every mature gobbler is a trophy. No horn **** here. In MO you can shoot jakes (1 year old gobblers) so i guess that could be considered not a trophy.
The ideal hunt is to be at a top of a ridge before daylight and listen for gobbling. Once you hear a bird gobbling, go to him, get about 100-150 yards away (as close as you can without spooking him) and try to call him in.

There are a TON of birds in the Mark Twain Nat'l Forest. Way more than I have ever heard before anywhere other than a pay hunt in Texas. And ya'lls birds are a lot more unmolested than ours our. They are a lot more willing to come to calling. The easiest thing would be for you to go to Wal-Mart, invest in a slate call, and buy an instructional calling DVD, or read about the types of calls on the internet. All you really need to know how to do is yelp,cluck, and purr. Nothing fancy at all, and you can learn it in ten minutes. Don't worry about all that crap the pros do on TV. The biggest thing is patience. A bird may take two hours before he finally comes in.

I'll warn you though, if you go, and you get to work a bird, you will be addicted!

I think I have a perfect spot that I hunted from during deer season. Big ridge, probably 30ft high. The slope hits a valley (40ft across) then there is a fence, and a creek right on the other side and a big field beyond that.

Well, it looks like I have some reading to do. Thanks for the help. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[Fiercetimbo17 10+ year member]

Ive always wondered after shooting the bird and it comes nom nom time, is it hard to rid it of all the pellets?

 

[DidUHearThat? 10+ year member]

Ive always wondered after shooting the bird and it comes nom nom time, is it hard to rid it of all the pellets?

I believe the goal is to shoot it in the head/neck so there are no pellets in, or damage to, the body of the bird.

That is why turkey hunters need such extreme pattern control and magnum rounds. To keep a tight pattern at 50-100 yards to pick off the head/neck without hitting the body.

 

[AVSTANG02]

God **** what an ugly animal.

 

[azbass 5,000+ posts]

God **** what an ugly animal.

yes the OP is quite hideous

 

[Captain_Ahab 5,000+ posts]

Ive always wondered after shooting the bird and it comes nom nom time, is it hard to rid it of all the pellets?

I believe the goal is to shoot it in the head/neck so there are no pellets in, or damage to, the body of the bird.
That is why turkey hunters need such extreme pattern control and magnum rounds. To keep a tight pattern at 50-100 yards to pick off the head/neck without hitting the body.

Yes, the goal is to keep as many pellets as possible in the head and neck. On my first bird, there were probably twenty pellets or so in the breast. But on my second, I think I picked out four. With the newer heavier than lead loads they make nowadays, most of the pellets will go through a breast and lodge on the outside part of the breast on the opposite side. Those little pellets have a lot of energy. Almost every bird you shoot past 30 yards is going to have pellets in the breast due to fliers (off patterned pellets).

And the maximum "ethical" range you should shoot at a turkey is 50 yards. However, with todays loads and choke combinations, the effective range can be extended out to 60 or 65. In my younger days I have killed them at 60 yards, but I have matured since and want them closer for a clean, ethical kill.

I have a breast I am marinating right now off the second bird I will take a pic of and post.

God **** what an ugly animal.

How dare you?? They are some of the most beautiful creatures in the world IMO. You wouldn't believe the colors/iridescence of the feathers when the sun hits them. When one of these dudes is bowed up in a full strut at 40 yards with the sun shining on him, its just absolutely an incredible site to behold.

yes the OP is quite hideous

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif

I think I have a perfect spot that I hunted from during deer season. Big ridge, probably 30ft high. The slope hits a valley (40ft across) then there is a fence, and a creek right on the other side and a big field beyond that.
Well, it looks like I have some reading to do. Thanks for the help. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

Sounds like a perfect spot alright! The birds are prone to roost on the edge of ridges and creeks. If they roost on that creek of yours, I wouldn't doubt them pitching down into the field some mornings to strut.