Any Turkey Hunters?

[MooseMC48]

Any big turkey hunters out there? It's spring season here in TN, and this is my third year hunting the birds (well, 2nd technically cuz I only got to go once last year). I've hunted small game and such for years, but turkey hunting is semi-new to me. Any good stories? Gear recommendations? General turkey talk?

[skinnyme]

I wish they would allow hunting on Montgomery Bell State Park! I saw a nice tom that was probably pushing 25lbs and had about 1in spurs and a 6 or 7in beard this morning when I was walking down to the lake. That place is loaded with nice toms and a lot of very fat deer. I don't see how they keep them all from starving to death.
Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to get a choke barrell for my Winchester, so I guess I'll sit out this season and start up next time. I've never been before, but I want to start. I've been told that if you do it once you'll be hooked. I've eaten wild turkey before, and I think it tastes pretty good.
There's plenty of fishing to do though...

[MooseMC48]

Yeah, that's how Panther Creek State Park is here next to me. Damn turkey and deer everywhere, just asking to be on my dinner plate. =)

You need a choke for your shotgun? I hunt with a full choke on my Mossberg. Works perfect, and I think most turkey hunters overchoke and overload their guns. But yeah, you're right, it's addictive stuff. I'm heading out tomorrow to a buddy's farm (has about 120 acres of nice oak/maple forests, ponds, and open grain field) to try my luck. Should be fun!

[One More Time]

Any big turkey hunters out there? It's spring season here in TN, and this is my third year hunting the birds (well, 2nd technically cuz I only got to go once last year). I've hunted small game and such for years, but turkey hunting is semi-new to me. Any good stories? Gear recommendations? General turkey talk?


I luv it.... got one this morning before work. It was a jake..... He came in strutting and gobbling (really gobbling...not the half gobble that most jakes have). I noticed the beard was a little short but thought maybe he was an old turkey..... turns out he was young. Oh well.... big boy eludes me again this year...for now.

[Hartski]

I was out burning leaves yesterday morning and there was a nice large hen chilling out in my grove of pine trees about 40 feet from me. But the mating pair of geese that nest there scared her away.

It's like a damned wildlife preserve at my place. :D

[MooseMC48]

I got my first one of the season on Saturday morning. I got setup right before daylight, and about 30 min. later I was heading out of the woods. It was the damndest thing though. I setup my decoys about 12 yards in front of me in the clearing ( a jake decoy setup behind a feeding hen). I yelped a few times, and got an immediate answer from a gobbler about 50 yards to my right. It went silent, and I yelped a few more times, and went quiet. He came in about 20 yards behind me, worked to my left, and strutted into about 25 yards in front of me. The funny part is, that when he saw my decoys, he took off in a run, hit my jake decoy, broke the stake that was holding and clawed the **** out of it. He must of figured out they were only decoys, and took off in a run, and I caught him right in the neck on the run at about 15 yards. Nice bird. About 18 lbs ( a little small), 3/4 inch spurs, 5 inch beard. I was happy with it. My mouth dropped when he hit my jake decoy and broke it though. =)

[Hartski]

Last year my mom was mushroom hunting on our hill across the road and about 5 turkeys jumped out of the trees and scared her half to death. :D

But lately, the only Wild Turkey I hunt is the Rare Breed variety.:cool:

http://www.ncabc.com/uploads/packages/3504.jpg

[MooseMC48]

Last year my mom was mushroom hunting on our hill across the road and about 5 turkeys jumped out of the trees and scared her half to death. :D

But lately, the only Wild Turkey I hunt is the Rare Breed variety.:cool:

http://www.ncabc.com/uploads/packages/3504.jpg


LOL, nice. I've been told that's some wicked liquor......

[One More Time]

I finally got a good bird on Monday. 9.25"beard, 1" spurs. I have hunted my rear off this year and it seems like everything has been working against me.

[Hartski]

LOL, nice. I've been told that's some wicked liquor......


It is truly the Nectar of Teh Gods. :D

[MooseMC48]

I finally got a good bird on Monday. 9.25"beard, 1" spurs. I have hunted my rear off this year and it seems like everything has been working against me.
Nice, how big was he? Where in TN did you hunt?

[One More Time]

Nice, how big was he? Where in TN did you hunt?


I didn't weight him but he was probably 18lbish.... I hunt on my best friends private property in Middle Tennessee.