2017 Spring Turkey Meat Pole
Wisconsin
2017 Gobbler
2017 Gobbler
Guess someone better start this thread (unless I missed it elsewhere. ) Not much gobbling or hen talk this morning. Heard 3 different gobblers from the roost. Each was brief, though. Didn't hear any hens from the roost. Figured if they're not talking, neither am I. Heard 1 gun shot right at first light in the direction I heard one of the gobblers. Had 3 hens, including a bearded lady work their way past me around 6:30. The bearded hen was tempting, as would make a unique mount. A lone hen joined them and the bearded one sauntered off on her own. The others went away as well and those 3 stuck together. I could see them picking and scratching 150 yds away. They meandered for an hour and began to work their way back to me. 2 went on their own, while 2 stayed. One of these kept yelping softly. The others paid no mind, but this one kept staring the opposite way. I knew something must be up, but I couldn't see what she was looking at. As I looked down at the ground fighting the early morning awakening catching up to me, I heard the familiar spitting and drumming sound that gets the blood pumping! It was then I saw the Tom coming. He kept strutting behind any possible obstruction he could. The anticipation was really setting in as I awaited the opportunity. He started working towards the ladies, as I awaited coming to full draw. Finally, I got my chance and settled the pin. The rest I don't remember, other than watching him take off and run to his final resting place. Interestingly, his lonely mate stayed by him for a few minutes. After she realized she wasn't getting any action, she wandered off. I said a prayer and gave thanks for my good fortune. It was around 7:30. Man what a great experience! Hope others had/have luck as well. Let's hear some more stories.
Novice - Outstanding my man! Very nice bird and what a great picture!!!
Congratulations on a successful hunt. Good harvest! Great outdoors photo too!
Great job on the hunt, pic, and story novice. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks everyone. I am a huge fan of field photos. Like many, I don't care for pics of myself, but with such cool experiences (hunting, etc) we need to capture the moment and memories, which will last a lifetime. A previous bowsiter really opened my eyes to field photos. I certainly was lucky to get someone to take the turkey pic. Had to wait an hour, but it turned out better than the poor selfie that would have had to do otherwise! Many hunts are solo. So, it's not always easy to get good pics. If you can, I encourage everyone to capture their memories with a photo. Hope to see many more here. Good luck. Looks like the weather is going to be a challenge today. Maybe the thunder will produce some shock gobbling!
The turkey threads make me want to go again. Maybe I'll try again next year. ive been a few times and had some close calls but never sealed the deal. Congrats Novice!
His final steps. Good luck everyone out and congrats to everyone who has filled their tags already.
Anybody else tag out 1st period?
Yup. 21 pounds 4 ounces, 10 inch beard, 7/8 inch spurs. 4/25/17 at 6:05am.
I got out 2.5 hours, one night for my tag. I worked one for about an hour in the forest. I never got a glimpse at him, but he would gobble his fool head off, circling me. I finally ran out of time, he just would not commit coming in all the way.
21 lbs 10" beard 1" 1/4 spurs. Did not see a bird wed or thurs, shot this one on Fri at 730. Out of 2 youths and 4 other hunters on our land, I was the only lucky one.
Congrats guys. Way to keep at it RJN. L2H having limited time sounds familiar. I only had last Wed to hunt. Fortunately, I lucked out. Hopefully, more success stories coming. The weather sure has been uncooperative. A light rain is actually good, but a downpour and storm is not.
Stories ARE good - Congrats guys!!!
Making me itchy. I don't go till third season. Should have gone West or South. Great job guys!
Albino, Calamine lotion will help.
Just when I run out of Calamine lotion I finally get to go tomorrow. Worked on getting my blind ready today & tripped over some schrooms. One good thing about getting old is you walk slow & look down. Good for sheds & schrooms & an occasional Nickel any way.
To say the weather this last week was tough would be an understatement. I logged 46 hours in a blind, 44 of them with my bow. During that time I saw around 14-15 hens and probably upwards of 35 jakes. The jakes were in groups, from two to eight. Saw maybe 5 toms and they were always in the neighbors field where I was not able to hunt. I passed up multiple opportunities each day on those jakes. Going a couple 10+ hours sits, the cold and dampness seemed to penetrate whatever I wore. At any rate, after the way the wind blew this morning, I took a few hours off to go home, let the dogs out and catch up on some business I had been letting go. Just as I had decided to give it up, a few rays of sun peeked out. Just enough that I decided to trade my bow for a gun and sit the last few hours of this season. With an hour of shooting time left, out of the woods parades the group of eight jakes I had seen a few times over these past days. It didn't take long to decide to take one, then it was just a matter of picking one. At first going to the largest of the group who had maybe a 5" beard, one trailing behind him caught my eye. A little 2" beard, and a bit smaller, I chose him. I don't usually keep the legs but from this guy I did. Hopefully younger and maybe a little more tender, the shotgun brought my 44 hours of bowhunting to an end.
Nice clean morels right there. Love when they're fresh.
Nice find Albino! Capt, way to stick with it. Thanks for the story too. Talked with a couple others. 1 had success last Saturday morning after a first unsuccessful shot earlier. Another had lots of respondents, but nothing close to shoot. Also, a guy this morning with lots of action, but none close enough for a shot.
Congrats on all the birds. Way to stick with it capt Those birds can be tuff. We had a heck of a time last week, dealing with weather and other guys.
Thanks Noc. I enjoy being in the outdoors so it was not really that bad. I took a ride past the property I was hunting a few hours ago and there were 4 toms in a field where there hadn't been any for 7 days.
Yeah I know what you mean. I enjoy every min of it too.
Also, that's how it goes! It's like they know. Haha
"Get rid of the training tent and be more mobile, your encounters and success rate will increase, and you won't have to settle for an immature target"
I disagree with this 100%. They don't care about the blinds at all!
I do like the run and gun method but if you don't have access to the land to do that then it is more of a waiting game. I know where I hunt, if I am patient they will eventually come to the field I hunt as it is a dusting location for hens. If I don't get them in the morning they will show up later in the day.
Also, luck doesn't mean that turkey hunting is as easy as you say. I have gone to a spot before and been done within 15 min.... but I was at the right place at the right time. Sometimes things just work out.
The "second" season was indeed tough weather wise. I put off some work and got out on the one nice day we had which was last Friday. I ended up working 3 Tom's from fly down until 10 when I shot this one. They gobbled a lot and would work to within 75 yards multiple times. It took 3 moves and some aggressive calling to get them to commit. He had beard rot or it broke off in the snow. 4" beard, 1" Spurs. I had an awesome hunt in a blind with a good friend. What more could you ask for? My next tag is 4th season.
Rut - Congratulations on getting a turkey & let me complement you on a great photo! That should be on the cover of a mag! Nice going.....
Neverbait said, "last week was my period". Guess that explains all the stupid comments lately.
Yes, nice photos for sure guys!!!
I don't know why any of you guys pay attention to him. A few have figured it out. If we all did, it would eliminate all future trolls.
I second what Case said. That is a very nicely set up picture. Well worth the effort. Congrats, Rut!
ATTN: Neverbait
ATTN: Neverbait
Congrats Rutnstrut. Sounds like some great work. Agreed, very nice pic!
Thanks guys. I agree the pic looks good despite the goofy looking dude kneeling behind the gobbler;)
I was wondering what was sticking out of the ass of that turkey!
Sorry Rut, couldn't resist. Great pic.
Well, the legs & back are making it tough. Not to mention the Turkeys. Glad I have a training tent for these old bones. Might get some training wheels to keep me up right. I try not being a slob and using electronics for Turkey hunting but I just had to put those hearing aids in. They let me hear like a normal person. Not saying I am normal but I can hear like a normal person maybe. I think the Turkeys are confused by the DNR making the seasons later. They don't know they are supposed come when I call. I had 2 decoys die yesterday as the co op sprayed them. Good thing I wasn't there today as they fertilized. Who knows what that would have done to them. Still plenty of time left. I'm really good so I'm guessing I could be done in 5 minutes but I thought I would live them live a couple extra days. That is a nice pic Rut.
OK. I was finally able to scare one to death today at 1:30 p.m. Had PT in the a.m. so I was a bit late getting out. Seems like a tough year for most Turkey hunters around the whole state. I have been trying everything I can think of for a week now. I had passed one at 25 yards as I am still struggling to get around and can't do the run and tackle as well as I once did. Today I used the lay down hen decoy off to the side for more like a confidence type decoy. After settling down in my training blind I did a couple soft purrs and then a mild gobble. Soon a hen with a pretty nice hen beard (about 8 inches & pencil thickness) came from across the road & came right up the tree line. Just before she got up to me a Tom steps out of the woods in full strut. He never gobbled or never came out of strut. The hen just kind of hung out near my hen & ignoring the Tom. It took him over a half hour to move 30 yards. I wanted a 15 yard max shot. He seemed to be stuck at 21 yards & when he got perfectly broadside I couldn't take it any more. I knew bad things can happen in a hurry so I took the shot. It hit hard & he was flipping around at 30 yards so I thought I better give him another one. I found out later that that one missed. He went up and landed 30 yards right in front of me so I missed him again. He then ran to the edge of the woods and died. The first shot was dead center in the cage. I was able to drive right up to him and the blind for easy loading. The best pic of him was the worst pic of me. 21 1/2 pounds. 3/4 inch spurs & a 10 7/16 inch beard. Things just don't seem to go as easy as they used to but it is always better to be lucky than good.
Great hunt albino. Nothing easy about getting them with the bow.
Albino, nice story. Congrats on your turkey. Quite an accomplishment.
Awesome job Albino - Congratulations!!
Great job Albino! And a good story and pic to boot!
I think I found some birds that have not see as much hunting pressure. They have no fear of blinds and decoys. Called this bird in the pick right to my decoys. Gobbled all the way in and took a Jak Hammer at 15 yards. First time ever for me on a bow kill, this bird made it our of sight. Maybe went 80 or 90 yards but was very easy to find. He even left a blood trail. Only had 1 spur but it is 1.25" 11" beard and close to 24 lbs.
After I retrieved my bird from my previous post, I hoped back in the blind to enjoy the moment and some food. I usually grab my decoys but this time I didn't. The tom in this picture came in and strutted with 20-40 yards for 2.5 hours. I think it is obvious that I found a strut zone. Back there this weekend to try for the 2nd bird.
what the heck. that is not even my picture??? I have never seen that before.
I've seen it happen here before Jtek. Not sure why, but it happened to me once. The problem is, you cannot edit out a photo. Bowsite uses tools from the 90's I swear lol.
By the way, nice job on your first bow kill.
Thanks Pete but not my first bow kill. What I was trying to say is that it is the first, of what I think in now 13 total bow killed Toms, that made it out of sight. Let's try again on the 2nd tom.
Do not worry Jtek, we won't tell your wife about the picture and who you were with in the woods.
Very funny L2H. She's a very tolerant wife, but maybe not that tolerant. But then again, she has been stuck with me for 30+ years. Poor woman!!!!
Got it. Congrats on lucky 13!
Well done jtek. Sounds like a big bird! 13? Very successful indeed. Congrats.
Thanks guys! It was an awesome hunt that I will never forget..... until the day that they strap on the dribble bib at the nursing home that is..... ;-)
Great Job Jtek. Nice bird. I was able to take another Tom today. Went out mid day again & untangled the blinds from the wind last night. I spotted the tip of a tail fan in the next field and before long 3 hens followed by a Tom came into the field I was in about 150 yards away. He was not very vocal & with 3 hens I thought it might be tough. I had no decoys out for the 5th season. Figuring that working the hens was my best bet so I purred them right in and Tom followed. He hung out at 19 yards in strut so when he went broadside I shot and he dropped right in his tracks. The hens had no clue what happened and hung out for a bit. He must have worked some weight off as he was just under 22 pounds. Had an 11 inch beard and really nice hooks just a 16th under an inch and a half and sharp as a tack. Another 1:30 p.m. bird.
After being in the hospital with my wife and baby for 2 days, she gave me the green light for a 4 hour window to get dinner. The toms held up out of bow range, so tasty Jake for the welcome home dinner tonight!
You dog!! Congrats to ya. Looks like a big jake. Be sure to save those tail feathers
Reg, how the hell do you talk your wife into letting you go hunting days after having a baby? Whatever you're doing it must be working. You are having a damn good week bro!
"Reg, how the hell do you talk your wife into letting you go hunting days after having a baby?" It's not that hard. I was out turkey hunting 5 hours after my daughter was born.
Yep, my wife would rather have me take a break and go hunting, than act like a baby myself because I was cooped up. She's already got one, two is just too much lol.
You guys have nicer wives than me;-) or mine loves me so much she can't bear for me to be gone. Or maybe I'm just an ass and she likes to punish me. I haven't figured out which it is yet.
Congrats on the bird and the baby. Don't know if I will get out in the last season or not. Still fighting the bad back and because my Wife wants to be closer to the Grandkids we bought a house in Jefferson County. Now I have to get this one ready to sell & move. I hope they have critters down there & I hope they speak the same language.
Great photos, everyone... Congrats to all, however Reggiezpop gets an especially huge congrats along with his bride and family. It looks like our bird season is coming to an end as I don't know anyone who has a tag left for the last season and I don't have any time left to put in for the last go 'round. Overall, I would say less gobbling as a whole this year, but many more birds than I can recall for a number of years. (Not certain as to why there would be less gobbling, but have theories, which are just that.) :D Now, it's time to get some work done before fall rolls around!!!
Double congrats are definitely in order Reg for bird and baby! And for Albino too (2nd Tom.) Great seasons!
Better late than never. Scored on a season F tom today on heavily pressured zone 2 public. Weekend warriors decimated my plan A easy access dry pine cozy area, so I headed for the mosquito infested swamp from hell today. Nobody cares to fill their boots with swamp water like I did for three days. Fell down in ankle deep pools twice, but patterned where some birds were cutting across a ditch and set up there this morning. Three tons very warily snuck through at 9 AM, and I chose the third one. 23 3/4 pounds, 10" beard, 1 1/8 spurs. Very glad at least I filled one of my three WI tags.
Jtek, Just noticed your mystery photo! That is one of me and my crazy Chinese ex g/f I posted on here ten years ago! Haha. Found a much better low maintenance one in Milwaukee since then! Married her too.
Zim1, Congrats on your persistence to take a very nice bird! That is crazy on me linking to that picture. Please tell my wife that is not me and my new squeeze. ;-)
Nasty mosquito & poison ivy swamp from hell.
Gross! Last two nights had bad dreams filled with mosquitos. Poison ivy on both arms! :( :( :(
"That is crazy on me linking to that picture. Please tell my wife that is not me and my new squeeze. ;-)"
Jtek, Even your wife would laugh her a$$ off if she could meet that ex of mine! 100% psychopath, multi-personality, schizophrenic, paranoid...........You name it, she had it! I live down in Chicago west burbs but eventually found that one's replacement while on a business trip to Milwaukee four years ago. Also Chinese, but very normal! She retires next year and will move here from Sichuan. They don't have hunting in China, and almost no archery, but my wife wants to go turkey hunting with me next year. She will cook up my tom Sichuan style when she arrives this summer. :)
And here's the end result toms feathers all soaked. Guess I can try my wife's blow dryer on them?
Zim, Great bird & way to get it done. Congrats.
This season had been one of my worst – after killing 2 gobblers last year along with the wife taking one as well, I was quite smug coming into 2017.
Since starting the season I have been left with nothing but broken dreams, a bad back, sore knees and nothing to show for countless trips to the turkey woods. But still I persisted. I cannot remember a season without killing at least one Tom…..time was running out! “Like the sands of an hourglass “...
The high beams of my F150 flashed across the cut cornfield on a piece of property almost into Eau Claire County, WI. A friend from an Internet bow hunting site “Bowsite” named “Crusader Dad” was kind enough to offer a spot to this ole, overweight turkey hunter. I jumped on that offer like a frog on a dragonfly.
Once the truck rolled to a stop, I busied myself grabbing up gear, a diet coke and my face mask. Nearly a half mile of cornfield lay ahead before I would stop. The time was 4:00AM.
The neighbor’s dog sounded the alarm as I stumbled past through the corn into the inky black outline of trees in the distance. Soon “Rover” could barely be heard and I found myself stumbling into a hedgerow looking for the “perfect” spot! Like there’s a perfect spot in the dark!
As I silently cursed myself for not setting up the previous day, I cleared a seat and hugged a large Oak tree. I placed two Flambeau deaks out and took a seat…and waited. The time 4:55 AM.
Such a beautiful morning as the woods began to wake. What better chance to grab my phone and check on the Facebook crowd. The way my luck was going, I found it hard to believe I would even spark a gobble.
As I paged through Facebook, Id glance up every so often. A whipper wool called in the distance as a Cardinal and a grey Squirrel added to the commotion almost right above my head. “Hey look, Bob did buy that Chevy truck!! Looks pretty nice” I thought to myself as I paged through Facebook.
It was about that time I heard what sounded like wingbeats to me. I looked left and the right…nothing! Is was 5:10 AM and I could see pretty well. A fly down? A Pileated woodpecker?
“Cluck”, “cluck” came a soft call to the east as I looked from my assassin’s nest, the figure of a hen turkey made its way towards the decoys!
Damn it! I thought to myself. I had no face mask, no calls out. Thank the Lord I thought to load my gun. Idiot!
I tilted my head downward to hide my shiny white face, as the hen came right into the decoys. She left, came back and repeated the process quite a few times. When she was convinced that the deaks were not following, she began to cluck loudly at them.
Have I mentioned there hasn’t been a gobble yet? Nothing off the roost!
As soon as the hen stared calling a……. GGGGGOOOOOBBBBBBBBLLLLLEEEEEE boomed from the west in a wooded area not 100 yards away! Holy crap – where did he come from?
GREAT…no facemask, no calls out…talk about not preparing yourself….
What the heck, he gobbled several more times as mosquitos started biting my face. I couldn’t move…dang that hurt!
Well apparently this hen was sick of the approaching Gobbler as he must have been chasing her the past 6 weeks or so…she split the scene and off like a prom dress!
With the hen gone and the Gobbler still in the woods, I gambled and grabbed my facemask, calls and readjusted my seat. I was ready!! I traded some soft call on the slate for a gobble or two and shut up! I knew he was still there.
Minutes later there he was …out in the cut cornfield. He took several steps, saw the deaks and into full strut he came.
Like a pony on a lead, the Gobbler made his way to the decoys in time that seemed like an hour. Soon I was hearing his wingtips scrape on the ground as he would “spit and drum” as he approached.
At 12 yards I told myself, wait until he turns away – then take your shot! I wrestled with myself several times to take a shot but patience it paid off. Suddenly the Gobbler spun away and I was able to draw a bead. As he turned, the shot knocked the Gobbler right off his feet. He never moved a muscle. It was over!
So with 1 day left to hunt – caught with my “pants down” I was able to pull the rabbit out of the hat.
Thank the good Lord and Greyhound for turkey hunting! It never gets old…..
Congrats and great write up. I was hitting refresh on this thread all day yesterday waiting impatiently for the story.
Well done Pat, and nice of you Crusader.
Way to git-er-done Bloodrail. Love those late season toms. Best part is everyone else is done so no competition. Always plenty of toms left.
Nice job BT. I didn't think anyone was out hunting toms anymore. Except for a long time friend of mine West of you in Eau Claire County. He connected at 805am this morning. His number four for the year 2017.
Zim1, I don't do craZy women either. Thank God a married and very sane and obviously extremely patient women. 37 years of wedded bliss next month. Good luck with your sane wife.
Blood Trail, Great bird and story. Congrats!
Great job and write up BT. Crusader, very generous. That's one of the special things about sites like these!
When Pat texted me a little after 6am yesterday I think I was as excited as he was! The area he was in is my bil's favorite deer hunting spot so I texted him right away too (not thinking about the fact that it was so early in the morning). I'm very happy he got it done on our land. I've been hoping for that text from Pat all turkey season.
Shot this guy yesterday morning. Stalker Stick Bow, 64" recurve, 50# at 31", GT traditional xt 400 arrow, and muzzy phantom head at 25 yards. Did the flip and quit moving, as it was dead.
Thanks for the kind words everyone and "Thanks" to Crusader for helping me out!
Great job and story BT. You have a knack for telling a great tale. Great job to you as well Sharpspur.
Sharpspur-sweet kill with the trad! Did you take him from a natural set? Man, it's tough getting drawn w/o being busted with the trad. Great accomplishment
It was with my Double Bull. Missed one on saturday, with my long arms, draw and 64" bow. My top limb hit the blind upon release. I see from the picture, next year I will have to dye the beard black before the season lol
Sharpspur, trust me, the ladies like a little bit of grey! Congrats on the trad kill!
Sharpspur, Just shave the whole coconut like me. Wife loves it!
