2018 turkey season / are you ready??
Contributors to this thread:Kansas
From: Rambo
20-Mar-18
I am ready for Thunder Chickens season. But are they fired up yet or not. I have 1 blind set in one of my best spot. So I am ready but haven't seen any strutting up North here yet.
From: writer
20-Mar-18
Seeing some bands of jakes out and about, looking for trouble. See strutting all winter.
From: Rambo
21-Mar-18
Rambo 's Link
From: Rambo
21-Mar-18
This shot placement was from my sons CSB at 5 yards out of a Double Bull on the same field from Pic # one. I have a video of the hunt but not savvy enough to figure how to put it up load.
From: Thornton
21-Mar-18
I'm headed out in the next few days to burn a few acres off my back 40. They really like to pick around and strut on burnt off hillsides.
From: Ksgobbler
21-Mar-18
I burned right before the big rain. Numbers are way down but I’ll try and tangle with one.
From: Westksbowhunter
21-Mar-18
Got my unit 4 tag and the new Mathews is ready to roll. Man I hate ticks though.
From: writer
21-Mar-18
Use permethrin on your clothing, if you’re not already.
From: Ksgobbler
21-Mar-18
Also got my no trespassing signs on the way. Gonna freshen the place up and put one every 100 yards or so with purple paint on every fence post.
From: sitO
21-Mar-18
I started doing shots of Permethrin in late January to prepare
When ya headed to NE Jeff?
From: t-roy
21-Mar-18
Did you go to the doctor for those, or the local watering hole, sitO?!
From: Kansasclipper
21-Mar-18
The 30th.
From: Rambo
21-Mar-18
It's the same each year with ticks and I am with Writer on the Permethrin deal. I have used the Vets supply for 7 years now and I love it plus I don't go fishin, huntin or srums lookin without it on my cloths. great product.!
From: sitO
21-Mar-18
From: Antlerhunter
22-Mar-18
Matt you must be a k-state fan with all that purple.
From: Ksgobbler
22-Mar-18
Gotta keep the Arkansas fans at bay.
Ticks are already bad. We were planting shrubs for the quail yesterday. Daughter had 7 seed ticks on her. Son and I got none.
From: kscowboy
22-Mar-18
Ksgobbler, I almost made the same comment about the boys from Arkansas. Use the purple paint, as those boys have a tendency to become illiterate when they see "No Trespassing." In Arkansas, "I can't read" is a good defense, in Kansas, not so much. (Insert Brownback school funding joke here)
From: Ksgobbler
22-Mar-18
I said something about all the trespassing they do on another forum and got banned a couple nights ago.
From: Rambo
24-Mar-18
I had 3 ticks crawling up my arm yesterday :><><
From: Rambo
24-Mar-18
I used to have 20+ birds in this stretch of draws now I'm down to a few only.
From: Ksgobbler
24-Mar-18
Saw 7 hens on my pond dam 2 nights ago. No gobblers with them.
From: Rambo
24-Mar-18
By the looks of it I may not hunt but the first day. Three birds might get or be a lonely Rafter of Thunder Chickens. Using my CSB @55# recurve and mag 4 blades. Haven't heard a peep up here yet. One of my Cuz's has heard one West of Osawatomie, Ks.
From: Ksgobbler
24-Mar-18
I have been on the back porch listening each morning.
From: dragon76
24-Mar-18
bird population seems to be down from last year, and I thought last year was bad. went out early this morning to a place I should here several birds gobbling, only had a couple, and one was a jake
From: Thornton
25-Mar-18
The birds haven't even split and come up the creeks around here. There's a winter flock on the edge of Eldorado still. Give it a few more weeks and they'll be everywhere. I only heard one gobbling this evening while fishing on public but I guarantee there will be have s dozen opening day of shotgun season like there have been the last ten years.
From: Ksgobbler
25-Mar-18
I can tell you from when I bought this place till now with my unofficial trail cam surveys we are down 66%. That includes winter flocks.
From: Thornton
25-Mar-18
Could be. Usually birds will frequent the same places but sometimes they shift and use different spots due to feed. There was some kind of disease taking them out of Fall River WA about 8 years ago but they seem to be coming back.
From: SandhillsArchery
29-Mar-18
SandhillsArchery's Link
The thunder chickens have been struttin and fighting here for almost 2 weeks now. We have group of about 30-40 that keep coming in on camera at least once a day. Cant wait to get guys out on em
From: KB
29-Mar-18
Broken up and doing their thing southern Geary/northern Morris counties. Saw a pair breeding a week ago this evening.
From: Kansasclipper
29-Mar-18
They were strutting and gobbling over Christmas break. They always go nuts in March that's why Nebraska has a season in March.
From: sitO
29-Mar-18
They were still all bunched up NW of Haigler NE today, just depends on where you are
From: writer
29-Mar-18
January is my favorite month to hunt big, struttin’ gobblers. We were going to do that last winter, weren’t we Kyle?
From: sitO
29-Mar-18
Yes, yes we were and then things got sideways on my end Mike...but there's another January comin ;?)
From: writer
30-Mar-18
Dunno, Kyle. Surely you know we’re moving to Lawrence this weekend, right? That means I’ll have to grow my hair out into dreadlocks, meltdown all of my evil weapons, become a vegan, donate 90-percent of what we’ve worked hard for to those who do not want to work and get Bernie stickers for my only form of transportation-my bicycle. Peace. :-)
From: Ben
30-Mar-18
That's hilarious!
From: sitO
30-Mar-18
Like this Mike?
From: writer
30-Mar-18
See how you are? I send you something, and you use it against me right away!
But I gotta go. I’m late for the daily protest, gonna try some new local sandwich people keep taking about.
L-ettuce
G - arlic
B-ean sprouts (already learned to never say “bacon@ up there!) and
T-omato
And looks like everybody’s favorite color is a rainbow !
From: keepemsharp
30-Mar-18
Quantrill may return, don't melt them all.
From: writer
30-Mar-18
Last time he did it, David, the city had taken all the guns from the residents and locked them up. Quantrill and his men attacked unarmed citizens. Why does that seem an important point now?
From: Thornton
31-Mar-18
Ks cowboy- I thought of your post when I read this share on a bird dog forum
From: keepemsharp
31-Mar-18
Because the bleeding heart liberal mayor said all private arms had to be kept in an armory, so 180 men and boys died. No ladies were shot, they could not vote.
From: Ksgobbler
31-Mar-18
Hit em high watch em die. Hit them low watch them go
From: Thornton
31-Mar-18
Use expandables. I've never lost one using them but I have had birds soak up several using fixed broadheads. My theory is the blades opening up inside them has a lot of shock.
From: keepemsharp
31-Mar-18
Catch them going away and center punch the bung hole.+
From: Reid
31-Mar-18
I have a Cyclone Tom Bomb on the arrow in my bow because you either take off their head or miss in my experience. I have my deer broad head as a backup next to me and have killed several in the body if they hold up past 15 yards. I personally have much higher success with the head shots, but those are also much closer shots so that has quite a bit to do with it.
From: hogthief
04-Apr-18
gobbling hard in west central MO this morning. cold!
From: sitO
04-Apr-18
Just do this...or...
From: sitO
04-Apr-18
I will come at you like a spider monkey Frankfurter!
I kid, keep it comin man...broad shoulders here...it's real as am I
From: sitO
04-Apr-18
Leave the thinkin to me
From: sitO
04-Apr-18
Get in line
From: sitO
04-Apr-18
All good Frank, you posted...and then you posted again. Caught me in the middle.
I appreciate the offer, ain't nothing to it...just be patient and slow...you got that last part down Plad !?)
From: writer
04-Apr-18
Geez, could you get any more sappy. Two kinds of bowhunters, — those who’ve missed plenty of easy shots and liars.
From: Thornton
05-Apr-18
Maybe you should lay down the bow and pick up a shotgun. Personally, I wouldn't want to cripple anymore if it were me. 5 gobblers moved in this week
From: Timbrhuntr
05-Apr-18
Hey sito ever think of moving to Lawrence too !!
From: sitO
05-Apr-18
Never
From: Trebarker
05-Apr-18
Must have been a rough winter
From: Ksgobbler
06-Apr-18
I pulled cards today. Not a single turkey pic. There was one strutter in the field that last year had 5. Did see 7 hens with 2 long beards on public but lots of folks out scouting said public.
From: Thornton
06-Apr-18
I have seen winter flocks literally disperse the day before shotgun season. I wouldn't get too worked up over not seeing much yet. One year, back in the 90's my dad drove across the creek and parked under a big oak and climbed into a tower stand. When the sun came up, it started snowing and the turkeys were roosted above his truck! They were nervous but one big gobbler finally flew down and he shot it under the tower. After that, a hen flew down and called in another gobbler which started flailing on the dead one, all the while it was spitting snow. I had to watch the whole thing from across the field in my tower stand. Two years after that, we weren't seeing much of anything and we were back at the same spot opening morning. When the woods woke up, the whole valley was alive with at least 8-10 gobbling jakes, none of which were visible before. We had two on the ground in an hour.
From: z hunter
07-Apr-18
From: z hunter
07-Apr-18
Took a father with his young son on their 1st turkey hunt this morning. 21.75lbs 7/8 & 7/8 9.375
He is 9, did really good, had him using a shooting stick with my youth 870 20ga.. using Winchester long beard xr. He had to stand up in the blind and free hand shoot him.. got to see 4 other Toms , bunch of hens were just out of sight.. Also got to see a Bobcat come along the creek..then the turkeys saw him and erupted into a mad chaos of putts...killed the bird at 7:37a..
The hunt was part of a church youth group.. five 1st time hunters..the other 4 are still out with their hosts.
From: sitO
07-Apr-18
Great bird, congrats to the young man and thank you Brian
From: Nimrod90
07-Apr-18
Nice Job Z Hunter! way to get them kids involved. I hope that white stuff is gone by the time I get out that way next weekend. We've had our share here in Indiana and I'd rather not see no more !
From: LTG 11
09-Apr-18
I drove from Colorado to KC yesterday. Every flock had 30-40 birds in it. Still pretty grouped up.
Nice work, Z! They will remember that morning for the rest of their lives.
From: Ksgobbler
10-Apr-18
Sat on the deck this morning. One bird gobbled 3/4 mile east and another a half mile south. They appear to have broken up so I am starting to get nervous. Usually they are here the day after so burn, but I burned a couple weeks ago.
From: Kansan
10-Apr-18
Still seeing big winter flocks of turkeys both at school in Manhattan, and at home in southeast Kansas. They're finally starting to break up, and I'm sure the incoming warm weather will accelerate that. Definitely a lot of birds around, will be good hunting this year.
From: sitO
12-Apr-18
I had this Jake and his brother come in to my decoys at 1:30 today. I ran him off like this no less than 6 times...but he stuck around within 50yds gobbling at every call and spittin/drummin the entire time until I left at 7pm. I've got about 30min of video and then I just quit filming...crazy dang'ol bird!!
The mature birds have been henned up or decoy shy, at least where I've been, but lots of Jakes around.
From: crestedbutte
12-Apr-18
Great video...gotta protect the dekes and keep’em looking good for when the longbeard eventually comes in. Looks like he would have pecked a hole in that poor deke if left to his own devices?
From: Westksbowhunter
13-Apr-18
Well the blizzard should slow things down the next several days. 60 mph winds and temps in the teens with snow. Great!
From: ksq232
13-Apr-18
That video is hilarious! Bravo Kyle, that jake has been talking to all the young bucks you pass, he knows he's safe!
From: kscowboy
13-Apr-18
Wow, that HECS suit you got really works!
From: Cazador
13-Apr-18
Was going to head over but weather has scared me off a few days or may wait a week. Roads will be nasty off the pavement.
From: Kansasclipper
13-Apr-18
Roads will be nasty on the pavement. Some areas are forecast for 10 inches of snow and 80 mph winds.
From: sitO
15-Apr-18
Took a friend Fri to see if we could get her some pics...a fairly nice guy gave us access to one of his best spots, and they were fired up in the afternoon!
From: Kansan
15-Apr-18
Wow, beautiful pics! Doesn't get better than that.
From: writer
15-Apr-18
And we’ve named the one in the first pic, Kyle
...haven’t named the one standing on top of Kyle, yet. :-) Glad it was fun.
From: sitO
16-Apr-18
I assume you mean the 2nd pic Mike, you know about being 2nd right?
From: writer
17-Apr-18
...I started counting in the middle? ??
From: Tejas
17-Apr-18
Some great pics Kyle! Bet she had a good time taking them. I’m kind of surprised there isn’t any successful bow kills on the thread already????
From: Ruthless09
17-Apr-18
Here you go Tejas, shot this one on saturday morning in the kansas cold, 18 yard shot and 10 yard recovery. 10.5 in beard and 1 and 1/8 spurs. Body shot with a slicktrick 100 magnum. Posted on the turkey thread for story.
From: sitO
17-Apr-18
Great bird Dennis, congrats!
From: Ksgobbler
17-Apr-18
Boy wants to hunt so set up the pop up blind after work. Heard some gobbling. As soon as we get sister on the bus we gonna walk down and try it. I am taking a bang stick though. Currently between bows.
From: BeardsAndBones
17-Apr-18
Yesterday was perfect with hardly any wind.. shot the first one at 22 yards and while posing for a pic of him, I heard more birds coming.. jumped back in the blind and twenty minutes later killed number two at 30 yards.. first bird hit with an NAP two inch trophy tip, second one a Magnus Buzzcut fixed blade
From: BeardsAndBones
17-Apr-18
This guy had a double beard, it was small but still cool
From: BeardsAndBones
17-Apr-18
Neither one made it thirty yards
From: Kansasclipper
17-Apr-18
Magnus Black Hornet with the compound. Wish I would have had the recurve with me.
From: Thornton
20-Apr-18
Turkeys walked right by the log jam I was burning in the middle of the creek. I hid behind a tree at ground level below the creek bank till they were within range. No calling or blind but I did have a decoy about ten yards away.
From: doubledrop
21-Apr-18
Cold and rainy, but the turkeys didn't mind. Wishing my 10 year old Lane had been with me. I didn't go out at dawn due to the rain but it let up enough to let me slip in undetected. They were going good this morning. Had 4 toms come in after I brought the lead hen into the decoys. Terrible picture but it was raining hard and I didn't feel like messing with more than one pic. I like to let the fan dry out normally but there was no end in sight for the rain this morning. I got good video and he didn't go far. Good late start to the season.
From: Kansasclipper
21-Apr-18
I am a fair weather hunter at my age, so to wet for me. Maybe tomorrow.
From: Quinn @work
22-Apr-18
Nice Jake Thornton. Congrats. Did you hide the shotgun behind that tree?
From: Thornton
23-Apr-18
Once again, envious Quinn doesn't kill anything so he just babbles....
From: Kansasclipper
23-Apr-18
I shot this one with a shotgun yesterday.
From: chief
23-Apr-18
Fetched my turkey this morning, well, shared the kill with a 2010 Ranger, Ford Ranger that is. But I hit it first so that make it mine, mine, mine damn it mine.....
From: Tejas
24-Apr-18
10 more days and I’ll be headed up to catch up with some great friends and hopefully knock a bird down!
From: z hunter
24-Apr-18
Awooo-woo, about 20 in the flock.
From: Kansasclipper
24-Apr-18
Now that is a perfect picture.
From: Rambo
29-Apr-18
I love that Barronett Pentagon
I love that Barronett Pentagon
called this Tom in to 4 yards and shot him with a CSB @55# and Gold Tip blems/w Magnus 4 blade and 100 gr. brass insert 14 yard recovery.
From: Rambo
29-Apr-18
From: writer
30-Apr-18
Never seen a ‘chicken lek that close to trees, Z. Spent quite a bit of time in “lesser” places this spring.
From: z hunter
30-Apr-18
Yesterday evening, the male was there well before sunset, waiting for the hens..they are basically 60y off a T intersection.
They are closer to the north road as well..just drew the line for reference.
From: Thornton
30-Apr-18
From: Thornton
30-Apr-18
I've seen them courting where the cursor hand is about 200 yds off my friend's porch in Butler County. They were coming in to a green wheat field from a big pasture to the north in April two years ago.
From: Ksgobbler
30-Apr-18
Had a bearded hen at 10 yards this morning with 4 others and no male bird with them. Went back out at 1230 and called in a lone hen about 1. 145 ish decided to head to the blind from the morning encounter and walked almost smack into a strutter and his buddy. Don’t think they knew what I was since the one bird never broke strut as I slinked away.
From: writer
30-Apr-18
As much as you respect ‘chickens, Jason. You’d have problems concentrating on a turkey hunt if you had a good lek nearby.
From: Thornton
30-Apr-18
I found a lek while crappie fishing at Eldorado two years ago. We could hear them booming from the satchel creek area and I found them the next day about 3/4 mile SE on a burnt off pasture. I've got some pics here somewhere
From: Thornton
30-Apr-18
From: Tejas
02-May-18
Any updates fellas? Gonna head up in a couple days....weather looks fantastic for the weekend!!
From: Matt Palmquist
02-May-18
Killed a pair Saturday morning
From: Ksgobbler
04-May-18
Called in a bird on public. Got him to gobble his brains out, travel a half mile and cross a river in 15 minutes. Blew the shot
From: Bigsho69
08-May-18
So far have been able to take one nice gobbler in Kansas and two in Nebraska.
From: The Kid
08-May-18
Nice work everyone! I was fortunate enough to shoot one last Friday. I'm hoping to fill the other tag on a bird I missed opening weekend of archery season, but a jake might be in trouble if they get too close. ;)
From: sitO
08-May-18
Wait...what? Congrats Chris, earned!
Jerry it's just expected brother, call us when you kill 2 more ;?) and MP, ltrained birds do not count towards quota...not that there's anything wrong with that.
From: The Kid
09-May-18
Thanks Kyle! I am expecting to see one of yours on here soon!
From: Tejas
10-May-18
I had the worst turkey hunt EVER this year! My normal spots were void of birds. I’d see them across the fence,down the road, and on other places that I see them ever year. Don’t k ow if it was bad luck,bad timing, or what? Was able to gain permission on a new place the DID have some birds and we were able to kill one. I have been fortunate to have some really good hunts....just not this year. Season ain’t over though;) I’ve traveled further for less....lol
From: Matte
11-May-18
Have the birds, have the want to just not the time....Spring is always out busiest season couple that with buying a new house and getting ready to move plus all the kid functions I may have some really old birds next year. Good luck to those still going after them.
From: Ksgobbler
11-May-18
Talking to folks at work it seems like everyone struggling and seeing a lot less birds. This guy was on my place tonight. Hope to meet him tomorrow.
From: Thornton
11-May-18
5 jakes and 3 gobblers showed up on my place this year. I've had multiple encounters stalking these birds but they see me draw every time.
From: DeerMount
12-May-18
1st traditional harvest.
1st traditional harvest.
From: DeerMount
12-May-18
The Heads Up Decoy worked like a charm. Shot this one at 4 yards.
From: DeerMount
12-May-18
My son's 1st bowkill.
From: Ruthless09
19-May-18
Tagged out this morning, had this one sneak in at 9:30, it was a 15 yard shot and 3 yard recovery, 11 inch beard and 1 inch spurs, congrats to everyone, and good luck to who is still at it.
From: Ksgobbler
20-May-18
I bagged a public land bird this morning. Hoping we can get a few good hatches in the next few years.
From: Slate
21-May-18
22lbs 1 1/4 Spurs 9 1/4 beard
From: The Kid
24-May-18
Good looking birds all around!! I finished my 2018 Turkey season on Monday with this tom I shot. There are a few days left and I hoping to see some more pics posted! Good luck to everyone that still have a tag!
From: Slate
24-May-18
Nice bird Chris
From: The Kid
24-May-18
Thanks Todd! I love the realbark camo!! I have some of my dads old stuff somewhere!
From: Thornton
24-May-18
I finished my season with a shotgun bird I called in during a thunderstorm. Hunted 6 times and about 12 hours total in two states and shot 2 birds.
From: Slate
25-May-18
Chris I love that camo it was my first hunting camo. Jim Crumley still sells it but, whats better then having dads old stuff. Nice Jason way to get it done. Nice bird and love the picture.
From: LTG 11
31-May-18
Its been an interesting season for sure. Shotgun gobbler.
6:45 am on the last day of the season....
