10scn
Fire Builder
Posts: 32
|
Post by 10scn on Mar 17, 2008 14:26:59 GMT 12.75
Can't you sit down on one of those padded buckets?[/quote]
No, the widows are cut wrong for bow hunting. They need to be narrow across and long vertically. That's OK, using a muzzle-loading shotgun is still a challenge. You can't have the tight chokes and get the wads down the barrel. I took all of my birds at 15 yds or less last year because to the open chokes.
|
|
|
Post by Paws on Mar 18, 2008 0:47:22 GMT 12.75
If those pictures Mars showed are any indication of the TN turkey population I think I'd probably use rocks!
|
|
10scn
Fire Builder
Posts: 32
|
Post by 10scn on Mar 19, 2008 13:12:33 GMT 12.75
I don't know about east TN but here in the central part of the state I have seen winter flocks of >500 birds
|
|
|
Post by Paws on Mar 20, 2008 0:11:26 GMT 12.75
Wow! That must be a sight. I guess probably the biggest I've seen is maybe fifty or sixty. Lots of small groups of ten or so all over.
|
|
|
Post by Toby Benoit on Mar 20, 2008 7:31:21 GMT 12.75
100 birds in a flock??? Holy underwear! I gotta visit TN more often!
|
|
|
Post by Mars on Mar 20, 2008 7:46:20 GMT 12.75
I've seen flocks of 30 birds or so but most of them around here are 12-15 birds. Winter? What's that? Meghan is getting the jitters waiting for Saturday. A flock of birds showed up in the back yard and she got mad because there wasn't a tom with them. I explained to her that it was 6:30 pm and they were getting a last feed in before roosting and the tom had probaly gone to roost as they don't normaly roost with the hens.
|
|
|
Post by Paws on Mar 20, 2008 10:20:32 GMT 12.75
Awkkk zwo! Se herren nix sleepin mit der frauline. Das iss guden ideah!
|
|
|
Post by azslim on Mar 21, 2008 9:42:12 GMT 12.75
You folks be happy with a big population of turkeys. Here in Az we have a draw for both spring and fall hunts. Last couple of years I haven't been drawn, so I get to sit home and pout. Only OTC turkey tag is archery in the fall, and last fall I was in Montana on the Chippy Creek fire and missed the season. I sure would like to get a spring turkey. So far I have one fall bird, took the head off at 100 yds with a .220swift - spring is shotguns, fall is any weapon. Okay, I am done pouting and feeling sorry for myself. You folks have fun.....
|
|
10scn
Fire Builder
Posts: 32
|
Post by 10scn on Mar 21, 2008 17:12:17 GMT 12.75
Brother, I feel your pain. TN always hasn't been blessed with an abundance of turkeys. It took a lot of hard work over several years to get to the point we are at now.
|
|
|
Post by Mars on Mar 21, 2008 23:42:11 GMT 12.75
Yep, 20 years ago it took some work to find even 1 turkey in this area and hunting them was for the "elite" few of the county.
|
|
|
Post by azslim on Mar 22, 2008 10:40:43 GMT 12.75
We have the Merriam's and Gould's here. Both are native but the Gould was wiped out by the early settlers. Now there is a huntable population, give out all of 4 tags this year I think. This is due to the NWTF, AZGFD and Mexico working together. We got the birds from Mexico about 5 years ago and planted them down in the Huachuca's (pronounced wahchooka). I think they did 3 different plants and now have over 150 birds, maybe more, been a while since I read a report on them.
We have the Merriam's on the Mogollon Rim (pronounced Muggyown) and on the Kaibab Plateau both north and south of the big ditch (pronounced Grand Canyon). I run into them often during my elk hunts, now just need to get a tag.
|
|
|
Post by Toby Benoit on Mar 22, 2008 15:18:39 GMT 12.75
You boys got a good point about the turkey populations recovering and practically exploding across America. Lots of good conservation work there, a sure enough success story! I've hear it said before and believe it whole heartedly, that TODAY is the GOOD OLD DAYS of turkey hunting, because we've never had it so good before!
|
|
|
Post by Toby Benoit on Mar 22, 2008 15:20:33 GMT 12.75
Mars, you and little Mars have a great hunt in the morning. I'm hoping to hear she scored on your backyard turkzilla! Gitterdone!
|
|
|
Post by Mars on Mar 23, 2008 3:43:48 GMT 12.75
|
|
|
Post by Toby Benoit on Mar 23, 2008 9:18:51 GMT 12.75
;D ;D ;D
Patience kills more turkeys than anything! Tomorrow, wait 'em out!
;D ;D ;D
|
|
|
Post by Mars on Mar 23, 2008 11:40:15 GMT 12.75
We set up out back about 5:30pm. I started calling with the long tom call about 6:40. At 6:45 that big tom was beating the snot out of my decoys. He went to a full display facing my daughter at a range of 25 yards. [glow=red,9,900]SHE MISSED! *TWICE![/glow] Oh well. Maybe in the morning. *There I fixed that for you!
|
|
|
Post by ET on Mar 23, 2008 12:19:05 GMT 12.75
Hey Mars tell her I said, good shot!! ;D ;D
|
|
|
Post by Mars on Mar 23, 2008 12:37:46 GMT 12.75
Kiss my butt Eric! From Meghan
|
|
|
Post by Mars on Mar 23, 2008 14:18:40 GMT 12.75
I tell you, that has got to be the biggest wild turkey I've seen. His beard almost reaches the ground. If I remember I'll have to take the camera in the morning and see if I can get video.
|
|
|
Post by azslim on Mar 23, 2008 15:02:43 GMT 12.75
Uh Mars, sorry I have to ask this question but...uh....did you teach her how to shoot? My daughters have blown shots on bigger deer than I have ever had a chance at. All you can do is shake your head and try and put them on another one.
|
|