Turkey season look promising in my little part of the world

[dhaverstick]

I've been hearing and seeing these birds for the past 3 weeks down behind the house. Several times they've been as close as 25-30 yards. Mostly I hear them scratching but sometimes there is a lot of yelping, putting and purring. Last week, one of the jakes got all his buddies to join in a gobblefest, which was quite entertaining. I've heard some of the longbeards gobble on the roost, but mostly it's just tree yelping.

Whatever I'm hearing, it's getting me fired up for the season! Of course, by the time April 17th gets here, they'll probably all have flown off to the next county. I'll have Sweet Rachael, my 20 gauge smoothbore flintlock, loaded and primed anyhow. Then I'm heading to Mexico on May 10th to hunt Gould's turkeys with a recurve. Needless to say, my season is going to be busy!

Darren

 

[deermanok]

Best of luck this season.
Our season opens on April 16th.

 

[VA Hawken]

Nice to see those birds out!

 

[Sidney Smith]

I've been seeing 6 birds in a field not far from my house for the last couple weeks . Can't hunt this property sadly, but it's making me get pumped for our season. Have to wait until April 29 though. Our season opens later than many states unfortunately.

 

[ElkStalker]

Now that’s something to get excited about. What do use for Turkey hunting? I haven’t owned a Bp shotgun or Fowler. I think that would be an absolute blast (no pun intended). I hunted last fall for the challenge and got my first fall bird, but hadn’t been out for Turkey in close to 10 years. It got me fired up for spring.

 

[SOLANCO]

South central Pennsylvania and the rebound in the wild turkey population in my lifetime has been a joy.

 

[dhaverstick]

Now that’s something to get excited about. What do use for Turkey hunting? I haven’t owned a Bp shotgun or Fowler. I think that would be an absolute blast (no pun intended). I hunted last fall for the challenge and got my first fall bird, but hadn’t been out for Turkey in close to 10 years. It got me fired up for spring.

My first black powder turkey gun, Ole Betsy, was a 12 gauge cylinder bore flintlock that my good friend, John Pruitt, made for me. I killed a few birds with it but had to work to throw a pattern I was satisfied with. I ended up using homemade paper shot cups to tighten things up. Funny thing - the first tom I killed with that gun was shot at 5 yards. All that patterning was moot at that distance!

While I was doing all this pattern work, John made another friend of mine a fowler with a Colerain 20 gauge turkey barrel and after I saw its pattern I knew I would have to get another gun built. So I saved up my pennies and had John make me another fowler with that Colerain barrel. I christened her Sweet Rachael and she is a turkey killing machine! Ole Betsy is now my go-to squirrel gun.

I shot this tom at 40 steps with Sweet Rachael and he dropped like a rock. I had no idea it was that far until I stepped it off. I had called in a bird earlier that morning who spooked on me at 25 yards. I could have shot but it was brushy and I didn't want to risk wounding him. I called in this second bird later that morning and when he got that funny look in his eye, I decided that I was not going to let a 2nd bird walk away. Sweet Rachael reached out and put him down.

I've killed several birds with Sweet Rachael and I swear by that Colerain turkey barrel!

Darren

 

[Felonious]

I counted 25 in the field behind my house the other day. I'm definitely feeling optimistic this year.

 

[Zutt-man]

Where is ‘your neck of the woods’?

Our rafters are diminishing rapidly in Kansas. I’ve taken a new hunter out for the last 3-4 years for spring thunder. I have located a few from last year, but I believe I’ll be hunting on my own with the numbers I’m seeing

 

[Zutt-man]

I had this in smoothbore section, but I just tested a bunch of shot loads in my 24 gauge Kibler. Should knock ‘em dead at 25 yards
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/shot-patterns.160172/#post-2280889

 

[brich879]

I've been hearing and seeing these birds for the past 3 weeks down behind the house. Several times they've been as close as 25-30 yards. Mostly I hear them scratching but sometimes there is a lot of yelping, putting and purring. Last week, one of the jakes got all his buddies to join in a gobblefest, which was quite entertaining. I've heard some of the longbeards gobble on the roost, but mostly it's just tree yelping.

Whatever I'm hearing, it's getting me fired up for the season! Of course, by the time April 17th gets here, they'll probably all have flown off to the next county. I'll have Sweet Rachael, my 20 gauge smoothbore flintlock, loaded and primed anyhow. Then I'm heading to Mexico on May 10th to hunt Gould's turkeys with a recurve. Needless to say, my season is going to be busy!

Darren

Good luck. My hunt starts May 1. Could sure use the meat, and my crafting buddies are already begging for the feathers. Be well and at peace.