Well, spring turkey season is about a month away and it's almost time for me to make a fool of myself again. One thing for sure, I won't be grabbing any more live turkeys by the leg even if it is a hen. Won't be crawling through any more muddy 36 inch drain pipes to get closer either. Been watching some of the buzzards out behind the house for a month or more. There was 13 mature gobblers back there at once not long ago. They've thinned the herd down to three or four now. One of them is a monster that walks on his beard. I highly suspect he's the one that caused me to do foolish things a few years ago. I'm not above using a 223 on him if I knew for sure he's the one. He sure bullies the others around. I noticed up the road a ways, there is a nice gobbler mingling with the hens and poults. I saw him all puffed up big as a rain barrel last week as I was going to the flea market. Made me wanna stop and kick him just below the fan. I never cared much for turkey hunting but it's begenning to grow on me even if I do have to use a shotgun. My girlfriend bought me a crossbow to turkey hunt with this fall. I still can't pull it back far enough to **** it but I've figured out a two pulley and cable system to make it easier. ..........It's funny to watch them feeding back there and the hawk flies over real low and they head for the brush like a bunch of rabbits with feathers. They don't know he is a big sissy too. .........Hope you guys that turkey hunt have a good season. ...........Paul H

turkey season starts in May here. this is the first year they are going to have one big season. we used to have to hunt particular weeks. they had it split into a season A and a season B. even numbered birthdays on season A and odd on season B. this year there will none of that nonsense and it gives all hunters 2 more weeks to hunt. I am hopefully going downstate to a friends house but have not heard back from him. If I go, I am taking a good friend who has never hunted turkey before and is quite anxious to go. Hope you get that one walking on his beard Paul!!!!!!!! God Bless.

If I'm lucky I'll get my cousin to call for me and show me how it's done.  He says that shootin them isn't the fun part the callin is, so he doesn't care who pulls the trigger.  We've got a bunch of em at the camp, so we should be able to get into at elast one each for those that's interested.  Only a few of the members hunt turkey.   Good luck to everyone.
 
Paul, good luck to you in particular with that long bearded rascal.

How are you doing as far as getting everything ready to go?

The huntin' shows are full of turkey right now....Makes me want to get my call out! :)

Barry

Spring Turkey has been on my mind these last days we've had with temps in the 80's.  But I can hardley get around in the woods with all the downed timber from the ice storm. I sent Ol' buckshot a messege asking for advice on how to hunt them this year in these conditions. I 'm thinking they got hit with the storm too. It may make for a difficult turkey season for us here along with the turkey numbers dropping really low in our state. Good luck to all and Paul I sure hope you get that ol' longbearded limbhanger !

4 weeks until season opens..........an I have one itchy finger... not got me one new toy this year....look like all the bird's are on tv......looks like they have a large number turkeys..........
 A3 sorry to hear your state's numbers are dropping.........anybody say why..
 A3 as to all the down tumber's ya'll  have.....scout the area for the roosting tree's ,  clear off a small place to give the ol' tom room to strut his stuff...set up some a decoy or two.........all that down tumber makes good cover for you and the tom........
 RBH'n I wish ya the best of luck on you hunt........what kind of shotgun is he letting you use......I know a number of guy's that love to  just call up turkeys.
  to me it's all fun........
   Paul nice pics...........how much you take to let take that big'n..........Ron

No body seems to have an answer. Folks have made alot of opinions about it. I hope they figure it out soon and we can get the numbers back up. They have been falling for about the last three years now. Poor hatches because of weather some say. Some say the controled burning during nesting season. Others say the predation on them, and we do have lots of predators that need thinning. I've taken four bobcats and three coyotes just out of my area. Our bobcat population is coming back with a vengence, something we didn't use to see alot of. Fur prices are down so not many hunt and trap anymore ... Good luck to ya this season I wish you a couple bigguns'

A3 few years back we had a lot of heavy rain the hurt a season bad..... you can also try scouting around some burned out area's from last years.... Ron

Thanks for the insight Buckshot. It'll be difficult this year to say the least. The last couple so years our season has been starting late which means the gobblers are usually gobbled out already. They are trying to get our numbers back up. Thinking a later season start might help. So far it don't seem to have made much a difference. Although our harvest have been way down. The last two years, here in the zone I hunt, we haven't had a fall season at all. I really like to spring turkey hunt and I wouldn't mind if we didn't even have a season for awhile if that would help our population of birds make a comeback. I'm sure the AGFC are doing all they know to help the situation. Good luck to ya this year. Oh yeah there was an article in my Arkansas Sportsman edition this month about hunting the burned areas. They say it's a magnet for turkeys.

Ron,
I was thinking the other day about which shotgun to use if the chance arises and couldn't make up my mind.  It will either be the Berreta Silver Mallard or ol faithful, the Mossberg pump.  The Mossberg has been blooded plenty so I may go with the Berreta, and I can shoot just a tad faster with it if I need follow up shots.  Both are 12ga with interchangeable chokes and 3" chambers, so either one will be ok.  Number 4 Turley loads I guess, lead, none of that fancy other stuff.
 
How about you Ron, whatcha gonna use?

Well, I don't know about killing that longbeard now. The owner turned the farm behind the house over to his son and he doesn't want any hunting back there. He lets people hunt for deer, geese and turkeys but they have to pay. That's ok. If I see cattle in his corn back there again this summer, I'll just keep my mouth shut and not bother calling him. I have other places to hunt. I can be a jerk too. It sure would be nice to just walk across the RR tracks and pot one tho.    ..........Paul H

Season opens in NC Saturday! I've been seeing turkeys all over the property my grandpa has leased for me and a buddy of mine. I can't stop thinking about turkeys!
 
I've seen a monster tom with a group of 8 other really good turkeys and I can't wait to sling some lead at em'!
 
Cluck Cluck Cluck, Purrrrr... Gobble Gobble!!!! BOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:2thumbsup:

Our season opens this Saturday too ! YELP YELP !  GOBBLE<   BOOM    
 
Well I wish you a big ol' Tom this year    !  Sounds like things are lookin' pretty exciting for ya.  I have a place I am going to,  where the gobblers are across the creek this year. One of our best callers in the area failed to get them to fly across. So I have my work cut out for me ...:undecided: .  I have a plan though and it will be a challenge     !  Let us know how you do and I'm lookin' forward to pictures !!  :D

Awesome. Good luck to ya. This is my first serious year of turkey hunting and I've got the fever for them just as bad as I do for deer.
 
Hopefully I'll have photos of two Big Gobblers up Saturday! Let me know how it goes.

Quoteand I've got the fever for them just as bad as I do for deer.

you have been infected and there is no cure!!!! It only gets worse as you keep shooting them. God Bless