2024 Spring Turkey Hunt

Son flushed a fawn between his feet today walking back to the truck. Startled us both ... it ran off bleating the whole time.

Here is one we found a few years ago.
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Here are some stats from 2020 (first year "A" sent over the counter). It looks like some have figured out waiting is not a bad thing ... that or it was just weather related.

Harvest a bit more spread out in 2023 vs. 2020.

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Go back to 2018 when A, B, and C were still a draw ...

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Late may is a lot easier hunting if the birds haven't been pressured. Easier to lure one in. Gobbling can change day to day.
 
I have killed a bird on the last day of season F.

I have also scouted birds in late May and noticed that many slow down their interest in strutting and start feeding to rebuild their worn out bodies.

Most birds I hunt are under fairly intense pressure most of the season. A good share of my birds have come off public land. Mostly private now, but it is not exclusive and /or neighboring property is hunted.
 
BRITTMAN said:
MN needs to stay at one bird limit per year per person. The population is already pressured enough. Many states that had higher limits are reeling back ...
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I agree, there is no reason to be shooting two of them given how dire the population is in some other states to our south. The rapid decline of wild turkeys in a state like Kansas is well documented and confirmed here. I personally think they should eliminate the fall season or at least remove the legality of shooting a hen. I don't personally know anyone that turkey hunts in the fall but every hen that is taken during that period is not beneficial for the reproductive process. We don't shoot hen pheasants, we shouldn't be shooting hen turkeys either.

I also don't personally care for the youth being able to hunt the entire 50-something day season until they fill a tag. They should have to select a shotgun season just like everyone else and be limited to that season.
 
To be honest killing a Tom often is anti-climatic. I love watching birds, working birds, and getting a big strutter in range. I probably will go out a couple more times this spring in Wisconsin. If I do not have a friend, relative, or newbie with me, any birds coming in range may be fortunate that I may be shooting them with a camera or iPhone.
 
My first turkey I was walking a trail and was napping in the grass. He woke up and ran away. I had to drop all my gear and take a standing shot. Number two I lured in with a decoy after his hens left. Number 3 I drove on the property, the field was loaded with birds, I just parked and called him around the barn corner, this was about a 15 minute hunt. 4 I got last year, took my 3rd shell to drop him on the run after peppering him initially. And the one this year took a nap behind my blind. Never know what to expect turkey hunting. One year I want to get one in the woods, the way they do down south. Now, all the times turkeys have come close but not all the way in, or I've messed something else up, those are too numerous to recount here.
 
My first half dozen MN Toms were all in the woods. First three were in deep woods ... easily over a mile to the nearest field. I have only killed two birds that flew down off their roost and walked into me ... I did not ever use a blind until I started taking my kids turkey hunting.

Old deep woods / swamp bird
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I missed a shot from 6 yards opening morning with my pse.6.am.My cousin got a nice bird mid season that I called in for him.U missed a 50 yard shot late season.I missed.So I have 4 fall tags to fill...yeehaw.
 
BRITTMAN said:
To be honest killing a Tom often is anti-climatic. I love watching birds, working birds, and getting a big strutter in range. I probably will go out a couple more times this spring in Wisconsin. If I do not have a friend, relative, or newbie with me, any birds coming in range may be fortunate that I may be shooting them with a camera or iPhone.
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I let several jakes go this spring,without rubbing them out.I am getting older,and only shoot gobblers.
 
Goosemaster said:
I let several jakes go this spring,without rubbing them out.I am getting older,and only shoot gobblers.
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we let the jakes go past too. it was a no shots spring, a first in over 20 years.
 
Opening morning I was at the top of a coolee at 6.00 am.I yelped hard, heard a gobble a half mile away.Yelped hard again,he gobbled and was louder. He was coming up the coolee and coming in hot.I called one more time softer.He appeared on the hillside at 70 yards in full strut.Im hunkered down under a big pine limb.He disappeared and I come to full draw.He reappears at 6 yards right in front of me!! I cut loose my broadhead thinking I would smoke him.I missed,and he flew off.Unbelievable screw up! Oh well, I know where he lives...lol
 
I missed one point blank with a shotgun 3 years ago. The shot could not have gotten any easier. I even shot twice at point blank and never cut a feather! I went home down and out, ready to sell my turkey tote and buy some golf clubs. Then I realized I'd actually have to go golfing. That night I read every article ever written on why people miss turkeys. I went back two days later and waited out the same wise old tom. It took 5 hours but finally he came in and I never hit a turkey harder in my life. He tipped over in an instant. I kept my cheek glued on the stock like it had super glue on it.
 

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Bob Peters said:
I missed one point blank with a shotgun 3 years ago. The shot could not have gotten any easier. I even shot twice at point blank and never cut a feather! I went home down and out, ready to sell my turkey tote and buy some golf clubs. Then I realized I'd actually have to go golfing. That night I read every article ever written on why people miss turkeys. I went back two days later and waited out the same wise old tom. It took 5 hours but finally he came in and I never hit a turkey harder in my life. He tipped over in an instant. I kept my cheek glued on the stock like it had super glue on it.
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Missing a shot at a nice tom haunts (and humbles) me, so I focus on using those experiences to help understand why a "miss" occurs. "Peek", or lifting your head off the sight line, is a common cause for misses for all shotgunning pursuits. Also read how using a red dot helps eliminate misses, so prior to last season, cut down a picatinny rail to fit the Vortex Red dot purchased, and applied blue loctite to all the corresponding fasteners. After two seasons, I can attest that it is a big improvement vs aiming with a bead. Red dot sights and TSS are two game changers while pursuing the King of the Woods! PS - Regarding TSS - I'll spend the same amount of money burning gas on two scouting trips, and can purchase TSS on sale for $40, so it's a no brainer for me. Another tip is to use target loads to sight in a red dot, and then move to pheasant loads. Those turkey loads pack a wallop on the bench!!
 
Bob Peters said:
I missed one point blank with a shotgun 3 years ago. The shot could not have gotten any easier. I even shot twice at point blank and never cut a feather! I went home down and out, ready to sell my turkey tote and buy some golf clubs. Then I realized I'd actually have to go golfing. That night I read every article ever written on why people miss turkeys. I went back two days later and waited out the same wise old tom. It took 5 hours but finally he came in and I never hit a turkey harder in my life. He tipped over in an instant. I kept my cheek glued on the stock like it had super glue on it.
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Missing with a shotgun is rare for me,but I've missed in archery because I just dabble in it for 30 years.I rarely practice. Nice bird there.
 
Jawilor said:
I was tucked back in the trees behind the bird in the photo and wear leafy camo so it blends in very well. I have a blind, but only used it for youth hunts with my sons, otherwise it's just another thing to carry.
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I rarely use my blind.Heavy and you have to pack it in.
 
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