Fall bird

[pumper317]

I got this guy this morning. Jumped the flock and got him shortly after. My cousin got one at the same time. Young of the year for sure, but my first fall bird. It will taste pretty good too.

[DonBo]

[Powerstroke]

Nice job!! I bought my tag. I hope to add one to the freezer this year too.

[Borch]

Nice job!

[bigbucks]

Nice job, have my tag, but haven't pursued them yet.

[laker1]

I have no problem what individuals shoot in the fall,be it young bird,hen or jake or Tom.

Just curious what percent is not Tom's or Jakes?

Congradualation(sp) on whatever you shot?

I see overall success runs about 18-19% in the fall.

[pumper317]

They were both actually pre jakes. The one I got had a white nipple looking spot where the beard was going to grow. They were little, maybe 10 pounds. Either way, I ate mine and it is still darn good!

[Hoyt4]

Congrats hoping one will come by my deer stand this month sometime.

[laker1]

Nice and tender I bet.

[DonBo]

While bowhunting last night, had a handful of turkeys come in to me. Actually had one in range and got back to full draw, but as so often happens when holding a bow, he got away. An hour later I heard a bunch of them fly up to roost right near me.

This morning early, I grabbed my shotgun and slipped in and set up against a large pine tree. Never heard or saw a bird till one right above me flapped his wings, I was close! Soon, I could pick out 8 or 10 more as they began to wake up and move around. All were inside 40 yards.

Most flew into an open area to the south, but a few flew to the east. I was basically between them. I called pretty aggressively and soon the bunch from the east came back into the woods. I needed to move just a short distance to get in position for a shot. As soon as one cleared the others, my MN tag was filled.

Just a young hen, but any fall turkey is something to be proud of in my book.

[leechlake]

good job and great job taking the time to set up a beauty of a photo. Looks really nice.

[DonBo]

It's what's for dinner.

[123fish]

Congrats DonBo. Job well done.

[Archerysniper]

Awesome job Don, it sure looks tasty.

[laker1]

I shot a old hen a couple of days ago,mine came in quitely with about 15 others while I was calling.

Roasted the legs yesterday and they were awesome and not tough at all. Everyone told be the legs are always too tough. Not this one.

Question DONBO, did your turkeys make any sound coming in?

[DonBo]

Question DONBO, did your turkeys make any sound coming in?

Mine did, but it was right after flydown and they were actively trying to reassemble. This is a great time to be aggressive with your calling to get the flock back together.

The ones I saw the night before never made a peep, even as they were flying up to roost, which I thought just a bit odd for a flock of young birds.

[pumper317]

Congrats Don,

On my bird, we were sitting next to a corn field and had a flock get scattered by something in the corn. We ran up to them and heard them locating each other. When they went quiet, we ran up tho where they were and found them. We did not call them in, just total lucky ambush.

[bigbucks]

Got mine with the shotgun on Saturday about 11am. Knew a small cornfield they were hitting, snuck up to it & then snuck around it & ran into a brood. Picked out a young hen that separated from the others as they were exiting into the woods. My wife took pics, but haven't got any here right now.

[DonBo]

Good job bigbucks, that's a great strategy to use in the fall, one that SELDOM works on older birds in the spring.

When I shot mine, I walked up to her after the shot and most of the rest of the flock just stood there and gawked. Probably could have shot 3 or 4 more if they'd let ya.

[bigbucks]

It sure seems to work for me. I had the same experience, could have shot at least 1 more if not several & have often had that in the fall, like you said usually with younger birds.

I'm sure you've learned a lot about hunting fall birds with your 4 tags you get on your annual western trip each year.

The one I shot flying last fall was from the same group my daughter should have been able to shoot a couple from, but was too slow on the draw/inexperienced. It was at the point where it was late in the season & I knew she wasn't going to shoot at a flying one so I thought, why not? Turned out to be a fun memory for both of us, she's been talking about that bird falling this year when we've hunted.

[DonBo]

If only I still had a tag. These 11 birds were only 5 yrs from me tonight. Twice!

[IlliniWalli]

congrats on the birds, guys

our fall gun season started yesterday. no birds on 2 traditional fall roost sites i hit am and pm. yelped back and forth with a bird around noon (not sure if a tom or raspy old hen), but they wouldnt come out of the woods into the field i was set up on

[DonBo]

Here's one x1957x shot a couple weeks ago. Looks like maybe in the backyard? Hopefully he'll tell us the story...

[x1957x]

Thanks Don for posting the picture! Actually where I live the Turkey population is low but coming around. I usually hunt the S.E. part of the state but one day while out hunting my son calls and says he had seen a bunch of turkeys where we bow hunt. I was like NO WAY! Any way we watched them for a few days follow the same path from the road. I call the land owner and asked if it would be o.k. to hunt turkeys on his property and he told me that there wouldnt be a problem. After a few posts on here and with a few questions and getting things ready we decided to give it a go. We put out a jake decoy along the travel route they were following and waited a little while at which time my son did a few soft calls. Here they come around the corner(not even interested in the decoy) and at about 25 yards. There was 2 toms and possibly a young jake. I said on 3 and my son said I will take the left one and you take the right. The rest is history! His had a 8" beard and mine a 6.5" beard. It was alot of fun but cant help but think how ITS ALOT MORE FUN IN THE SPRING! And Don, it wasnt his yard but about 40 yards behind it! Just had to set the blind up for the pictures.... LOL..

[leechlake]

I figured the blind was put up for the photos although sounds like it wasn't much further. Gotta hunt where the birds are though so you did good. Gotta smile next time though.

[IlliniWalli]

joined the fall success club wednesday

4th day hunting finally got into some good action. called in a hen/poult flock around noon but only shot i had was the poults that were about the size of chickens, so i passed.

later had a couple toms yelpin and cluckin back at me but they wouldnt come in. headed to a roost site a couple hours before sunset, set up and did some soft calling. brought in a lone jake but he circled just out of range.

15 minutes before sunset, was watching a couple bucks move along the ridge. the bucks stopped and looked behind them. then i heard something running through the leaves and a hen/poult flock of at least 20 birds came charging up the ridge and stopped 20 yards away.

picked out a young hen that was bigger than the poults but not as big as a couple of the mature hens.

turkey breast strips marinated in lawreys mesquite on the grill last night

[DonBo]

joined the fall success club wednesday

turkey breast strips marinated in lawreys mesquite on the grill last night

[DonBo]

Now that the corn has been harvested, I went to check a new spot I just scored for bow hunting, and this is what I saw. Is it wrong that it's only November and I'm already dreaming of spring turkey season?

[Sinker]

Hah! Nice. Neighbor has a corn feeder for deer and there were about a dozen turkeys there this morning.