i think i am gonna try to go out and take a wild turkey.

[vash]

i have cabin fever bad!

this weekend i did a lot of weeding. AT MY WORK OFFICE! that's right. i have zero weeds at my house now. i took to clearing an area my dog and i play fetch at my office. i am clearing his flight path to frisbee nirvana. i am that bored.

driving around for my essential work, i see the boy turkeys out and about working the ladies hard!!

i will pack 100% of my food, avoid my landowner friends, and i will need one fuel stop. i'll wear my mask and gloves. i will take a shotgun for the quick (hopefully) success. one and done.

anyone getting out this season? you all that have birds on your own farm properties..kudos to you. me, the city guy - i have to commute.

[cabmandone]

Interesting! I was thinking of hitting the liquor store too!

I haven't been out hunting them yet. I've scouted a few times but honestly if I want turkey I just drive down to my neighbor's house and grab one. He has 4 barns full of antibiotic and growth hormone free birds. Not quite like going out, doing some locating, setting up and calling them in though.

[vash]

Originally Posted by cabmando

Interesting! I was thinking of hitting the liquor store too!

hahha..i imagine where you are at, you are covered with wild turkey. easterns!

[cabmandone]

Originally Posted by vash

hahha..i imagine where you are at, you are covered with wild turkey. easterns!

Last time I was at the farm I found some pretty good sign of turkeys. Went the better part of last deer season without having one pop up on the cameras. I might go up later this week and do a little locating.

[stevej37]

There are wild turkeys all over the area where I live.
I hit one with my Honda a few weeks back...left a smear from the bumper to the windshield.

[aigel]

Turkeys are taking over the Bay Area, but unfortunately so is suburban sprawl, so access hasn't gotten any easier.

Going in 2 weeks, local hobby ranch access. I hope we can shotgun them. Last year guy wanted bow only and that makes it a lot harder, especially considering my vintage bow and lack of practice.

G

[craigster59]

The closest I've gotten to one is the weekly Cabela's mailers.

[911boost]

My friends and his 17yo daughter got one this weekend.

[fastfredracing]

We have a flock right in our back yard. 2 weekends ago, I was up early, and there were 4 toms if full bloom, or whatever you call it, chasing the ladies around, and getting into fights with each other . I think I counted 13 birds all together . It was quite entertaining .
I could step off my back porch and get one with a .22 nearly any day of the week.
If this shutdown goes on too long, and we get hungry enough ....

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Saturday out and about

[gsxrken]

Is turkey hunting strictly a shotgun thing, or can you take them with a .22 as well?
Seems like a headshot or bust would be pretty sporting with a .22, and spoil no meat.

[KFC911]

^^^ no rifles or pistols allowed in NC...

[p911dad]

First and only turkey I got flew into the garage door and broke his neck. Nice bird too. This was in the Finger Lakes region of NY state at our house in a little town near Watkins Glen. I guess the school bus spooked him. One of the kids took my picture with the bird in one hand and my Deerslayer in the other, wearing my suit (I was just leaving for work). Naturally, I lost the picture.

[Evans, Marv]

We have them around here, but not like we used to. We might have 8 or 10 in a group where we'd have a couple of dozen some time ago. During turkey season, we have hunters going up & down our road wearing their camo outfits. They have to ask for permission to come onto your property. I never give them permission.

[aigel]

Originally Posted by gsxrken

Is turkey hunting strictly a shotgun thing, or can you take them with a .22 as well?
Seems like a headshot or bust would be pretty sporting with a .22, and spoil no meat.

Generally rifles are not allowed for turkey hunting. Check your state's regs. It isn't very sporting to snipe a turkey at 100+ yards with a rifle. The challenge and fun in turkey hunting is to call the turkey to you within shotgun range (<45 yards or so).

Here in CA you can use shotgun, archery and pellet gun. The pellet gun is also a rifle but requires a head shot to be deadly.

G

[aigel]

Originally Posted by Evans, Marv

During turkey season, we have hunters going up & down our road wearing their camo outfits. They have to ask for permission to come onto your property. I never give them permission.

Please reconsider next time when you have a parent with their kid come ask. Some of the best memories and bonds formed with my children were turkey hunting. It teaches a lot about patience and perseverance. Note that after the first turkey goes in the bag, they will not just be sitting there like sheep, they are challenging to hunt.

Cheers,

G

[mattdavis11]

Originally Posted by aigel

Generally rifles are not allowed for turkey hunting. Check your state's regs. It isn't very sporting to snipe a turkey at 100+ yards with a rifle. The challenge and fun in turkey hunting is to call the turkey to you within shotgun range (<45 yards or so).

Here in CA you can use shotgun, archery and pellet gun. The pellet gun is also a rifle but requires a head shot to be deadly.

G

I've hunted them with both, shooting one with a rifle is harder, IMHO. One hunting trip my buddy got one flying with a 30-06. They always came to drink at the troughs by the windmill powered well, and it was an ambush time.

[gregpark]

I had one almost come through my windshield the other day. I actually ducked (no pun intended). Luckily it came across from the side of the road, lightly hitting my windshield and roof. No damage except perhaps to the Turkey. Good thing, my wind screen is original Signa

[Seahawk]

We re-introduced them five, six years ago...maybe more.

We still don't hunt them by mutual agreement. Tons of other stuff to legally shoot if so inclined.

It interesting to watch how they have gained purchase and move about the area....excellent growth.

Quail are next. That will be harder.

[mattdavis11]

Did you re-populate with Rio's or Easterns? We only had Rio's where we hunted, 60-100 at one time would come in, daily. We had severe problems with anthrax, wiped out damned near all the deer twice in 6 years, so we hunted turkey quite a bit.