NDK
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 9,440
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Post by NDK on May 5, 2010 21:34:11 GMT -5
I have been turkey hunting for 11 yrs, and kept trying to talk my father-in-law into going with me. Well, now that he's retired, I finally got him out into the springtime turkey woods. Luck was on his side this morning, and he was able to take a fine Eastern Tom. He had a 10" beard, 1" spurs, and we estimate weighed at least 20 lbs. There were actually 3 toms in the group, but I was unable to get a shot because of brush being in the way. This is of no importance, as getting him to tag one was even more satisfying! I think he's hooked. We will re-use a lot of this bird. The wing bones will be used to make turkey calls, the spurs were saved for a lanyard, and I'll save the feathers for my archer friends to use as fletchings on their arrows. Here he is with his bird Here's the fan mounted. We didn't waste any time with this project! Thanks for looking! Nate
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rockhound97058
freely admits to licking rocks
Thundereggs - Oregons Official State Rock!
Member since January 2006
Posts: 760
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Post by rockhound97058 on May 5, 2010 22:44:36 GMT -5
Youd be in heaven in Oregon - The past few years we've had a huge "burst" in Turkey population. I have a good friend of mine who is a volunteer State Police and they just recently finished a robotic turkey to use as a decoy for Illegal hunters. Let's say over the past few weeks it has made the State some serious money lol.
Nice bird!
Jason
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Post by rockrookie on May 6, 2010 7:47:18 GMT -5
nice gobbler !! please pass on , my Congratulations ! --paul
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Post by Tonyterner on May 6, 2010 8:47:30 GMT -5
Sweet tom. I know how hard turkey hunting is, those suckers are wary. What is an "eastern" tom? I'm assuming you have two different species there. Our state did a stocking program a few years back where they trapped turkeys in more rural parts of the state and moved them to the more urban. The program was a great success and now PA has turkeys almost everywhere.
My favorite turkey memory was up in the mountains north of here. I was at my ex mother-in-laws house and saw a cat walking up her driveway. Following behind it was a flock of about 20 turkeys. Not sure what they thought they would find following the cat but they did it for quite a while.
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NDK
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 9,440
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Post by NDK on May 6, 2010 15:32:21 GMT -5
Jason, someday I'd like to hunt them everywhere they're at, but I don't think my pocket book will ever support that lol.
Paul, I'll tell him. Thanks!
Tony, they are a blast to hunt, aren't they?!! The Eastern Wild Turkey happens to be the subspecies in my state, and most of the East. There's 5 that I'm aware of - Eastern, Osceola (this one's only in Fla), Rio Grande, Merriam's, and Gould's. I've read of some in Mexico too. They may be transplants of one of the above, or their own species. I'm not sure.
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