Spring Gobbler

[yelp]

I can't believe how worked up you all are getting over turkeys. I used to be, but not so much these days. I quit hunting them with a shotgun several years ago. Now I bowhunt for them. Anybody else archery hunting those crazy birds.

I've shot a ton of turkeys in my life, and the day I don't get excited about them is the day I'll be six feet under.  The only thing that gets me more excited is when I get the opportunity to call in a bird for a friend.  Helped my best friend John get his first ever Turkey, a nice Jake, last spring and it was one of the happiest moments I'd had in a long time.  Can't wait to get back over there in a couple months!

A ton of turkeys is about 100-120 birds..  WOW     In this state?  LOL   

[HornHoarder]

I use my standard whitetail/elk hunting bow for turkeys, its a martin. Maybe drop a few pounds off the draw weight. I prefer to use expandable broadheads because they fly straight and have a large cutting diameter. Another unique tactic I often use is treestands for turkeys. Oh Dahm, I am getting excited! Check out this Gobbler I got a few years back.

[Gobble Doc]

HornHoarder,

Oh my word.  That looks like a beast.  I really want to get my son next to a bird of any size with a beard for the youth opener.  He has a bow and has been practicing a lot and I think if he gets the chance for a reasonable shot then he has a good chance at having success. 

[Machias]

HornHoarder, very nice bird!

[bearpaw]

Niice looking bird and picture hornhoarder.....

[ellensburgpo]

I'd say the right bird to get mounted is one that means something to you. But, other then that, a bird with a 10" beard, one inch + spurs and a full fan is a darn good bird. My buddy had a hen mounted because it was so unique and it was money well spent.

[TwoFeet]

Holy Monster Gobbler!  Great pic HornHoarder!!  Never have taken one with my bow, but this could be the year.  Kudos to you man, I know how tough it must be to get to full draw on one of the eagle-eye buggers.

Yelp- I think I'd have to put myself in handcuffs and roll my sorry butt into the local law enforcement office if I'd literally shot 2000+ pounds of Gobbler.  Before I did that I'd post my location so every hunter could come open hand slap me across the face.   

Nice reading all your guys' posts.  I get pretty sick of all the rhetoric I hear during my daily travels throughout the Seattle area.  Nice to know there's still a bunch of good sportsmen out there.

[HornHoarder]

I just measured five turkey fans on my wall and the biggest was 30". Sounds like you should have mounted that 31 incher.

[Gobble Doc]

My spring plan is beginning to emerge.  I'm taking my son for the youth opener.  We'll get up early early Thursday morning in the dark and do a lot of driving so that we have most of Thursday and all Friday to scout.  Hunt on Saturday and Sunday.  I'm out to find a blind tomorrow and maybe even a couple of decoys.  I've been trying to go running every evening to start getting in shape this year.   I was pretty tired last year after doing just a small amount of hiking.  Pathetic.  Totally distracted these days with the hope of trying to get close enough to a spring gobbler.  I'm even considering blowing a week at one shot of my vacation to spend trying to get a bird this year.   

[HornHoarder]

I have a local flock of 80-100 birds that frequent my property. Today I heard them Gobbling!! Its coming....

[yelp]

I have a local flock of 80-100 birds that frequent my property. Today I heard them Gobbling!! Its coming....

Since your name is HornHoarder..Is there any chance you don't hoard turkeys??  When we going?  LOL  Need any help..keeping them thinned down PM me.   

[Hangfire]

There is some sort of formula for scoring turkeys. I don't remember what it is now. Seems like it involved, live weight, spur length and beard length. Some measurements were multiplied by a factor. Perhaps some one has it. The best bird to have mounted is the one that is special in meaning to you.

I shot one that I never weighted, but if I ever shot a 20 pound bird it was him (most weight 16-18 pounds). He had a 9.5 inch beard but had 1 3/16 inch long spurs. Old and tough. Meat ground and made into patties was very good.

[Gobble Doc]

Operation Spring Gobbler has begun.  My blind was ordered yesterday.  Now a few more misc items and I'll be set.  I can't wait to hear those early morning gobbles.

[turkeydancer]

You can find the info for scoring birds @ www.nwtf.org website.

[Andrew]

So my first bird had 9.5" beard, however the spurs were nubs.  My second bird had a 1.5" -2" beard, full fan (no jake feathers) and nubs for spurs.  Third bird was definitely a jake, but it to had a 2-3" beard and nubs for spurs. 

Do the spurs wear down in rocky areas?  Will beard hairs break if they freeze?