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almost that magical time of year TURKEY SEASON!

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adkmountainken

40 Cal.
Joined
Sep 11, 2004
Messages
598
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266
Location
the great Adirondacks
our season in NY does not open until May 1 and i cant take the wait, i eat, breathe and well you know...turkey hunting! can't wait to play the cat and mouse game with a wily old gobbler! will be after them opening day with a new .75 club butt fowler made by Mike Keller. still working on the load with some great help by SkyChief. i always pattern my gun at 25 yards which i consider worst case scenario, i would say over the years %80 of my shots have been in the 15 yard and under range. i know i know there will be many raised eye brows and doubters at that statement but its the God's honest truth. been hunting turkeys with a smokepole seance 1990 when i killed the first one with a .56 Thompson Center smoothbore at about 5 yards. have killed them with a Dixie Double in both 20 and 10 gauge both of which threw GREAT patterns as they had screw in full chokes. killed both birds last year, both jakes with a .75 cal club butt fowler made by Roy Stroh. turkey hunting with a muzzleloader is what really just blows my hair back man! i set up a little different then a traditional turkey hunter however. i want them CLOSE! to do this i ALWAYS TRY to set up in a slight dip of elevation like a small knoll, a ridge or just a place the gobbler can't see you and you can't see him until he is smack dab in front of you! i don't consider myself a world class caller but i can hold my own, i love a good box call to start them off with just something about the tone and reach of a good box call that really trips their trigger. as they close the gap i'll switch to mouth call and glass call to make very light clucks, purrs and light yelps. just love the craftsmanship of a custom box call! when i started turkey hitning in the early 80's i messed up EVERY WAY POSSIBLE. i learned through trial and error to get where i am today. don't know if i would be considered a "good turkey hunter" or not, really don't care. one thing i do know is there are not many who enjoy it as much as me! i am happier to work a bird for my friends then i am myself just to watch the look and feel on their face when that gobbler cuts loose! i'm sure there are harder critters to kill with a flintlock BUT the wild turkey i am sure ranks right at the top! seeing as i can't start hunting untill May if anyone is hunting now please post a picture here for me to live vicariously through! i don't care if its a "hero" picture or just the land you hunt i enjoy it all, hell post a pic of the gun your using this year! good luck to all and remember when that boss gobbler is working his way to you and the game is on the line "less is more" with seal the deal!
 
the gobbler that started the "addiction" with turkey hunting and muzzleloaders. killed with a .56 TC smoothie.
10154488_771898302830039_7391765948744336068_n.jpg
 
I’m from PA and our season doesn’t open until may 2. Hunted public land in Virginia this morning and was fortunate enough to connect on a nice gobbler at 7:05am. Planning on going back down in 10 days to alternate between WV and VA, they are both 3 bird limit. .62 cal smoothbore Pedersoli kit gun that I finished last winter.
 

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'MountainKen, your post reminds me of Spence's response to me here some time ago.....'I'm beginning to think you like to turkey hunt'.

I have my suspicion that you kind of enjoy it too!!

Aren't we lucky that we are able to play this chess game each Spring? As you know already, I was doing some homework today and enjoyed every minute spying on a few toms.

You shared some tactics above. I'll add that I find it useful to quietly rake leaves behind my back or next to a leg to edge a hung up gobbler a bit closer for a sure shot. It's fun when they enable you to hear your pulse pounding smack dab between the right and left ears, huh?

I've wrote here before of a facet of hunting them, besides the challenge of luring them in tight, that I never tire of. One can never really predict exactly what the birds will act like. They truly have differing personalities. Guys will notice if they watch closely. Also, while each turkey hunt has similarities, they all play out so differently, one from the other. No worries of it becoming mundane nor predictable.

Best of luck and thanks for this thread. Hope that many will add to it.

Long live the wily wild turkey gobblers (except one on the morning of April 21 in Sweet Owen county, Indiana)!!! ;)

Best regards, Skychief.

PS to say congratulations on a great gobbler, Tom.
 
'MountainKen, your post reminds me of Spence's response to me here some time ago.....'I'm beginning to think you like to turkey hunt'.

I have my suspicion that you kind of enjoy it too!!

Aren't we lucky that we are able to play this chess game each Spring? As you know already, I was doing some homework today and enjoyed every minute spying on a few toms.

You shared some tactics above. I'll add that I find it useful to quietly rake leaves behind my back or next to a leg to edge a hung up gobbler a bit closer for a sure shot. It's fun when they enable you to hear your pulse pounding smack dab between the right and left ears, huh?

I've wrote here before of a facet of hunting them, besides the challenge of luring them in tight, that I never tire of. One can never really predict exactly what the birds will act like. They truly have differing personalities. Guys will notice if they watch closely. Also, while each turkey hunt has similarities, they all play out so differently, one from the other. No worries of it becoming mundane nor predictable.

Best of luck and thanks for this thread. Hope that many will add to it.

Long live the wily wild turkey gobblers (except one on the morning of April 21 in Sweet Owen county, Indiana)!!! ;)

Best regards, Skychief.

PS to say congratulations on a great gobbler, Tom.
Thanks Skychief.
 
I'm not a turkey whisperer but I have had some success. I don't take many pictures but here's a couple.
DSCN0066.jpeg

I'm not sure, it may have been my first, long time ago.
DSCN0199.jpeg

Even made the calls for this one.
Hoping for success this year with a sweet 16 Ga. built for that purpose, using Skychief load, it does tighten up the pattern, but does also excite my bony old shoulder, Hah! Worth it though.
Robby
 
I plan on using my .75 caliber matchlock for my next turkey hunt. Since I am limiting shots to 25 yards, I will use 7 1/2 lead shot. That will put nearly twice as many shot in the pattern. At that range, the 7 1/2 size shot will have enough punch to ventilate a turkey’s head and neck.
3ECC19B2-B5A7-4015-90BD-E3D228D42778.jpeg
 

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