catman529
Well-Known Member
Despite a frustrating lack of vocal gobblers this spring, I have to say it was still a very good season. My usual public land hunting took a downturn (huge influx of new hunters and quiet birds), but I still got an opening day bird and called in a few others. I was fortunate to hunt some new to me private land and managed to tag out.
This was a year of firsts....off the top of my head, I got my first double beard, first triple beard, 3 heaviest birds, first time watching a tom breed a hen (while hunting), then even got to call in that same tom the following week and film him get shot. It was also my best year for filming turkey hunts. I will say public land is my usual preferred ground to hunt, but I often find myself in thick woods that are not conducive to good video.
I also had some not-firsts: besides making a couple rookie mistakes and getting busted, I will admit I missed 3 gobblers this year. Whenever I can kill my limit and not miss a single bird all season, I will then say I might be slowly becoming a good turkey hunter. It was almost laughable when I tried to ambush a gobbler and he became the 3rd miss of the season, but I'm very glad I missed him that day because I later called in and killed my biggest bird ever and first double beard.
Enough with the talking, now here are my birds, I am very blessed this year.
Opening day:
http://youtu.be/8s32ajwyCeA
#2 April 15:
No video, but yes smoke:
#3 April 23:
http://youtu.be/7LfoSNn3wbQ
#4 May 6:
http://youtu.be/xr1BzErH_mM
Fleet Fox #3 "Shade Tree Bird":
http://youtu.be/SoCC2NFZ4eo this was one of the best hunts all year and ties with the triple beard hunt for my favorite video. Plus we had a little history with this bird.
Thanks for looking and I hope y'all had a good year as well. I also hope TWRA address any issues with the population - I don't think the spring gobbler limit is the main problem, but we need to see something change. Regardless there are still many good places to turkey hunt in the great state of Tennessee.
This was a year of firsts....off the top of my head, I got my first double beard, first triple beard, 3 heaviest birds, first time watching a tom breed a hen (while hunting), then even got to call in that same tom the following week and film him get shot. It was also my best year for filming turkey hunts. I will say public land is my usual preferred ground to hunt, but I often find myself in thick woods that are not conducive to good video.
I also had some not-firsts: besides making a couple rookie mistakes and getting busted, I will admit I missed 3 gobblers this year. Whenever I can kill my limit and not miss a single bird all season, I will then say I might be slowly becoming a good turkey hunter. It was almost laughable when I tried to ambush a gobbler and he became the 3rd miss of the season, but I'm very glad I missed him that day because I later called in and killed my biggest bird ever and first double beard.
Enough with the talking, now here are my birds, I am very blessed this year.
Opening day:
http://youtu.be/8s32ajwyCeA
#2 April 15:
No video, but yes smoke:
#3 April 23:
http://youtu.be/7LfoSNn3wbQ
#4 May 6:
http://youtu.be/xr1BzErH_mM
Fleet Fox #3 "Shade Tree Bird":
http://youtu.be/SoCC2NFZ4eo this was one of the best hunts all year and ties with the triple beard hunt for my favorite video. Plus we had a little history with this bird.
Thanks for looking and I hope y'all had a good year as well. I also hope TWRA address any issues with the population - I don't think the spring gobbler limit is the main problem, but we need to see something change. Regardless there are still many good places to turkey hunt in the great state of Tennessee.
