Very nice Jim! I went fly fishing over Christmas on the upper reaches of the Savannah river and saw several turkeys. Lots of them all up and down that river

What a great bird Jim!

What’s all that green stuff all over the place?





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Way to go Jim. Eventually you’ll have hunted and harvested every sub species of turkey on the continent. Congratulations.

Awesome Jim!!

got up late saturday morning but went on hunting anyway....it was chilly but i had on a big coat and gloves then as the sun rose it got real nice maybe in the mid 70 s.....i carried a single barrel h r 3 1/2 inch gun useing the tss federal tungston shell no 9 shot....was hoping to get totry these new shells out but no turkey showed themselves...loaded up my gear at 9.00 and came home and cooked myself 2 big bisquits 2 sausage and chocalate gravy....this turkey hunting makes a guys apitite really go big.....was gona go back in the evening hunting but i got to working around the house called my son inlaw told him to bring his 3 boys over needed them to do some chores for me....these boys have never run a weed eater or operated a lawn mower so todaythey learned how...put the youngest bob 11 years old to washing 2 of my cars 1 of them my 57 chevy the other my wifes ford focus....done a good job too they did....a fellow came by saw the 57 all shining and clean ask would i sell it so away he drove it....now i can finish my 38 chevy coupe and 36 ford coupe.....so the evening went by fast and no evening hunting was done.....charlie

Overslept Saturday and rained this morning. Still went and wound up looking around for new places. Temperature is up and flies are out

Charlie,

That sure sounds like a full day! It always amazes me how much there is to do now that I’m retired. By the way, what is “chocalate gravy?”

it a mixture of say 2 cups of sugur i big tea spoon of flour one big spoon of chocalate coco add water tillit is almost thin stir really good...then put it on stove eye at high temperature make sure to keep stirred well till it boils then its ready....take bisquits tear them into small pieces then pour the chocalete gravy over them....you got yourself some fine eating you can also have bacon sausage or eggs with it....best breakfast in the south......charlie

Hey, Thanks!! I'm going to try that recipe...and then go on a diet.

Thanks
 

What a good thread.Thanks to all who replied.

My wife and I have a long standing tradition of celebrating Easter Sunday by being in the woods scouting for turkeys. It's been a tradition of ours since before we were married, and we have never missed being out in all the years since that first time way back when (1978 to be precise). This morning's "sunrise service" was number 41, and the first time that Easter Sunday coincided with turkey season. No turkeys on the property we were hunting, but it was a great morning to be afield, especially with Elaine along with me. A successful hunt is not always measured by the game that's taken.

I hope your Easter Sunday was as good as ours.

That’s a wonderful tradition Garry!





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Great tradition Garry and I couldn't agree more...don't need a dead bird to have a wonderful time in the outdoors!

Guided a friend on Saturday. Using my trusty box call I inherited from my great uncle, called up this gobbler for Tim. I was carrying my 3 frame GH 12, but I couldn't talk Tim into using it....He shot it with a (shame) Benelli, camo nonetheless!!

Oh Well...

Wow - I wish I had a Parker the same camo pattern as my shirt.....:biglaugh:


Nice bird though.




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It is funny, almost all of my friends think it is “cool” that I hunt with these classic guns, but when I try to get them to partake, they go back to their beloved technology. I have to judiciously remind many of them that technology seldom compensates for aim.......

I am tagged out with 2 birds down in KY. Heading to NC to chase em through the mountains, where they mostly win, but always worth it.

Monday the 29th is the Mass. opener. I’ll be in the woods in a blind I made when the eastern horizon begins to brighten.





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I was in the Sangre de Cristos on Thursday last week...the toms are up there but the hens haven't arrived yet. I'm hoping it's on this week. I heard one gobble and saw one nice tom. There's still loads of snow in the mountains.

PGCA member Niles Oesterle with a Midwest smasher! Killed at 10 yards with 1881 lifter. Three year old tipped the scales at 23 pounds

New Mexico hunt
 

I hunted with my brother George for 4 days without able to talk the birds in close enough for a shot with my Parker 20 gauge.
Lots of calling and had 8 gobbling the first morning. They just would not come in. They were pretty henned up.

George took this Merriam's the last morning. Had him at 100 yards for close to an hour before finally getting him come in to 35 yards.
Headed back up Monday evening to see if the hens are leaving the Gobblers mid morning to lay an egg. Leaving those love sick Gobblers to go in search of hens.

That's a beautiful bird Phil!

Monday’s strategy sounds like a good one.





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very beautiful bird...sounds like ya ll worked for this one....i hate those long waits but it is nice for a good ending....i aint done any good yet myself....charlie

The way it’s supposed to work!
 

Dad and I went to our usual spot. Sunrise at 6:30, walking out at 7:20 carrying this 22 pound monster! Dad got the shot, 30 yards clean kill. Doesn’t get any better! I can’t remember a time turkey hunting when it worked out the way I always read about. Pictured with Mr. Tom is my Model 21 Heavy Duck gun. Seems to work on turkeys too...ha.

Nice!

I had one last Saturday 10 feet behind my tree spitting down my neck but wouldn't commit. Went back out on Wed and Thursday and no activity probably because it was snowing :banghead: both days like crazy!

Maybe tomorrow...

A few weeks ago, granddaughter snapped a shot (video) of a 35 bird flock about three hundred yards below the house. In 1 1/2 years here, I had never seen a turkey near here. This week, a big hen ran past my living room window at about 25
feet. My emergency gun was on the other side of the room, not that I would have used it on her. In researching the MD game laws, I find that I could have taken, not her, but a bearded turkey, in the proper season because the shotgun distance for legal shooting in the area where I live is 100 yards from a dwelling, and no license required if hunting on your own property. I happen to live in the agricultural reserve of the liberal empire of Montgomery County, Maryland, where shotgun use is legal.

Nice gobbler(!)...nice gun!! When things work out like you describe, you remember it forever...especially when you are with your father. Glad you got to experience such a fine hunt.

Parker Brothers Damascus Hammergun Maine Turkey Hunt 2019–hosted by Tenth Legion Guides. We all had hammers back multiple times and no shots fired! Truly a target rich environment with so many close calls. Four great weeks left to our Grand Spring Hunt!

Where in Maine are you all hunting?





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Western Maine foothills, perfect mix of field and forest, agriculture and working woodlands. Grouse drumming and woodcock singing mixed in amongst the gobblin. Whitetails making strong showing in greening fields, some moose sign spotted, no bear sign yet I’m sure they’re up and about. Still snow in the woods in places, ice out was recent event. Good luck on your spring adventures, Dean.

I know the area well Jim - beautiful country abounding with everything a hunting or fishing man could want. Or for the man who just wants to lead a quiet life. It's a lot like Vermont's Northeast Kingdom where I hunt.






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Ok , 1 st i know its not a Parker but it shoots like one. I shot a 22 lb bird this am at 39 yds with my nid super 10 with 1 1/2 oz of 6 s. Oh it had 9 1/2 in. Beard with 1 in. Spurs. 1 down 1 to go.
Scott

nice bird you got there them old 10 gas are the best....charlie

Way to go Scott!!

I know you'll get your second one with no problem.





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Son Tim smoked this fine Maine gobbler this morning with his 1878 underlifter using 5.5 shot, 3 1/4 dram FF in a roll crimped, once fired paper shell handload. Old tom covered hundred yards quickly crossing stonewall at thirty yards and walked up to 17 yards. We are just starting to find some lone longbeards so the best is yet to come!

Nice bird Jim. Congrats to your boy.

Lenny drove down from Denmark, Maine on Sunday evening so he and I could hunt together this morning in an area we have been exploring for a couple of years.

This morning we set up on a stone wall bordering a big field where we had spotted turkeys before, We thought we knew where to set up but it turns out the turkeys proved us wrong. Four or five toms began gobbling on roost from the ridge above the field. So Lenny and I grabbed our stuff and took a circuitous route to the top of the ridge... puff... puff...

We were amazed by the amount of turkey scratchings, buck rubs, beds, mast trees of all kinds.... it was a hunter's paradise.
We decided to spread out about 60-70 yards apart and sit. We put out our decoys and began calling seductively.............. crickets...

We texted that we would sit until 9 and after another 40 minutes of sitting, I stood up at 8:58......... And a Tom gobbled about 100 yards away. I put my seat pad back down, put my gillie head mask back on and sat back down. We were talking to at least three toms and a half-dozen hens and they were staying back in the low blueberry bushes just out of sight for at least a half-hour. They wouldn't come any closer than about 60-70 yards. Lenny was staring at two of the toms for more than ten minutes while I kept talking to them. I never saw any of them... But we learned a great new spot and we'll definitely be back next year.





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