Tipped one over with the 138 year old Parker

[Daniel G Rainey]

I have hunted turkeys in the snow once in Mississippi.I think it was in 1987. We got about an inch the first week of April. My wife was understanding when I told her this is a once in lifetime thing and it has not happened since.One did gobble but would not come in. After the hunt I went to have coffee with several of my hunting friends with an old white sheet over my shoulder telling everyone what better camo could one use on a morning like this. Some still wonder if I did cover up in the sheet.

[charlie cleveland]

i remember that snow daniel...did you wear that sheet....charlie

[Southpaw]

Wearing a white sheet in the South, in the woods, toting a gun? There is a history there not very favorable for that type of wardrobe and concealment choice. You probably scared them to death.

[OLD GEEZER]

Matt: I would guess you were in the Redwood River Valley for your hunt. Thomas

[birddogdoc]

Excellent

[Daniel G Rainey]

Charley No I did not wear a white sheet for camo during my only turkey hunt in the snow. But many years ago, I heard Wil Primos tell the story of the late Russell Davis Mayor of Jackson, Miss. and a famous turkey hunter back in the 1960's. He left the hunting the camp one morning walking dressed in a White jump suit only to return with a nice gobbler mid morning. He collected from a fellow club a bet that he could call up a gobbler and kill him dressed in white.

[Southpaw]

Never bet against another mans trick.

Years ago I got an invite to big turkey hunting event. One of the hosts was this well connected fella and he was telling a story about the time his friend was entertaining a state senator on a turkey hunt. Seems he had some wild turkey's penned up somewhere and they got a big one and had one of the hands tie a long string around the birds leg and put it out in a field way before daybreak. They go setup early out in the field just on other side of this draw out of sight of turkey then slip into a ground blind. Sure enough about 15 mins later that bird walks into range and Senator lets him have it. Instead of sitting back and letting the guide go get his bird, Senator jumps up and runs out of the blind to go get his bird with guide and owner running behind him.

Senator gets to the bird and sees this string tied to the bird and looks up confused and landowner without missing a beat tells the guide "How many times have I told you don't let your kids fly kites out here, they leave their string laying around and tangling up my turkeys".

[charlie cleveland]

daniel maybe we are wearing the wrong camo....i once new a good turkey hunter who in warm weather wore a white t shirt blue jeans and slip on tennis shoes and he killed his fair share of turkeys....that is a good storey about the string i had to smile on that one....charlie

[Quack me up!]

Great job Matt. My season started today in Minnesota as well. I am using a very similar gun except mine is a top lever. I am hunting in Wabasha County and I passed up a Tom this morning at about 9 yards just because it is so early in the season and I enjoy doing photography as well so I am in no hurry to fill my tag. He was a mature Tom but he did not have any visible beard. I took some video and still pictures on my phone.
I shot a Tom in Wisconsin about 5 years ago that did not have a beard as well. Not too common but not unheard of. Minnesota regulations State your bird has to have a visible beard so I don't know how they would rule on this one. In Wisconsin the regulations state you can harvest a male or bearded turkey so you are covered over there.
They did not get that much snow down here last weekend like we did up north at home so there is just a skiff or two left in the woods but that is all.
Picture perfect morning. 39 degrees, sunny skies and very little wind. Couldn't ask for a much nicer start to the season.

[Dean Romig]

I've heard tell of some toms losing their beards in the cold winters from the beards being frozen to the ground when they rest on the frozen ground or an icy limb when they sit on roost at night.... maybe just an old Yankee hunting story.





.