2018 Thunder Chicken Report

PineSapJunky

PineSapJunky

Well-Known Member
Today is the start of youth season across many states. I'll be waiting for my 8 year old when he gets off the bus to throw some camo on and run to the woods. We've been shooting his gun (Mossberg 500 Superbatam 20 gauge with a Rhino .565 choke). It patterns decent out to 40 yards. He's ready and excited. We're using Hevi-Shot Magnums (target on the left) but the Winchester XR #5 on the right did good too. This was at 40 yards.
He connected on a really nice bird when he was 6 years old. Due to lack of turkeys last year we didn't score. This year we have a couple birds tied to a tree in hopes he can connect with one. It will be a fun hunt none the less.



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Well, the first couple days of the season has been fun to say the least. Thursday afternoon I was ready and waiting to snatch Collin off the bus and haul butt to where I had 5 longbeards coming in morning, noon and night. It was a rush in. Unfortunately they beat us to it and we flushed them out of the cutover trying to get setup. We setup anyways. Put a feeding hen decoy out and purred and putted the rest of the afternoon. Then came the infamous words of "daddy I have to go to the bathroom". So we stand up to find a Tom in full strut standing about 50 yards down a little hill. Never said a word. Being deaf in my right ear I couldn't hear him drumming. We saw him the same time he saw us. Oh well. Had to skip Friday because of work. We got up bright and early Saturday and made it to our spot. The whole time the woods were on fire!!!! Gooble, double gobble. Counted 6 different birds all together. Ended up getting 3 to pitch down and commit to us. Had them in full strut and gobbling at 100 yards and closing the distance. Then as luck would have it. A big group of hens came in and ruined the morning. Off they went. Went back out Saturday afternoon. It was warm and he was tired. Not wanting to make it painful or boring we left early. Nothing beats spending the day with your kid in the woods. I've got a buddy coming with us in the morning that knows how to talk turkey way better than I even care to learn. We shall see.

For those that are interested my 8 year old is shooting a Mossberg 500 superbatam 20 gauge with a Rhino
.565 choke. He shoots a Truglo holographic sight. I find it is easier to tell a kid to put the dot on the target and squeeze the trigger than trying to line up iron sights. I chose this particular gun because it can grow with him with the expandable stock. On hunts where we go in and are able to setup ahead of time. He is most comfortable in a low chair with a tripod for a support. On run and guns we use the same but my lap serves as his chair. Either way it's memories being made.

Would love to hear about how everyone else it doing.
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Finally got the farm on the board. Me and my son have had some exciting hunts bit have not been able to get anything on the ground yet. Had 2 really nice birds about 40 yards from us in the woods working their way to the food plot we were sitting on. My son reached up and adjusted his hat. They left in a hurry.

I went out Saturday by myself for the first time this year. Had 2 fly down off the roost about 100 yards out into a field I was on. Should of brought the decoys. Had 2 hens show up and steal the morning. Got home to see a nice bird strutting in the back yard. Figured I'd leave him be for the afternoon or Sunday morning since we had ball practice.

Plans changed when I seen my neighbor's grandson (punk kid in his kid 20's) glassing my field from the road. Seen him sneak up the fence row and setup waiting for the bird to get close. Called a good friend of mine and told him I had a bird in my backyard and the whole deal. He was able to come in the back way undetected from both parties. He waited for that bird to get 50 steps from the fence row then rolled him. Needless to say my neighbor's grandson wasn't happy and stand cussing and yelling about how he shot that bird out from under him. The way I look at it. Bird was on my place. Friend was on my place. Bird was killed on my place. Not a problem. Anyways I was happy for him. You can see the fence row over his left shoulder.

We went out Sunday morning and had two gobbling on the roost in front of a thunderstorm. Ended up getting soaked and struck out before church. Oh well. Thursday through Friday I'll be helping guide with the Hot Coffee Hunt for Heroes (think wounded warrior but cooler). Hopefully we can make it happen for these veterans. Anyone else have any luck this season?
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Pennsylvania opens exactly a month from today. You guys r getting us wound up to the point that we won't be able to wait anymore.
 
Mennoniteman said:
Pennsylvania opens exactly a month from today. You guys r getting us wound up to the point that we won't be able to wait anymore.
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Maybe this will help some more. Took my wife out for her first turkey hunt Monday morning. She was beyond mad and was hating turkey hunting by the time we got to where we needed to be. Which happened to be in a flooded cutover. She busted her butt 3 or 4 times and was soaking wet. It was worth it. I about died laughing when that bird sounded off what seemed like in our lap and my wife screamed!!! Another bird gobbled when she screamed on the other side of the cutover. It was hilarious. That bird was on a string from the first moment he hit the ground. Got it all on film. Couldn't ask for a better hunt and her first bird.

Warning. Please be aware you are about to watch some prison shower violence this bird does to my decoys!!!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/9KqQrCNrrD9iqV5u1
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Went out this evening with a couple guys who are guiding this weekend for the Hot Coffee Hunt for Heroes. The weather was perfect for some late afternoon roost action. These two birds were on the ground late when they sounded off. These are the same two birds that busted me and my son earlier this year. One is a really good bird with some serious spurs. The other has some good spurs just straight. Listen closely. They double gobble and cut another off.

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Yesterday was the last day for the Hunt for Heroes. We had a couple hunters that had to cancel at the last minute. That resulted in there being more guides than hunters. I couldn't make the Friday morning hunt because of work. I was able to leave early enough to make the afternoon hunt. My hunter's name is Scott. He was the recipient of an IED which took his left leg and riddled his body with shrapnel. It was slow walking going in there. Scott couldn't walk more than 30 yards at a time without needing a break. We finally got setup on the same spot my son and I got busted by two really nice birds. I put out a Jake with a feeding hen hoping the two would come in and put on a show. Another guide had come along to help since I don't call much and he was better at it than me.

They setup about 15 yards South of me. I was positioned a little close to the powerline so I could see down it. I was thinking the birds would be down in the bottom and work their way up. I would be able to see them first and let them know to get ready. I had the decoys about 5 yards to my left. Cole did a few light purrs and putts. The wind was slightly blowing and the swaying pines were singing me sleep. We had been sitting there not even 10 minutes when I heard the "Thump". I looked over my left shouldet to find both of those birds 15 yards from me in full strut. I eased my head back around and told Cole. They did not like that Jake with that hen. Not having any cover really between me and the birds I had to freeze. Scott is hard of hearing and it took Cole a minute to let him know what was going on. In the meantime they came on in and started whooping the decoy not even 5 yards from me. I was helpless. Scott finally got the gun around and positioned for a shot. The movement got their attention and they knew something was up. As they started to leave Cole was able to call and get them to turn around. The one Scott could see was in full strut.

I knew that gun was going to be loud with it pointing in my direction. Scott made a great shot and dust rolled that bird. It was Cole's first time to be able to call in a bird for a veteran in the 6 years he's been guiding for the event. Both were excited.

It was a great weekend and their were some blown opportunities. With the only bird being killed is the one on my place. Not wanting to beat my chest too much. But I am proud of the work we have done on my place. It shows. We have gone 5 for 5 since I've participated in these hunts. Overall it was great.

Bird had a 10" beard and 1 1/4 spurs and weighed 19lbs.


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First of all I am NOT a turkey hunter. But I am seeing more turkey activity now and I am curious if turkey tend to follow certain routes like deer do? Reason I ask is that I have seen them in the past couple of weeks crossing an open field and they seem to be coming and going from a particular finger of woods. I have no idea if this is common for them to do this or if their travels are much more random.
 
j-bird said:
First of all I am NOT a turkey hunter. But I am seeing more turkey activity now and I am curious if turkey tend to follow certain routes like deer do? Reason I ask is that I have seen them in the past couple of weeks crossing an open field and they seem to be coming and going from a particular finger of woods. I have no idea if this is common for them to do this or if their travels are much more random.
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Depending on turkeys roosting options and current food supply they can seem to follow patterns, but turkeys are usually less predictable in patterns than deer, although we have harvested some birds by setting up in places where we saw them the day before. You really need to get into this! Spring gobbler hunting is like having another first day or middle of the rut deer season in the spring.
 
Mennoniteman said:
Depending on turkeys roosting options and current food supply they can seem to follow patterns, but turkeys are usually less predictable in patterns than deer, although we have harvested some birds by setting up in places where we saw them the day before. You really need to get into this! Spring gobbler hunting is like having another first day or middle of the rut deer season in the spring.
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If I had more turkeys around.....maybe. Turkeys on my place are a feast or famine type of situation. You won't see a bird for months at a time and then you will see a group of a dozen or so a couple of times over the course of a week or two and then they are gone again. I figure my boy may go a few times if he is motivated..... I am so not into turkey hunting I have even considered leasing my place in the spring for it...but because I am not sure a hunter would even see a bird I feel I may be putting the screws to the poor guy as well and thus why I haven't.
 
j-bird said:
If I had more turkeys around.....maybe. Turkeys on my place are a feast or famine type of situation. You won't see a bird for months at a time and then you will see a group of a dozen or so a couple of times over the course of a week or two and then they are gone again. I figure my boy may go a few times if he is motivated..... I am so not into turkey hunting I have even considered leasing my place in the spring for it...but because I am not sure a hunter would even see a bird I feel I may be putting the screws to the poor guy as well and thus why I haven't.
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J-bird, I'm sorry to bear the bad news, but turkey hunting doesn't seem to be in your blood. If I heard of somewhere that a turkey had been sighted within the past five years, even by a guy that's known to lie a lot, that's enough for me to hunt there every morning for a week without spotting a bird. But don't worry, if you keep hanging out with people like us long enough you could still catch the fever.
 
Best way I can describe turkey hunting is like a sexually transmitted disease. It was fun getting it, didn't know what you were getting into at the time, costs a ton of money to treat it, keeps you up at night, want to keep it a secret, can be down right be frustrating, could make you lose your job, often leaves your clothes smelling bad, wife could leave you over it........

I could go on and on. But honestly turkey hunters are a different breed of people. It will take a perfectly good respectful human being and turn them into a fence jumping, line crossing, straight to your face lie telling, SOB!!!!

Or so I've been told



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Still just over a week away for us in Virginia. Believe I'm going to miss owning my farm for turkey, might be a tough year. Been out listening this week and haven't heard a single bird yet.
 
I wish our birds would shut up. With the weather we've been having it's been fun hearing them all of the time but I can't tell you how many trucks I've ran off parked on the side of my place listening. I've got a buddy who has a towing company who loves to turkey hunt. Next truck I see parked is getting snatched. Had a real fun hunt yesterday evening. Couldn't explain what happened so I drew a picture to help explain. Need some crayons.
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