Farm turkeys

[THE LLC]

When we bought the farm in 2002, there wasn't a tree on it from a clear-cutting operation in 2001, except for the SMZ's around the two small creeks. Though there were turkeys on properties surrounding us, we were devoid of them. Since we bought the farm to manage for deer hunting, however, this didn't concern us. Over the years as the clearcut regenerated, small game and deer flourished until about 6 years ago once the canopy closed and undergrowth died out. Then small game numbers dropped but a few turkey sightings were made. Slowly over the past few years we've gotten sporadic nesting by hens and raising of a few poults around food plots. About the time the canopy closed I started taking my buddy Kent Kammermeyer's and Dr. Grant Woods' advice on trying to manage a little for turkeys by burning, manipulating plots and openings, and by controlling predator numbers. Late last summer a group of five longbeards started hanging out regularly. They disappeared about the middle of November, but two showed up in April and started being regulars, hanging out where a couple hens had took up residence near a food plot. So, on April 11, I thought I'd try to kill the first turkey ever killed on the farm. It was also the first time I had ever turkey hunted solo, and did my own calling. Worked.

 

[THE LLC]

The one on the left weighed 23 lbs, had a 10 1/4" beard, and 1" spurs. It was the first one I shot. The one on the right weighed 21 lbs, had a 10 3/4" beard, and 1 1/4" spurs. He was the wingman. Pretty good 3 year old birds.

 

[gut_pile]

Congrats on two nice gobblers!

 

[Mennoniteman]

Great going on the solo hunt! To me turkeys are just as much fun as deer.

 

[Elkaddict]

Great birds! I’ve never had the luxury of hunting with someone else who is calling. I’m assuming the benefits are like having someone behind you calling elk into bow range....they focus their attention on the area where calls are produced. It gives the archer a better chance of drawing undetected.

 

[Drycreek]

And did it without a special turkey shotgun. Whoda thunkit ?

 

[Mennoniteman]

Great birds! I’ve never had the luxury of hunting with someone else who is calling. I’m assuming the benefits are like having someone behind you calling elk into bow range....they focus their attention on the area where calls are produced. It gives the archer a better chance of drawing undetected.

Having someone call for you is a bit easier, but probably the advantage is negated by the fact that having 2 people gives a gobbler twice the opportunity to detect that something isn't right. The fun thing is the bonding that goes along with making turkey hunting a team sport.

 

[DocHolladay]

Nice birds.


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[Triple C]

Good on you Tommy! Congrats on the double and for getting it done by yourself. Not a single bird taken on our place. Frustrating year so far.

 

[DrDirtNap]

Very nice! Congratulations not on the birds and the payoff on your habitat improvements!


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[Hoosierhunting]

Congrats on some nice birds


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[Mennoniteman]

And did it without a special turkey shotgun. Whoda thunkit ?

That is a special shotgun. I've got one exactly like it, I bought it new 35 years ago for $200, saved a few pennies at a time, my first new gun, very plain jane, shot thousands of rounds in it, and often I'll set my fancy guns away and just grab it. So it's special to me.

 

[THE LLC]

That is a special shotgun. I've got one exactly like it, I bought it new 35 years ago for $200, saved a few pennies at a time, my first new gun, very plain jane, shot thousands of rounds in it, and often I'll set my fancy guns away and just grab it. So it's special to me.

Indeed! I've killed a TON of ducks and geese with that joker. AND, every turkey I've ever killed. Three here in Georgia, and the number I've lost count of in Nebraska. Killed it's fair share of rattlers and cottonmouths, squirrels, doves, crows, and coons, too. Dang good gun. Never understood the need for fancy guns. Dead is dead---and it is all about shot placement. With Longbeard XR's I guarantee you that gun will kill a gobbler graveyard dead at 70 steps.

 

[Mennoniteman]

Indeed! I've killed a TON of ducks and geese with that joker. AND, every turkey I've ever killed. Three here in Georgia, and the number I've lost count of in Nebraska. Killed it's fair share of rattlers and cottonmouths, squirrels, doves, crows, and coons, too. Dang good gun. Never understood the need for fancy guns. Dead is dead---and it is all about shot placement. With Longbeard XR's I guarantee you that gun will kill a gobbler graveyard dead at 70 steps.

Longbeard XR's are my favorite loads as well, judging by the patterns mine shoots they seem to have been custom loaded for the Remington 870. My shotgun looks identical to yours, but it's actually stamped Sportsman12 on the receiver, Remington marketed the 870 in a plain shotgun under this name for several years in the mid 80's. These guns all had the hardwood stocks but still had bright blued metal. The were made to sell at the large chain stores at a reduced price compared to the regular models. They were marked "Sportsman 12 Pump, Sportsman 12 Auto, Sportsman 74, Sportsman 76 and Sportsman 78". Remington did not make very many of these shotguns, it was a shotgun between the Wingmaster and the Express Models, and they are actually somewhat sought after if they're in mint condition because of the short run.

 

[DocHolladay]

I bought a Winchester 1300 many moons ago at a pawn shop for $100 after tax and background. It’s killed everything I have hunted with it. I won a turkey contest about 15 years ago and received a free camo hydro dip. I had the forcing cone lengthened and I added a saddle mount and bought a red dot for it. I shoot HeviShot Magnum Blend our of it and can kill a turkey at 70yds if I wanted to. I stone them pretty regular at 50-55yds. I finally bought a 28ga O/U to hunt everything else and kept the 1300 just for turkey. Best $100 I ever spent.


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[Elkaddict]

Longbeard XR's are my favorite loads as well, judging by the patterns mine shoots they seem to have been custom loaded for the Remington 870. My shotgun looks identical to yours, but it's actually stamped Sportsman12 on the receiver, Remington marketed the 870 in a plain shotgun under this name for several years in the mid 80's. These guns all had the hardwood stocks but still had bright blued metal. The were made to sell at the large chain stores at a reduced price compared to the regular models. They were marked "Sportsman 12 Pump, Sportsman 12 Auto, Sportsman 74, Sportsman 76 and Sportsman 78". Remington did not make very many of these shotguns, it was a shotgun between the Wingmaster and the Express Models, and they are actually somewhat sought after if they're in mint condition because of the short run.

I’m really impressed with the Longbeard ER as well but couldn’t find any this year so I’ve been limited to shooting Federal Grandslam which pattern well enough to 48yds or so. Same with Winchester’s standard turkey load of 5s. I have noticed the ERs shoot to a different POI than other loads. They tend to shoot high and right. They easily extend the range to 65yds.

 

[Mennoniteman]

I’m really impressed with the Longbeard ER as well but couldn’t find any this year so I’ve been limited to shooting Federal Grandslam which pattern well enough to 48yds or so. Same with Winchester’s standard turkey load of 5s. I have noticed the ERs shoot to a different POI than other loads. They tend to shoot high and right. They easily extend the range to 65yds.

I patterned my gun for longbeard xr, then I bought 6 boxes, enough to last me the rest of my life at one shot per turkey.

 

[THE LLC]

I patterned my gun for longbeard xr, then I bought 6 boxes, enough to last me the rest of my life at one shot per turkey.

Right on. I thought that too until I started hunting Fall turkeys in northwest Nebraska. At a 4-bird-limit it didn't take me long to urn through a few boxes. LOL

 

[DocHolladay]

Right on. I thought that too until I started hunting Fall turkeys in northwest Nebraska. At a 4-bird-limit it didn't take me long to urn through a few boxes. LOL

I bought 15 boxes of Remington HeviShot #5’s back in the day. It was lasting until I started fall turkey hunting and at a 15 bird max, it doesn’t take long. Now, the most I killed at once was 6, but a few years of that and 10 shells per box.....


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[THE LLC]

Right on!