dartonman

It all started last Friday night....we packed up the 5 kids, two inlaws, and brother in law...rented a 12 passenger van, and the 10 of us drove straight to Eagle Colorado from Northern Illinois..non stop. We spent the next night in Colorado, woke up early, and drove all the way to Williams, Arizona..aka Grand Canyon Railway Inn, and spent three days at the Canyon, Sedona, Arizona, and then it was on to Las Vegas, Nevada...spent two days (I want back in my life..lol) then it was on to Tombstone, Arizona, which I loved...and then, after one night in Tombstone...we were enroute to Roswell, New Mexico to look for aliens...did the Roswell thing, and enroute home we came...........I will post pics when the return from all the disposable camera's, my new digital one got wet before we even made it to Colorado.....saw lots of snakes, scorpions, and antelope and mule deer.....and I truly believe Missouri is the capital for Armadillos killed on the roadside.....and Utah has the prairie dogs dead on roadside vote...........had a great time, lots of memories, and met alot of Realtree fans along the way.....and if any of the 6'5-6'8 300 pound men (construction workers) from Oklahoma read this post, it was awesome to meet you at the pumps getting fuel, and seeing those Realtree hats worn with pride...........God Bless gang, its good to see the forums again........and be in the flatlands of Illinois, I call home........al

Crock pot.....then once they are cooked good, take out all the sinews, aka flat bones....then make soup, or homemade dumplings....yummy............the only way to enjoy them is the crockpot in my opinion............al

The common age is Illinois I have found is to be (2) years old....that is due to the fact of hunting pressures increasing, but mostly because of our over populated coyote issues that are going to become a true problem in the near future I believe....I have seen a great deal of coyotes lately....if its true what they say, the coyote population reflects on wildlife....if you have abundant wildlife, the population increases pup numbers, if the wildlife numbers are meek, the coyotes have fewer pups....90 percent of all gobblers with long beards in my experience have been (2) year old birds.........al

The size (thickness) of the spurs, I would estimate him as an early hatch (heavy eater) 2 year old, or a good 3 year old...Im apt to say he is right at three (3)...great bird, congrads on a fine turkey............al

So cool...so cool........congrads again to you and your father buddy....Im glad I could help in any way possible to get you pumped up to chase birds....its definately an addiction..........Im gonna work with my boy on his bird this coming up weekend.....it didn't happen for ole Dartonman this spring, short season, lots or work, and well, I just didnt connect on the ole jellyhead.....I sure am addicted to it though.....have a great summer buddy.......congrads again to you and your dad........very cool..........al

mmmmmmmmmmmm.....Im starving...thats for the phone call buddy, call me today sometime, I took my phone off vibrate...Ill let you know about my "educating experiences" in the woods this past mornings...lol.............no bird yet for me, thats a fine looking gobbler, I hope one of the girls got that one...........talk to you soon...al

I have this gun, in synthetic stock, and NO ACCUTRIGGER...and well, the accuracy is absolutely superb, but the trigger is the roughest I can describe...if you can get one with an accutrigger, its a great buy.................any further buddy, pm me...I can shoot dimes out to 125 yards with it....its a tack driving, squirrel killing machine...al

I agree with Gary....but I would do your best to call lightly, if at all, and basically bush whack him on his travel routes.....it doesn't have to be pretty or text book Ruth, just hunt him down and shoot him dead.........you'll get him, keep the faith, we all miss...Im not even gonna relive my moments like yours...........but I can just say, I was shaking so bad, and still do when I walk by whats left of the tree I leveled with my new turkey choke years ago....real brush cutter...lol............al

Im so proud of you young man....you were persistant, and never folded the towel...you took advise well, and Im sure glad you had a "plan B"....that is a fine bird, a fine bird indeed....like I mentioned in my pm, someday you'll be able mail off calls and stuff to a young man or young lady getting the itch to try turkey hunting.....Im extremely proud of you, and I sure hope Andy (Bowhunter56) sees this post for sure, Im sure he wanted an IOWA monarch of the woods to fall to his call he sent ya.....you are an asset to the forums, and I hope some luck runs to NY to help Ruth out....great bird buddy, you deserve it..............al

WOW..........that is a great bird, congrads to you and your son...simply awesome.......al

Yep, Id hunt em near or on the logging road...........they follow a pattern if left alone.............you'll be fine, just watch their snood (skin snake on face)....I always let them get as close as they want to come, and when their snood draws up on their face, I know they sense the danger zone....usually at this point they dont remember the last thoughts I just blew out of their heads...lol....I have let them get as close as 1-3 yards....when you can see the hair on their face, go ahead and shoot one for ole dartonman...........lol.......have fun............al

Always follow your gut....if I were you, and the sun was shining like it is here, I would be out with binoculars looking for where the birds are mid morning....here is my experience with turkeys....Im a huge guy, and not very stealthy in the woods.....I watch from a far, silent, and observant for hours.....watching their "daily" habits as turkey....I wouldnt go in the woods tonite....Id set up where you seen them in the fields before daylight.....if you here them gobble on roost in the dark in the morning, with an overcast day (clouds), Id sneak close to their roost sight....but I always wait for a few gobbles, cause one may roost alone, closer than you think....stay home tonight and dream of turkeys....you should watch them mid mornings, and maybe from a vehicle late afternoon, but I wouldnt get into the woods, I think you may be "bumping" them a bit, and if you do it too much, they will MOVE OUT.........al

Soft purrs will do them in.....trust me...that is the call of champions.....if you want a jake decoy, let me know, Ill ship it next day....if you want to borrow a jake fan on a stick, let me know too....I think soft purrs, and put the hen heading into the opposite woods away from the flock, close to you, case they hang up........good luck............al

Ted Nugent is one of the best...when he picks up the bloody arrow...."Where have we seen this before...????" totally hilarious....Stan POtts freaks me out as well......al

Great pics....wow, that is a nice bird...great job, I cant wait till my season opens...its killing me..........al

Best Of Luck....your Hooked......................shoot A Jake If Its Legal, They Taste Really Good...............best Of Luck This Season Buddy......al

Thats a great bird buddy.....great job, that is a dandy....I bet them Number 5's lit his butt up.........lol............gotta love it................al

Thanks for the PM's buddy.....I am glad you are getting in the woods....I got lucky my first year.....then I thought I was the stuff....lol...boy was I wrong...the turkeys play hard to get for one reason....survival, and to give us grief....trust me, MrWiggley is so correct......just enjoy yourself......its all about having fun doing it.......you will be fine..............al

It was a hoot talking to you last night....I haven't laughed that loud in a long time....hope you can shoot as well as you take pictures.....those are some tasty looking birds............Ill keep you posted on my season as well buddy...have a great week...............al

Here is my view of this.....get closer before daylight as suggested.....but please, please, please follow this advise....WAIT FOR A "COMMITMENT GOBBLE".....let me explain...you call, they gobble....you call, they gobble.....you need to play hard to get.....here is your chance....when you call.....they gobble....WAIT FOR THE SECOND SET OF GOBBLES BEFORE CALLING AGAIN....if you call too much.....they will figure it out.....I hope this helps...remember...you call, they gobble....then wait for them to gobble again.....they will close the distance if you play hard to get.........be safe, pm me if you wish to talk...I can call you if you like....Im no expert...but Ive been to this turkey rodeo before...lol..........good luck...............al

I have had good luck in the rain...if the rain is light, and not alot of wind, the birds will be in open fields watching for predators....a bird rather be in the open, than have a coyote sneak up on them in the woods....if you use decoys, cut the bottom straight rod off of metal coathangers....and put the thin metal on each side of your decoys tail to prevent them from going in full circles with the wind...........the birds will be in the open, if its hard downpours, wait till it stops, and get after em...al

WOW....simply awesome dad.......kudo's to your daughter....very nice pics.......al

Simply Awesome....congrads on a great bird, and great story.....one for the wall there....al

You are becoming a fine turkey hunter....congrads on a very nice looking bird......great story....fine eating right there....al

Great post....good luck this season......al