ranchand99 Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 Made it back from Florida.I went to 3 lakes WMA.There was 157 people on the southern section opening morning.All the guys who call birds off of the surrounding land had a pretty good time.As for us that hunt within the WMA it was tough as usual.You can ride anywhere down the road,and see birds strutting near the road ON PRIVATE LAND.If anyone wants to go for an osceola I highly recommend finding a guide,or atleast someone who will let you hunt on their property.Don't go to public land down there opening weekend.I have heard it does get better after the first weekend when most of the out of towners(like me),and others get fed up and leave.There were half as many people today.I saw a big tom 288yds out,but when I yelped 3 times with my favorite call he ran the other way!I am not the best,but I am not a rookie either.I believe there have been alot of people messing with them pre-season. Ga opens up next weekend and I have to make up for that whoopin I got down there..lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 Sorry to hear you had all that competition down in FL ranchand. The weather was simply lousy on opening day. Mostly cloudy, balmy, and the wind was blowing 20+ when it broke daylight. I didn't hear a single bird make a sound. I did call up a hen shortly after fly down that didn't have a thing behind her. Saw 2 strutting birds with another hen later heading the other way. The 2nd morning was about as perfect as weather conditions can get. Clear, calm, and cool. I heard 5 birds sound off on the roost including one about 150 yards from where I was listening. Unfortunately he had lots of girl friends around him too. While trying to coax him to give away his position using a gobble call 2 other birds answered me off in the distance. I cut right back at them and they cut me off gobbling. After that they gobbled on their own as they came in quick. Actually they came running in. The lead bird was a 2 yr. old with about an 8 1/2" to 9" beard but the back one was a big boy. Bottom line is I got greedy. I wanted the bigun! The big gobbler hung up around the 60 yard line strutting and would break off into a half strut to gobble. The smaller gobbler joined him in the gobbling routine before he walking into range in front of me. I passed up the shot opportunities I had on the 2 yr. old bird waiting for the bigun. He never came any closer. The 2 yr. old was in front of me for a minute or so before he walked back to join the other bird to gobble together with him. They must have heard something off to my left because all of a sudden they went into a fast walk and left the area gobbling the whole way. At that point I couldn't turn them. Oh well...passed the bird in the hand. As the old saying goes...tomorrow's another day (or should I say Thursday). I hunted this morning but the high winds returned and shut off the gobbling activity again. I managed to call in 3 hens that hung around in front of me for about 15 minutes before something to my left spooked them out of their. I was really surprised there wasn't a gobbler in tow. One hen came in from one direction while the other 2 came in from the opposite direction. I also heard other hens as they cut while flying down from the roost in 2 directions. No gobblers heard or seen this morning though. Long range weather forecast looks great for Thursday but until then the weather looks bad. I'll regroup and get back after them when the weather is in my favor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 Sounds like you both had a interesting start to the season. Good luck guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ranchand99 Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 It won't keep me down Rhino.I have hunted public land for 11 of my 21 hunting seasons.I know how the game is played and I am very persitent...lol...I am going to try and get my son a bird both mornings this weekend,but I am probably going out sat evening to a spot where I have been seeing a good bird...Good luck to all! Here are some pics... Always real nice to see this...About 80 campers Only 1,000 yd walk to the nearest patch of woods... But worth the walk to see this.. It's Thick in those narrow strands... Closest I came to getting a mature osceola gobbler.. Hope you enjoyed.I have a video of a hen I am trying to load. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 Good luck to you this weekend too ranchand. Hope you get a bigun in front of your son's shotgun. Looks like you were adding pics while I was posting. That sure is different looking turkey country. Nice stretch of the legs to get there too. Thanks for sharing the pictures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stick Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 Man you guys are killing me, I really want to get after those birds. Good luck to you all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 ranchand99, those are some neat pics. Way different world down south from up here. I give you alot of credit for sticking too it, if I had that much competition, I think I'd go home! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoosierhunter Posted March 22, 2008 Report Share Posted March 22, 2008 great pics guys. I have some great news as well. I just booked a turkey bow hunt in Kansas with some buddies for opening weekend down there. The really cool part is that we are going to be shooting footage for a TV show!!! This will be my first attempt with a bow for Turkeys and I couldn't be more jacked to go do it. We are allows two birds and will be hunting for 4 full days. So this means that IF I kill a bird or two down there I will wait to post him until my hunt is down back here in Indiana so I put the best one up. I got my fingers crossed that all goes well....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stick Posted March 22, 2008 Report Share Posted March 22, 2008 man that sounds awesome, "livin the dream man, livin the dream". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ranchand99 Posted March 23, 2008 Report Share Posted March 23, 2008 My son got 2 with one shot this morning.18lb 7oz,10 1/4" beard 1"-1 1/16" spurs,and 14lb 5oz 1" spurs and 10 3/16" beard,4 1/4" beard,and 3 1/2" beard!I went by myself this evening,and got my biggest ever!17lb 6oz,1 9/16"-1 5/8" spurs,and 10 1/4" beard!! All on public land! I have all my pics,just need to get a print out of the sheet to sign. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoosierhunter Posted March 23, 2008 Report Share Posted March 23, 2008 now those are some limb hangers for sure!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Posted March 23, 2008 Report Share Posted March 23, 2008 Look at the hooks on that Badboy!! Awesome! Congrats to your son on a couple great birds and a thank you to you for making the time to take him.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stick Posted March 23, 2008 Report Share Posted March 23, 2008 Awsome bird! And that is great for your son too, I have done that twice now and it is an awsome feeling to get two with one shot. That's a a perfect bird and hunt with you and your son. CONGRAGULATIONS:D:D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted March 23, 2008 Report Share Posted March 23, 2008 Congrats ranchand99 and to little ranchand99 too on his 2 birds. I'll bet ya'll were fired up to discover one was a tripple beard. Awesome bird with a great set of hooks you bagged there and great job coaxing those birds in front of that young man's shotgun barrel. I flipped a MS gobbler over this weekend too. 19 lb. 4 oz., 10 9/16" beard and 1" spurs on both sides. Glad I passed up that upstart last weekend now. I'll post details of the tale of the successful turkey hunt in the turkey room later. I'll also post the required pics and entry form later too. After 4 mornings in a row chasin turkeys, I'm a little tuckered out right now to do all that posting. Time for a nap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stick Posted March 23, 2008 Report Share Posted March 23, 2008 Since I can't go scouting or hunting yet because the snow is still too deep:(, I am lurking the boards and drooling every time one of you guys gets a bird:eek:. Both of those birds are great and will be the anchors for the team. Now all the rest of us have to do is get a bird and we should be sitting pretty.:D:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlott89 Posted March 24, 2008 Report Share Posted March 24, 2008 nice birds ranchard and rhino.today me and my friends went up and played basketball up on the hill by the guys house that owns some of where i hunt and theres a feild on the left and there was probually 10 birds out in the feild 2 of them were strutting.i sat there and watched em and my friends kept yelling at me to keep driveing.ohhh may 1st cant come fast enough.haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted March 24, 2008 Report Share Posted March 24, 2008 So there starting to get in the mood in NY huh. Keep tabs on those bad boys till May 1st. I'm taking a 13 yr. old youngun hunting Thurs. & Fri. I've taken him 3 times in the past and he's killed 2 pretty nice gobblers. Hopefully the birds will be a little more cooperative and more vocal than they've been up to this point. I'll give the birds a rest until we hunt together Thurs. but I'll try to roost one Wed. afternoon before he arrives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ranchand99 Posted March 25, 2008 Report Share Posted March 25, 2008 Congrats Rhino!On a side note I was also in a contest on another forum,and my bird was the biggest taken opening weekend.That won me a hunt in Nebraska to hunt Merriams with Jason Edney at Fur&FeatherOutdoors! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3seasons Posted March 25, 2008 Report Share Posted March 25, 2008 Huge congrats to you and your son, Ranchand. Thats 3 great birds and some nice HOOKS. Hope you score on your Merriam bird. Al looks like your season is picking up. It has been tough where I hunt here in MS. Not much activity at all. I hope things will pick up soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted March 25, 2008 Report Share Posted March 25, 2008 On a side note I was also in a contest on another forum,and my bird was the biggest taken opening weekend.That won me a hunt in Nebraska to hunt Merriams with Jason Edney at Fur&FeatherOutdoors! Congrats on winning the Merriams hunt Ranchand. Will you make that hunt this year or next year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildside Posted March 25, 2008 Report Share Posted March 25, 2008 Congrats to all you successful hunters! Nice birds, for sure. My season won't start until May, so I'll have to be patient and enjoy reading your stories and admiring your pictures while I wait for my turn to get out into the woods. I suppose it's good practice for when I'll have to be patient while hunting. Patience is a virtue, right?! Too bad I didn't show that quality this morning when I backed into our garage door. . . . Around here, the birds are starting to strut quite a bit. We also continue to see lots of nice toms on our property. . . several have made it habit to check out our bird feeder, which is only 10 or less feet from our kitchen's bay window. The kids love stalking up to the window to watch . . . talk about good practice for their future! They even whisper to each other like true hunting partners! Continued luck and fun in the woods to all of you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Posted March 26, 2008 Report Share Posted March 26, 2008 Congrats Rhino!On a side note I was also in a contest on another forum,and my bird was the biggest taken opening weekend.That won me a hunt in Nebraska to hunt Merriams with Jason Edney at Fur&FeatherOutdoors! :eek: That's awesome!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Posted March 26, 2008 Report Share Posted March 26, 2008 The kids love stalking up to the window to watch . . . talk about good practice for their future! They even whisper to each other like true hunting partners!Sounds like you have them pointed in the right direction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlott89 Posted March 29, 2008 Report Share Posted March 29, 2008 yesterday when me and my friend went up coyote hunting around 4-430 pm there was atleast 20 birds in one of the feilds where i hunt and they were just off the road that runs from feilds which was the way we were going so we got right up to them(less then 20 yards from every bird) and sat there and watched them.there was some hens,jakes and acouple prety good sized toms it looked like.ahhh i cant stand it,i still have 1 month and 3 days to wait Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoosierhunter Posted March 30, 2008 Report Share Posted March 30, 2008 Guys I'm getting pumped up. I leave for Kansas on Thursday around noon and will be bow hunting those Kansas gobblers the next morning. We are hunting Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and half of Monday before returning. I'm also pumped to be doing this with a bow for the first time. Hopefully when I come back I have some great stories, pics, and videos!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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