Results 1 to 25 of 25

Thread: Opening Day - trip report

  1. #1
    Senior Member (too much time on their hands) Bwana's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    North Dakota
    Posts
    3,504

    Opening Day - trip report

    This past Saturday was the opener for the ND spring turkey season. Due to other obligations the youngest two kids were not able to go, so it was just my oldest and I.

    It was a great morning to be out as there was no wind and with temps in the upper 20's so it was pretty comfortable. We watched the sun rise as the morning mist was moving here and there all while being serenaded by coyotes, robins, canada geese, blue jays, and several flocks of turkeys. A magical time and I attempted to take in as much as possible since it might be the last for just the two of us together as he is starting college in the fall.

    Anyway the birds didn't fly down until an hour after sunrise and that was only after a group of 3 jakes walked close to where the birds were roosted. I watched those jakes come from over a 1/2 mile away but when they started gobbling up a storm within 50 yards of where the big toms were roosted, all hell broke loose and there was one hell of a fight going on. It looked like a bar-rrom brawl with a total of 7 birds all in the mix. Eventually the fighting ceased and the birds moved off which is when we made our move. We snuck to within about 75 yards of the birds and set up in the shade of some trees with the sun at our backs. After watching the toms milling around for some time two of the larger toms ended up within 30 yards of our position but they were just over a rise and out of sight from us. I thought about trying to sneak a bit closer but my son suggested calling instead which did the trick as in they came all nice and fanned out. We did the old "I'll take the one on the left and you take the one on the right," BOOM! or maybe it was boom, boom , boom but either way we dropped both gobblers. My son's bird ended up having one of the longer sets of spurs I have seen on a bird around here at just under 1-1/2 inches and an 8.25" beard.
    photo 3.JPG
    Unknown-1.jpg

    OK, here is one for you in-the-know turkey guys, what is up with the difference in coloration of the secondary tail feathers on these two birds?
    Unknown-3.jpg

    And last but not least:
    Unknown.jpg

    Plan for now is to head out with the younger two on Friday if the weather holds out. My fingers are crossed.
    Last edited by Bwana; 04-15-2014 at 04:42 PM.

  2. #2
    pUMpHEAD SYSOp Thumper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Mickey Mouseville, Florida
    Posts
    23,870
    We did the old "I'll take the one on the left and you take the one on the left ...
    Now THAT'S good planning dad! Was there any meat left?

    Seriously, sounds like a great time. I really miss turkey hunting.

  3. #3
    Senior Member (too much time on their hands) airbud7's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Location
    Aiken, SC
    Posts
    3,875
    That is nice fellers...

  4. #4
    Senior Member (too much time on their hands) Buckrub's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Conway, AR
    Posts
    10,953
    Such great stories. Congrats to you guys. You always score!
    WARNING - Due to the rising costs of ammunition, warning shots will no longer be given.

  5. #5
    Administrator BarryBobPosthole's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Owasso, OK
    Posts
    22,254
    A double Niner. Gotta be a record of some sort.

    Congrats, John!

    BKB

  6. #6
    Senior Member (too much time on their hands) Bwana's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    North Dakota
    Posts
    3,504
    What you talkin' 'bout Thump?
    Last edited by Bwana; 04-15-2014 at 11:05 PM.

  7. #7
    Administrator Captain's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    NC/SC
    Posts
    10,110
    Man that is a set if HOOKS on that bird. A Limbhanger for sure! Congrats what a great way to spend a day.
    I've seen feather discoloration before. We have even seen totally white and black variations. I personally not seen either totally white or black but I've seen some mixed colors before.
    I guess if a hen can grow a beard, anything is possible as far as feather coloration goes?
    I'm on the sidelines for a few days. Spent yesterday rounding up cattle and cutting some out to go to the sale and I made a bad mid-step (into an old posthole) and twisted a knee so bad I can barely stand much less walk....
    Suppose to drop tonight to freezing here which will shut our birds up and we had like a flood today.
    I'm just hoping I can get to where I can walk in the next day or so. I've got a tag left! :-)
    Great story and congrats to you and your son. That youngin' sure has grown since I seen him

    Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner
    A Government that pays people to do nothing destorys their willingness to do anything!

  8. #8
    pUMpHEAD SYSOp Thumper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Mickey Mouseville, Florida
    Posts
    23,870
    Nice edit there Mr. Cheater!

    Ha ha ha! Then you post again and I kept wondering who was talkin' about me .. THEN it hit me! You need to do ANOTHER edit. "THAT"???

    Quote Originally Posted by Bwana View Post
    That you talkin' 'bout Thump?

  9. #9
    Administrator Arty's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    VA Beach, VA
    Posts
    3,922
    Cool story and great pics! Jealous!

  10. #10
    Administrator LJ3's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Leesburg, VA
    Posts
    6,590
    LOVE the double Niner! looks like a great time!
    If we all threw our problems in a pile, and you saw everyone else's problems-- you'd take yours back.

  11. #11
    Administrator Niner's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    The Boondocks, GA
    Posts
    2,391
    GREAT story there Bwana, just great! That lad sure looks to have grown into a fine young man. Y'all will cherish the memory of that hunt forever. You know.....that time we went turkey hunting before I went off to college......

    AND thanks for taking the time to snap and post the "Double Niner" picture. That is actually a good picture.

    Here's hoping the youngsters have some of that good luck later this week when it is their turn.

    Oh.....what kind of flag is that in the background????
    My "disability" does not make me "disabled".


    Cancer Sucks!
    http://www.mdanderson.org

  12. #12
    Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Posts
    218
    The bird on the left looks like a Rio, The one on the right, an Eastern.

  13. #13
    pUMpHEAD SYSOp Thumper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Mickey Mouseville, Florida
    Posts
    23,870
    Good eye Boogieman ... I didn't even notice that. They're working on a "team" Grand Slam!

  14. #14
    Senior Member (too much time on their hands) Bwana's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    North Dakota
    Posts
    3,504
    Was thinking the same thing Booger but these birds literally came in wing-to-wing from the same flock which seems odd to me. Perhaps if they were taken the same day only a couple of miles apart but these were shot from the same flock and were taken only FEET away from each other.

    How about a new twist on the Niner pose, I present to you The Ghilly Niner:
    photo 4.JPG

    photo 1.JPG

  15. #15
    Senior Member (too much time on their hands) Bwana's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    North Dakota
    Posts
    3,504
    So what the hell happened there and how do I turn them right side up? They appear correctly in my picture folder.

  16. #16
    Administrator LJ3's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Leesburg, VA
    Posts
    6,590
    doesn't matter how the images are oriented. Sasquatch is sasquatch!
    If we all threw our problems in a pile, and you saw everyone else's problems-- you'd take yours back.

  17. #17
    pUMpHEAD SYSOp Thumper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Mickey Mouseville, Florida
    Posts
    23,870
    Well you SAID:

    How about a new twist on the Niner pose...?

  18. #18
    Senior Member (too much time on their hands) Big Skyz's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Posts
    3,028
    You guys are death on wheels when it comes to those turkeys out there.

  19. #19
    pUMpHEAD SYSOp Thumper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Mickey Mouseville, Florida
    Posts
    23,870
    Quote Originally Posted by Bwana View Post
    So what the hell happened there and how do I turn them right side up? They appear correctly in my picture folder.
    What would this place do without a PumPHeAd to clean up around here?

    photo 1.JPG photo 4.JPG

  20. #20
    Administrator BarryBobPosthole's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Owasso, OK
    Posts
    22,254
    HEY! Yer camo finally matches!

    BKB

  21. #21
    Senior Member (too much time on their hands) Buckrub's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Conway, AR
    Posts
    10,953
    You have a green Ghillie suit.
    In NODAK. In April.

    Duh.

    Guess it worked though, huh?
    WARNING - Due to the rising costs of ammunition, warning shots will no longer be given.

  22. #22
    pUMpHEAD SYSOp Thumper's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Mickey Mouseville, Florida
    Posts
    23,870
    He was an "Evergreen".

  23. #23
    Administrator BarryBobPosthole's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Owasso, OK
    Posts
    22,254
    I keep expecting to see a pack of Jack Links Beef Jerkey.

    BKB

  24. #24
    Senior Member (too much time on their hands) Bwana's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    North Dakota
    Posts
    3,504
    The dufe in the Ghilly is my son. He is in to paint balling and that is why it was purchased but he thought it would work good for turkey hunting as well, guess it worked just fine but when it comes to crossing barbed-wire fences…not so much.

    Planning to get my daughter and youngest boy out this weekend for their turn at terrorizing the turks.

  25. #25
    Senior Member (too much time on their hands) HideHunter's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    SE Iowa
    Posts
    2,480
    xellent.. ! .. Just came in from scouting. Son hunts tomorrow. Wanted to get close enough to the roost to see where the birds were going but not take a chance on spooking anything. @ 5:49 I'm 150 yards from two toms - exactly where I want to be. @ 6:49 I'm trying to crawl inside a tree trunk with a tom spitting and drumming literally 10 feet from me. He finally wandered off and I got out of there without spooking anything. We have 0 green in the woods here. You can see 150 yards in any direction and a turkey can see 300. Going to be a challenge. Bwana - we occasionally kill a bird here like the one on the left. Sometimes the feathers will be golden and absolutely gorgeous in the sun. Our birds were stocked in the late 60s and most were easterns. But my biologist buddy tells me there were some Rios in the mix and occasionally one reverts back. Your mileage may vary.
    If you turn a dog loose to hunt – you’d better to be ready to deal with what he trees.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •