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Spring 2020 Gobbler Season

woodsdog2

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2019
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The Gobblers are gobblin' and the Strutters are struttin'. Post your strategies, tactics and equipment you'll be using this spring to bring down a bird. Last year I went exclusively with archery gear only. I arrowed a decent Jake but only got out three times. I plan on bow or xbow only again this year. Here's a pic of my typical archery set up. If I hunt on private, I do not run and gun. This location has served me well for years. The birds roost on a ridge to the right of the blind and they feed in corn or soybean fields to the left of the blind. Patience and intermittent calling typically seal the deal. Weather, hens and other hunting pressure can make toms more finicky sometimes. Get in on the up-peak of their gobbling cycles and the action should be plenty. We can only hunt until noon in NYS but even here, as the season progresses, 10am to high noon can be productive later in the season as the hens want to sneak off to lay their eggs. They'll sit on the nest instinctively only when they have 5 or more eggs. Otherwise the risk of being on the ground all night is too great.2019 Spring Jake With Bow3.jpg
 

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  • Spring Turkey Archery Setup3.jpg
    Spring Turkey Archery Setup3.jpg
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Remington 870 20gauge shooting Winchester long beards #6, a couple Enticer pot calls, spring creek box call or primos wet box, mouth calls (working on learning them)
Chasing birds here in NYS as well.
 
First year going out and will be on both public and private land.

Archery Only
My setup at the moment is a rhino 150 ground blind decoys are by flambeau (strutting tom, 2 feeding hens and one additional upright hen) doubt I'll use them all but got them new and for s killer deal. My broadheads are a decapitating style Bullhead by Magnus.(bow is dialed in out to 30+ yards with this head idk if I'd shoot further)

Calls I'm lacking on I have some push box calls tried the mouth calls but yeah not having the best time learning them and hope to get a pot call and work that in as well.

Wish me luck lol

b4679cf6f9385690d6ad64d700347b74.jpg


Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
 
First year going out and will be on both public and private land.

Archery Only
My setup at the moment is a rhino 150 ground blind decoys are by flambeau (strutting tom, 2 feeding hens and one additional upright hen) doubt I'll use them all but got them new and for s killer deal. My broadheads are a decapitating style Bullhead by Magnus.(bow is dialed in out to 30+ yards with this head idk if I'd shoot further)

Calls I'm lacking on I have some push box calls tried the mouth calls but yeah not having the best time learning them and hope to get a pot call and work that in as well.

Wish me luck lol

b4679cf6f9385690d6ad64d700347b74.jpg


Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
I thought that was gonna be a lot of fun, but man that’s a bobbin & weaving small target!!!! Right under the wing with a big expandable was consistently more successful.... But truth be told I’m mostly done with archery tackle for longbeards, I think they were just perfectly made to be **** in the face w/TSS !
 
First year going out and will be on both public and private land.

Archery Only
My setup at the moment is a rhino 150 ground blind decoys are by flambeau (strutting tom, 2 feeding hens and one additional upright hen) doubt I'll use them all but got them new and for s killer deal. My broadheads are a decapitating style Bullhead by Magnus.(bow is dialed in out to 30+ yards with this head idk if I'd shoot further)

Calls I'm lacking on I have some push box calls tried the mouth calls but yeah not having the best time learning them and hope to get a pot call and work that in as well.

Wish me luck lol

b4679cf6f9385690d6ad64d700347b74.jpg


Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
Nice! I was thinking about switching to the bullheads. How difficult were they to tune and what do you do to carry them in your quiver???
 
Nice gobbler I shot a couple of years ago: Ithaca Model 37 TurkeySlayer using 3" Winchester No. 6's with a Kick's "Dead Coyote" Choke. I can shoot most anything out of this choke and it patterns it well, from 00Buck for Coyote's to 6's. The original choke this gun came with liked the old Active 5's but sadly they don't make them anymore!!!20170504-080822[1].jpg20170504-082250[1].jpg
 
This weekend will be my first real attempt at bird hunting....I'll have my saddle, soft platform, climbing stirrups, mouth calls, and bow with 145gr steel force single bevel.
Good luck and please post pic of your kill!!!
 
The plan as of right now is to head to an area I know throu deer hunting holds turkey consistently year after year. They did a fall burn in there in December the fire breaks were fresh till and it was bare except for spare palmetto clumps and the cypress heads. Fri after work I'll go scout looking for fresh sign. I'll get 15-20 yds into the swamp and get about 6-8 foot off the ground and wait with periodic soft calling. Got a couple backup spots in mind ill check out Fri afternoon also
 
Nice! I was thinking about switching to the bullheads. How difficult were they to tune and what do you do to carry them in your quiver???
I bought the plastic covers and they fit well enough in my quiver running two and can fit up to three in my hoyt carbon quiver.

As for tuning it wasn't bad at all with the arrow setups they send you with the package. Found them on amazon think I'm into them totally around 60 bucks.
 
Sadly Spring Turkey doesn't start till April 29th here in RI...... so I'll be tuning into post here and day dreaming of my first gobbler in hand in a few weeks.
 
Nice gobbler I shot a couple of years ago: Ithaca Model 37 TurkeySlayer using 3" Winchester No. 6's with a Kick's "Dead Coyote" Choke. I can shoot most anything out of this choke and it patterns it well, from 00Buck for Coyote's to 6's. The original choke this gun came with liked the old Active 5's but sadly they don't make them anymore!!!View attachment 26471View attachment 26472
Man I do miss those activ shells, all plastic red casing.... I found one in my vest a year or two ago.... killed all of my turkeys in high school with those!
 
Just bought my first turkey license in about 15 years. Got an archery license so I can hunt April 15 through May. I turkey hunted a bit as a kid but it’s been a looong time. Going to be an adventurous spring!
I bought a MN archery tag too. First time ever. I haven't shot a turkey in over 25 years and that was with a shotgun in the fall. I'm excited but have realistic expectations. I hope to learn a lot this spring if anything.
 
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