Nothing Like Opening Weekend!!!

[KyTrkyHntr]

Well I was back at the farm this morning to see if I could have some luck on my own. It was a crisp cool morning and the birds were fired up!!! I had 2 birds gobbling as the woods were waking up. I was thinking to myself this was going to be a good morning, but as the saying goes... A "roosted" bird is not a "roasted" bird!! One gobbler hits the ground over the rise from me and is gobbling his brains out headed my way. He stops about 60 yards out and just struts and gobbles. Puts on a great show!! All of a sudden he stops and goes out of sight so I figured something had spooked him. About 20 mins later I start seeing hen after hen feeding and headed in my general direction. As the hens were drifting about 40 yrds away I look and bringing up the rear are those 2 gobblers that were fired up earlier this a.m. Man what a show... 2 birds strutting and the sun coming up right behind them with hens. Awesome sight!!! Lucky enough to take a bird on my own. Awesome morning!

Sun coming up & decoys in the background!!

[Redbelly]

Way to go!! "Call'em Close"

[BullHound]

Nice bird. Good to get one early enough to make it home for breakfast!

[Cranfield]

Nice bird, what loads are you using ?

[KyTrkyHntr]

Nice bird, what loads are you using ?

Thanks! I'm using Winchester Supreme High Velocity Turkey Loads. 3.5" #6's 2oz. I patterned a number of different loads with that 835 and those were the best! I was a little worried after reading about the 'knock down" power of #6's at longer yardages, but I've never had a problem. That gun is dialed in and I'm glad I put that scope on it. That was a huge help to me.

[Cranfield]

I appreciate the info and am interested that you were using No6 shot.
I decoy geese within 40 yards and use nothing bigger that 1.25oz No6 shot, its a very effective load.
The reason I asked the question is that I wonder why the norm seems to be for large shot sizes to be used for turkeys, when its basically a head shot that is being taken.
My comments aren't meant to be critical of any turkey shooters, as I have said, I have no experience of shooting turkeys.

[cygraphics]

Way to open it up! One week to go here and I still have one more to try and get. I've always wanted to go hunt those rolling hills up in your area.

I shoot the HeavyShot #6 with a JellyHead choke. I love the way #6 patterns.

[KyTrkyHntr]

I appreciate the info and am interested that you were using No6 shot.
I decoy geese within 40 yards and use nothing bigger that 1.25oz No6 shot, its a very effective load.
The reason I asked the question is that I wonder why the norm seems to be for large shot sizes to be used for turkeys, when its basically a head shot that is being taken.
My comments aren't meant to be critical of any turkey shooters, as I have said, I have no experience of shooting turkeys.

I know I was going back and forth after reading a ton of stuff on the NWTF forum about loads, etc. Plus, I think a lot of people don't take the time to pattern their gun and find the right choke either. I know it's expensive to go out and shoot a number of different loads, etc. but every gun shoots differnt and I think that's one of the keys to improving your success rate. I agree with you that #6's are very effective load and have been great for me. I'd say most folks are just going with #4's & 5's just based on what they've read and if they miss a head shot feel they may hit some other vitals to take the bird down.....IMHO.

[KyTrkyHntr]

Way to open it up! One week to go here and I still have one more to try and get. I've always wanted to go hunt those rolling hills up in your area.

I shoot the HeavyShot #6 with a JellyHead choke. I love the way #6 patterns.

Thanks! Those birds were roosted right in that hollow behind me in the pic. I couldn't have asked for a better setup!

I’m fortunate enough to have our farm to hunt on so come on up next year and we'll get after them!!

[Cranfield]

One year we went from Clinton Tenn through Nashville to Memphis (then down the Mississippi to New Orleans).
As is usual there are always diversions on our Trips, some deliberate, but most accidental.
On this Trip we went from Nashville into Kentucky through Bowling Green and stayed at Cave City in a wigwam.
Quite an experience and I remember in Horse Cave, the Guide telling us that the smell from the sink hole was so bad, that the towns shops shut midday on warm days.
I am a fount of useless information about the USA.

[KyTrkyHntr]

You let the cat out of the bag.... Wigwam Village was where I had planned to have cygraphics stay if he came up here!!....

http://www.wigwamvillage.com/

[Cranfield]

I didn't mean to derail your thread, but thats the place we stayed and I would recommend the experience.

The only turkeys we saw that Trip was in Cades Cove Tenn.

[Gulf Coast]

pretty this time of year up there. daddy is in prinston ky know with some friends from primos call shooting a few

[KyTrkyHntr]

I didn't mean to derail your thread, but thats the place we stayed and I would recommend the experience.

The only turkeys we saw that Trip was in Cades Cove Tenn.

No problem! It's Off Topic anyway..

pretty this time of year up there. daddy is in prinston ky know with some friends from primos call shooting a few

Yes it is! Now that would be a fun hunt! Those guys kick turkey azz!

[Ron Wilson]

Ky,
I was talking to a buddy from Ky last week. He said there were multiple seasons for turky in Ky. That's impressive. I guess the population supports that. I would assume the Spring is the best of the three?