Forty nine years ago today.......

[Pygmy]

I killed my first spring gobbler , a 14 pound jake...It  was my third year of hunting them and I had sworn that if I ever killed one I would quit hunting the damn frustrating things....But of course after I finally got one, I was hooked......<<SIGH>>....

[mowin]

43 minutes ago, Pygmy said:

....But of course after I finally got one, I was hooked......<<SIGH>>....

Funny how that works.  

[Farflung]

I think it was my first season in 1984. Called in a pair of Jakes and killed one. First day of season. Had already called in a bird earlier. Said to myself, "well this is easy". Little did I know how wrong I was.  But I love it!!!

[Wolc123]

I’ve never killed a spring Tom but I did kill a hen a few falls ago. A group walked by my tree blind, about 40 yards away.  I waited for one to separate from the others a bit and blasted it with a 3” 12 ga load of  lead # 5’s.

 

 I never liked store bought or farm raised turkey and that one tasted about the same to me.  My wife and kids didn’t like it because of all the lead shot.  
 
I am looking forward to trying a spring tom though.  A friend told me that the breasts are very good if you chunk them up, dip them in flour, then egg, then panko crumbs and fry them in olive oil.  I’ll try a few times over the weekend.

Edited May 16, 2024 by Wolc123

[LET EM GROW]

22 years ago for me, age 15. My first bird and on opening day, 2nd season. I Called in myself. Beautiful 2-3yr old Tom. Mounted on my wall. 

[dbHunterNY]

19 hours ago, Wolc123 said:

I’ve never killed a spring Tom but I did kill a hen a few falls ago. A group walked by my tree blind, about 40 yards away.  I waited for one to separate from the others a bit and blasted it with a 3” 12 ga load of  lead # 5’s.

 I never liked store bought or farm raised turkey and that one tasted about the same to me.  My wife and kids didn’t like it because of all the lead shot.  
I am looking forward to trying a spring tom though.  A friend told me that the breasts are very good if you chunk them up, dip them in flour, then egg, then panko crumbs and fry them in olive oil.  I’ll try a few times over the weekend.

my two kids under 9 yrs old, wife, and myself ate both birds I got last year within two days. raw meat from breasts and tenderloins of the two birds stuffed a 1 gallon ziploc bag. i didn't stray far at all from the recipe below. Not sure I care much for the sauce though.
https://www.themeateater.com/cook/recipes/copycat-chik-fil-a-turkey-nuggets-recipe

[dbHunterNY]

first bird for me was around 16 yrs ago when I was in my mid 20s i think. I got a later start turkey hunting but I remember it had something like a 9-3/4" beard, matching length spurs that were like 1-1/8" or 1-5/16", and it weighed 19 and change lbs. left the fan and beard in the freezer way too long and turned to garbage. it was a great hunt though. i called it into a handful of steps. years later that's not a goal anymore. lol i can't count how many times that's happened on one hand all these years later hunting between states of NY, OK, and KY.

[Pygmy]

I hunted KY three y.ears...Defintely  the best hunting and the biggest birds I have ever seen....

[Stubborn1vt]

I went on my first turkey hunt 28 years ago.  I'd seen a bunch of birds while I was woodchuck hunting, so I bought a license and a box call and borrowed a 12 gauge.  Managed to call in a flock of hens to 6 yards, followed by the boss Tom.  I had to wait for the hens to move aside before I shot.

20.5lb bird.  

Some years have been tougher than others, but I have done well here in Vermont.

 

[LET EM GROW]

10 hours ago, Stubborn1vt said:

I went on my first turkey hunt 28 years ago.  I'd seen a bunch of birds while I was woodchuck hunting, so I bought a license and a box call and borrowed a 12 gauge.  Managed to call in a flock of hens to 6 yards, followed by the boss Tom.  I had to wait for the hens to move aside before I shot.

20.5lb bird.  

Some years have been tougher than others, but I have done well here in Vermont.

 

I’d love to go to Vermont some day and hunt them. All across the northeast actually. When the kids get older I guess lol

[LET EM GROW]

On 5/15/2024 at 6:38 PM, Wolc123 said:

I’ve never killed a spring Tom but I did kill a hen a few falls ago. A group walked by my tree blind, about 40 yards away.  I waited for one to separate from the others a bit and blasted it with a 3” 12 ga load of  lead # 5’s.

 

 I never liked store bought or farm raised turkey and that one tasted about the same to me.  My wife and kids didn’t like it because of all the lead shot.  
 
I am looking forward to trying a spring tom though.  A friend told me that the breasts are very good if you chunk them up, dip them in flour, then egg, then panko crumbs and fry them in olive oil.  I’ll try a few times over the weekend.

Marinate and Make them into skewers and your fav veggies over an open flame. Hard to beat!

[Buckmaster7600]

On 5/17/2024 at 7:15 AM, LET EM GROW said:

I’d love to go to Vermont some day and hunt them. All across the northeast actually. When the kids get older I guess lol

Tons of public land and a good bird population. Only took me 3 days to fill both of my tags this year, last year I did it in 2 days. There is pressure on weekends but weekdays I hardly ever see anyone else on public.

[Wolc123]

5 hours ago, Buckmaster7600 said:

Tons of public land and a good bird population. Only took me 3 days to fill both of my tags this year, last year I did it in 2 days. There is pressure on weekends but weekdays I hardly ever see anyone else on public.

I’m bringing along my Turkey gear, up to the in-laws on the NW corner of the Adirondack park on Memorial Day weekend.  Usually the black flies are horrific in the woods up there then, so I spend most of my time out on the lake.

The turkey population has been as high as ever up there lately.  I called a tom almost close enough for a shot last year, but he saw me and spooked while he was still on posted property, that I have not yet secured permission to hunt.  
 

If I hear any gobbling around the lake on sunrise on Saturday morning, I’ll get after them Sunday and/or Monday, at least until the black flies drive me back out onto the lake.  

[Lawdwaz]

8 minutes ago, Wolc123 said:

I’m bringing along my Turkey gear, up to the in-laws on the NW corner of the Adirondack park on Memorial Day weekend.  Usually the black flies are horrific in the woods up there then, so I spend most of my time out on the lake.

The turkey population has been as high as ever up there lately.  I called a tom almost close enough for a shot last year, but he saw me and spooked while he was still on posted property, that I have not yet secured permission to hunt.  
 

If I hear any gobbling around the lake on sunrise on Saturday morning, I’ll get after them Sunday and/or Monday, at least until the black flies drive me back out onto the lake.  

A full mesh headnet is the only way to go when the bugs are thick.  

[Buckmaster7600]

13 minutes ago, Wolc123 said:

I’m bringing along my Turkey gear, up to the in-laws on the NW corner of the Adirondack park on Memorial Day weekend.  Usually the black flies are horrific in the woods up there then, so I spend most of my time out on the lake.

The turkey population has been as high as ever up there lately.  I called a tom almost close enough for a shot last year, but he saw me and spooked while he was still on posted property, that I have not yet secured permission to hunt.  
 

If I hear any gobbling around the lake on sunrise on Saturday morning, I’ll get after them Sunday and/or Monday, at least until the black flies drive me back out onto the lake.  

I was talking about Vermont.
 

I’m glad I’m done turkey hunting  for the year both here and New York, worked on camp a few days this week “not too far from your in-laws and black flies are awful and mosquitoes just as bad at night.