2018 Turkey Reports

Post your observations, activity, and techniques used to harvest your bird. Good luck everyone!

Thank you everyone! She picked out her display mount at the taxidermist and is counting down the days till she can hang it in her room. Good luck to all of you as well.

Grizz

Congratulations Grizzly to you and your daughter. 

Well done, her smile says it all.

That is fantastic Grizzly! Congrats to her. Now she's hooked. Good job!

Tim 

Mother Nature was not going to deter my 10yr old daughter that has been counting down the days. We braved 30 mph wind with the cold and the rain. Our big heater got a workout and even blew out a half a dozen times in our blind. At 7:00 we finally saw a bird and it was a good Tom. My “Big Cheese Game Calls” glass was just loud enough to make him curious at 200 yards. He locked on to the decoys and slowly walked towards us. It took him 15 minutes to go 175 yards through a field and he almost got blown over twice. At 25 yards, my daughters aim was slightly off but after a 15 minute track, we found her harvested Tom! 24.3 lbs, 1” spurs and an 11” beard! Hell of a first bird! She would not be denied this hunt. I am so super proud of my girl. I was not as hopeful as she was, that’s for sure. Good luck to the rest of the youths! 

We canceled grandson's youth hunt trip this weekend, driving a 100 miles to sit in rain, snow and wind just isn't a great idea. Although we know turkeys were active earlier this week. He got a regular season to hunt next week. Good luck to all who brave it................

Where I hunt in zone 3 could get up to a foot of snow for next week's opener . Yeah !!!

did a little calling this morning. these showed up in the driveway. two more 10 minutes later. Hope they are around next week

Its looking like a tough weekend for the Youth Hunt, talking  cooler with a chance of rain both Saturday & Sunday.  I question how active the  gobblers will be in are area.  Twelve year old grandson is all fired up to go.  When we set up blind last week, heard no gobbling but did see a few birds in open field near by. Hoping for the best.............. 

SJB, I know what you mean about a large flock being tough to hunt with all those eyes on you too. In my scouting there are small groups and several lone birds that work this field also. Those are the ones I am looking at for harvest opportunity. Drive by scouting shows some lone toms and the one 5 bird bachelor group. Plan B already in place has a 20 plus bird flock with 3-5 toms or jakes in it. Further into spring hopefully they split up more. 

Eyesman - had the same situation last year for the youth hunt.  I was mentoring 2 kids and had a field lined up with 40+ birds.  Thought it was going to be easy.  The issue I ran into, the birds all stayed together, and those two days, chose a different field.  Was very frustrating to say the least.  Sound like at least you have 2 groups working that field, but make sure you have a plan B.  I needed one and did not have it lined up because I was THAT sure the kids would get a chance. 

Set out a blind for this weekend’s mentored LTH program. Been watching this field and it’s big flock for better than a week. Hopefully the mega flock of 40 plus birds shows up Saturday morning. My mentee should have an excellent chance at one of the 7-10 toms and jakes in the group. If the big group doesn’t cooperate the 5 tom bachelor group would be just fine also. 

Gobbling daily - 6:15am. Leaving for work. Great way to start the day !

City of West Bend.