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2016 Turkey Seasons

Congratulations! We love derailment, no worries!

My older two are two years apart, then an 8 year break. The youngest will be 10 in a couple months and both she and our older daughter were scheduled early deliveries. My oldest, my son, was a 17 hour labor and eventual c-section.

And happy hunting!
 
My first attempt at a write up:

I took my Maverick 88 12 gauge to the range for the first time today. My father in law and I were patterning our guns for our upcoming turkey hunt.

Gun: (Note: this was the first time this gun has been fired, it was purchased last week)
  • Maverick 88
  • 12 Gauge
  • 28" Barrel
  • Truglo Fiber Optic sights
  • Hogue Overmolded 12" LOP Stock
Choke:
  • Primos Tight Wad - .660 Constriction
Ammo:
  • Remington Nitro Turkey - 3" - 1210 Velocity - 1 7/8 shot - 4 shot ~$14 per box
  • Winchester Super X Turkey Load - 3" - 1210 Velocity - 1 7/8 shot - 5 shot ~$10 per box
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Distance - 30 yards, outdoor range.

Target 1:
Seated
Remington Ammo
27 hits
NOTE: This was my first shot, I missed high left.

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Target 2:
Seated
Remington Ammo
43 hits

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Target 3:
Standing
Remington Ammo
28 hits

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Target 4:
Standing
Remington Ammo
47 hits (this one may have gotten some overspray from another shot)

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Target 5:
Seated
Winchester Ammo
44 Hits

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Target 6:
Seated
Winchest Ammo
20 hits

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To me, it seems that the ammo is about the same. I blame any inconsistencies on my own inexperience. This is only the third time I have fired a shotgun. I will say that I was much more comfortable standing. The Truglo sights were also much better for me than the standard bead sight.

Not sure if this info is helpful to anyone, but it was fun to gather the data! :)

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Last edited:
The early season starts here on the 18th. I may be switching for a late season this year. I booked a fishing trip a year ago not realizing it fell during the first week of the season; I was thinking it fell the week prior. DOH!!!

Given that we just got a good 3" or more of snow today a later hunt might not be that bad.

I just send my 930 security barrel in for choke tubes, If I get it back in time I may use that. While I have been hunting with a bow a lot lately I am feeling the shotgun urge again this season.

I only have 4 guns patterned and ready to go so I think I'm good on backups.

Part of me is leaning towards using my old 870. despite being the the gun I hunted with exclusively for a majority of my life, it has never taken a turkey. It just seems like it's due.
 
Tomorrow. Tomorrow is the day.

My older daughter and I are taking the day off for opening day of the season. Turkeys have been very active around and across our propert. We hear clucks and purrs coming from the woods every morning and yesterday morning I listened as a hen crossed the creek and calmly clucked as she walked out of the woods, up the yard and to the road where she walked her happy backside across and into the farmers field.

I've not seen any Jakes or toms but we hear them gobble usually in the evening. We're finding they're all starting at the back of our property very early and making their way across as the day goes and are farther up the yard by 9:30 to 10. So we'll set up to intercept at the end of the property early where they should be about 7:30 or so. They've been all over so I have no idea which way they'll come in which affects how I'll set out the decoys. Which by the way, I got a good deal on from Dicks sporting goods. I had bought one about a month or so ago and they recently had the same ones on sale 2 for $25. So I have 2 hens and a jake, they're the foam collapsible decoy.

The gun is good to go and I've learned enough about my calling that while I was making realistic sounds turkeys make, I was also using a call that essentially means "danger, run away, run away!" I won't do that one anymore though it did fire up the birds. I wouldn't see them but they did make a lot of noise after that. I guess sending the warning up the chain. I dunno. In any case, supposedly the excited putting means warning and hunters have said not to do that.
 
Tomorrow. Tomorrow is the day.

My older daughter and I are taking the day off for opening day of the season. Turkeys have been very active around and across our propert. We hear clucks and purrs coming from the woods every morning and yesterday morning I listened as a hen crossed the creek and calmly clucked as she walked out of the woods, up the yard and to the road where she walked her happy backside across and into the farmers field.

I've not seen any Jakes or toms but we hear them gobble usually in the evening. We're finding they're all starting at the back of our property very early and making their way across as the day goes and are farther up the yard by 9:30 to 10. So we'll set up to intercept at the end of the property early where they should be about 7:30 or so. They've been all over so I have no idea which way they'll come in which affects how I'll set out the decoys. Which by the way, I got a good deal on from Dicks sporting goods. I had bought one about a month or so ago and they recently had the same ones on sale 2 for $25. So I have 2 hens and a jake, they're the foam collapsible decoy.

The gun is good to go and I've learned enough about my calling that while I was making realistic sounds turkeys make, I was also using a call that essentially means "danger, run away, run away!" I won't do that one anymore though it did fire up the birds. I wouldn't see them but they did make a lot of noise after that. I guess sending the warning up the chain. I dunno. In any case, supposedly the excited putting means warning and hunters have said not to do that.

Excited to hear how it goes. I am heading out with my father in law on the 1st. I'm pretty excited.
 
The date wasn't set on my camera right when I put it out a few weeks ago, but they're struttin' all the time right now locally.

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I ended up grabbing the later season which starts Monday and runs through the 30th. I won't make it out to the woods until the weekend of the 7th.
 
I wish I had the same problem as the mailman.

But if I was him, I'd turn around with that stick he's carrying and would show them what a real sith lord looked like swinging that thing around on them. I'd put more swarps on those things than Darth Vader.

They would only do me that way once before they suddenly transformed into sandwiches and baked/broiled deliciousness.

I would call that lunch on the go. Mmmm, Mmmm....lip smackin' munchin's.
 
It's been raining here everyday for the last week. We got up to check it out but I don't have it in me to sit in the cold drizzle. Next week is supposed to be dry...
 
I wish I had the same problem as the mailman.

But if I was him, I'd turn around with that stick he's carrying and would show them what a real sith lord looked like swinging that thing around on them. I'd put more swarps on those things than Darth Vader.

They would only do me that way once before they suddenly transformed into sandwiches and baked/broiled deliciousness.

I would call that lunch on the go. Mmmm, Mmmm....lip smackin' munchin's.
Are you saying you would go postal on those turkeys?
 
Man, that sucks. I haven't been able to get out since opening day because of rain here.
 
Been out 4 times sence opening
Day. The toms were gobbling
Before the season opened , haven't herd one sence. Called in a hen , kept her clucking for quite a wile. No toms.?
 
Been out 4 times sence opening
Day. The toms were gobbling
Before the season opened , haven't herd one sence. Called in a hen , kept her clucking for quite a wile. No toms.?

You know, it's been the same way here. We heard them gobbling from the woods, even saw two hens the weekend before opening day, we tracked their movements for two weeks and now nothing.
 
Yup , I have 6 jake's and a long beard and maybe 8 hens that come by my house almost every day to clean up under my bird feeders. A few weeks before the season , they were chaseing each other , the one jake thought he was hot stuff, he would Chase the long beard off.
They would gobble and strut .
Now nothing.
I would really like to tag that Jake that thinks hes hot stuff
Hes got maybe a 3. 1-2" to 4" beard it sticks straight out of his chest.
The last time I was out in the woods for about 3 hrs. In the rain , I get back to the house and my wife tells me the six jake's were here for about a half hour.
 
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