Coming of Spring(TURKEY)

[mullet]

     There are a lot of Predators down here and the cover is thicker. I  got a bird the State has on their record web site a few years ago that is my best.They go by beard length which doesn't make sense. But it had a 11 3/4" beard and 1 5/8" hooked spurs that I hung on my bicycle handle bars. The bird weighed 22# ,which is big for an Osceola on public land in the spring. And took him with a muzzle loading shotgun. Come on down, 2 year olds are usually sporting 1" to 1 1/4" needle sharp spurs.

[mullet]

   huntertrapper, Yep, a GOOD, hunting buddy shot one out from under me in Alabama

[huntertrapper]

you shot that bird with a muzzleloader thats great i love them things?

[sailordad]

 Hi everyone,my name is Tim and i am a turkey hunting addict. Ive been known to hunt for two weeks and then call in sick to work just so i can go hunt them some more.Where i hunt here in MN. the birds can get up to 28-30 lbs long rope like beards and 1.75 needle sharp spurs.I don't think they have much for a sense of smell,considering Ive had them sneak right next to and past my double bull blind with me in it smoking,scared the beejeebies out of me.I ve had them as close as 20 feet from me gobbling like mad,while standing very still next to some trees and wearing just regular old street clothes,secret is to remain absolutely still,mouth calls work great for this sort of thing.I too like to use the guillotine blade, but then you have to leave the mesh window open on the blind cause that 4 inch blade will shred it real quick.
the guillotine is great for head shots,its like popping the flower head off of a dandelion lol. If I'm using regular broad heads i like to wait and try to get a pooper shot,more reliable than a broad side shot, ever  seen a turkey fly about 600 acres with one busted wing and arrow sticking out both sides,not a good thing. we are kind of lucky here in MN,in the fact that if you don't get drawn in the lottery for gun season,you can buy an over the counter BOW permit and lots and lots and lots of great public hunting land. the only draw back to bow season is that it is the last two weeks of the season,and the birds get just as spooked as the giant rabbits (or as other people call them DEER) do during hunting season. Now thats when you really know if your  a turkey hunter or someone who just likes to go turkey hunting.well i gotta go now,its only 2.5 months to bow season,gotta go practice my calling now, mmmmmm TURKEY HUNTING.

                                              good luck to everyone this spring thats going after them thar buzzards,and GOBBLE GOBBLE GOBBLE  

                                                                                         TIM

[FlintWalker]

Hunter, beardsd hens are very common around here.  I'd say at least one in 50 has one. Multiple beards are pretty common in some areas also. I've killed 10 or 15 birds with from 2 to 5 beards. I would say my best overall bird was 24# 10-1/2, 9-1/2, and 8" beards. He had 5 spurs, two on one leg and 3 on the other. The extra spurs were small, but he had 'em.  Saw Filer

[Justin Snyder]

Hunter, beardsd hens are very common around here.  I'd say at least one in 50 has one. Multiple beards are pretty common in some areas also. I've killed 10 or 15 birds with from 2 to 5 beards. I would say my best overall bird was 24# 10-1/2, 9-1/2, and 8" beards. He had 5 spurs, two on one leg and 3 on the other. The extra spurs were small, but he had 'em.  Saw Filer

You need to quit hunting next to the nuclear reactors.  Justin

[huntertrapper]

wow! 10 to 15 birds. were all with a stickbow? or gun? and yeah we have some here that have 2 birds. i think maybe a few more spurs too.

[keekeerun]

Bearded hens are not that uncommon I see atleast one a year.  I shot one years back. I believe it has to do with geneticis,they can funtion the same as any other hens, and I have seen them raise brood.

[huntertrapper]

the one i saw a couple guys saw.

[keekeerun]

I have seen a number of hen beards from other hunters,  friends etc. They all seem to be thin and have a kink in them, and average around 6 to 7 inches. I hope to bag a longbeard though with the longbow this year, can't wait

[huntertrapper]

Same. good luck to you