# Lfts 4/29



## old graybeard (Jan 19, 2006)

All ser for some action. Hopefully before the rain gets heavy. 









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## Namrock (Apr 12, 2016)

old graybeard said:


> All ser for some action. Hopefully before the rain gets heavy.
> View attachment 764887
> 
> 
> Sent from my SM-G892A using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


Nice looking set up Dave. Be safe & Shoot Straight everyone that's out there.


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## ReelWildFun (Jan 23, 2016)

I'm with ya light rain had one rooster across the field flew down wrong direction good luck 

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## springIstrutfallIrut (Mar 30, 2012)

Sat a different property for first time this season mostly cause I wanted to check for morels. Not much happening. Saw 2 lone hens in different directions and some distant gobbling after some calling. This woods is full of turkeys in the fall when I'm deer hunting, dead in the spring for big toms. Update while typing lol just heard a close gobble !!!!


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## ReelWildFun (Jan 23, 2016)

Nothing else for me getting wet I'm out of here

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## springIstrutfallIrut (Mar 30, 2012)

Well I was gonna say that only saw jakes and hens here last year. 

Just had a cool show put on by 2 toms. Came so close to the blind I could've reached out and touched them. In the binocs I could see that neither had big enough spurs. Think they were a pair of 3 yr olds spurs were probably just over an inch came to a point but not sharp and definitely not hooking so they got a pass. Awesome to have them that close tho!


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## springIstrutfallIrut (Mar 30, 2012)

Just had a hen come through. Been rainingpretty good since those toms moved on. Just heard another gobble not sure if it's from those same toms. Won't upload pics my service is low


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## Liver and Onions (Nov 24, 2000)

springIstrutfallIrut said:


> ......... In the binocs I could see that neither had big enough spurs. Think they were a pair of 3 yr olds spurs were probably just over an inch came to a point but not sharp and definitely not hooking so they got a pass. Awesome to have them that close tho!


Picking your tom based on spur length is a tough way to hunt. Even with good binocs, many times they will be walking in vegetation that will cover up the spurs or the angle is such that a clear look is never possible. Also the problem with setting your binos down and getting bow or gun ready must make things very difficult. About how long were the beards on these 2 birds ? Do you enter your toms into the CBM record book ?

L & O


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## springIstrutfallIrut (Mar 30, 2012)

had another tom work in just outta sight. The 2 toms I passed started gobbling and came back through. Other one shut up and gone it appears


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## Yankee#1 (Jun 3, 2015)

I shot the first mature Tom that came into range this year. He was a 20lb 2yo and I admit that I’ve suffered a little ‘punched tag regret’ - but I convinced the wife to buy her tag to extend my season so all good.


There’s an absolute slob gobbler on one of the properties I have permission to hunt, the only problem is he didn’t show up until after I killed my bird. He’s now her target bird...haha


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## retired dundo (Jul 21, 2015)

Yankee#1 said:


> I shot the first mature Tom that came into range this year. He was a 20lb 2yo and I admit that I’ve suffered a little ‘punched tag regret’ - but I convinced the wife to buy her tag to extend my season so all good.
> 
> 
> There’s an absolute slob gobbler on one of the properties I have permission to hunt, the only problem is he didn’t show up until after I killed my bird. He’s now her target bird...haha
> ...


Hope the wife gets him sure you will probaly happier seeing wife gets it.


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## Liver and Onions (Nov 24, 2000)

Yankee#1 said:


> ............
> There’s an absolute slob gobbler on one of the properties I have permission to hunt, the only problem is he didn’t show up until after I killed my bird.......


Physical size or beard length = slob ? Maybe both considered together ? 
For me, I pick my toms based on beard length. Trying to determine spur length seems nearly impossible to me and I salute the member in this thread who passed on what he thought were 3 y.o. birds based on spur length. 

L & O


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## Yankee#1 (Jun 3, 2015)

Physical size, he’s a glutton that looks to be pushing 30 lbs, definitely 25+. He’s also sporting a hefty beard, probably 12” and thick.

My hunting areas are bordered by railroad tracks, and therefore finding birds with sharp hooks is pretty rare. They wear down from all the rock on the tracks, especially when the birds decide to use them as strut zones. 


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## Yankee#1 (Jun 3, 2015)

I have on past occasion targeted older birds that have outsmarted me because I want to win the talent show, not because they have a long beard or sharp spurs.

But the last few years I’ve started hunting birds based on physical size, which has provided the best of most worlds. They typically only get that big if they’re smart enough to survive not getting shot for 2-3 years.


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## retired dundo (Jul 21, 2015)

Heading out to sit in blind for a while.figure what’s difference sitting in blind or dam house in rain.done hunting but views better than the idiot tv box


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## springIstrutfallIrut (Mar 30, 2012)

Liver and Onions said:


> Picking your tom based on spur length is a tough way to hunt. Even with good binocs, many times they will be walking in vegetation that will cover up the spurs or the angle is such that a clear look is never possible. Also the problem with setting your binos and down and getting bow or gun ready must things very difficult. About how long were the beards on these 2 birds ? Do you enter your toms into the CBM record book ?
> 
> L & O


I like to be picky when I can, especially when I know I have plenty of time and opportunity to hunt and the fact that I hunt multiple properties. Today's situation worked good for judging. I'll briefly lay it out.
The 2 toms stopped at 40 yds on the edge of a creek bank. First red flag was multiple toms together. This time of the year I've found that bigger toms will be by them self or with a hen/ hens. 2-3 yr old toms tend to hang together - not always but enough to make me take a closer look to size em up. I started glassing these 2 as they were strutting and kinda hanging on that creek edge for a few minutes. Beards were both average thickness and 9-10" long. I could see their spurs pretty good and they looked like fat triangles so I knew they weren't limb hangers. They jumped the creek and came at me I picked up my bow and focused on their legs. Once they were in 20 yds or so I could see the spurs and confirmed what I saw in the binos they weren't hooks so I let them go by and 1 damn near brushed his wings on the blind as he strutted right next to me . It was really cool. I've had hens brush against the blind before but never had a tom that close! 
Never put any the book but have killed quite a few with spurs over 1 1/2".


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## springIstrutfallIrut (Mar 30, 2012)

O and ended up with 9 morels after a quick search in the rain


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## Namrock (Apr 12, 2016)

Oh look! A field on my cousins has as a tom strutting on the back fence line with 3 hens pretty much ignoring him. (Says Norm as he drives right in past it to go sit in the rain & watch a high school baseball game 😢)


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## old graybeard (Jan 19, 2006)

I'm soaked and hanging it up for the day. One lonely hen and over 30 dear....


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## Flight of the arrow (Feb 11, 2008)

Namrock said:


> Oh look! A field on my cousins has as a tom strutting on the back fence line with 3 hens pretty much ignoring him. (Says Norm as he drives right in past it to go sit in the rain & watch a high school baseball game 😢)


Good luck tonight hope they win, I have never missed one of my boys games. But I will miss next Monday’s game because I’m going turkey hunting!
Flight


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## jscheel (Sep 3, 2008)

Flight of the arrow said:


> Good luck tonight hope they win, I have never missed one of my boys games. But I will miss next Monday’s game because I’m going turkey hunting!
> Flight


Enjoy the baseball games while you can guys. Soon enough your boys will be men and you may not have the opportunity. And turkey hunting will still be there.


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