# Live from the turkey field, opening day.



## old graybeard

Firefighter said:


> View attachment 308989
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> State land. 7 am ish. Tons of talk. Exciting hunt!
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> Calling for pops now, since he missed already with the recurve.


Nice bird congrats!


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## FreeTime

I have a single Avain X hen in front of me who has 3 new friends! 3 hens came in and been hanging with the deke for 40 minutes now! Basically a spread of live decoys now. Some Tom has got to want to join this little posse! 


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## old graybeard

d_rek said:


> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Congrats!


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## TheLionsFan

retired dundo said:


> Done at 7am only got picture on trail camera.23pounds 9.5 beard 1inch. spurs.Now I can have fun sitting with friends


Good work!


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## TheLionsFan

Good job d-rek!


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## doughman

What a morning I had my daughter sitting with me when she got a call her boyfriends car would not start so she leaves and as she pulling away from the farm 11 birds walk in front of her. She calls and says dad they are coming behind you. So I ready myself and they walk by my blind 10 Jake's and a lone tom. Dropped him at 10 yards.


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## FullQuiver

I had more answers than I could count but the first thing in was 4 coyote who busted me when circling downwind. One stood out and barked at me for a while at about 100 yards or so the other 3 boogied out of sight right as the first one started to bark.. Moved about 1/2 mile down and called in this tom and several others he just got too close first...


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## bluealaskan

Wife had choice of 3-toms and 6-jakes all at once. Took the biggest tom again.Beautiful day in the woods


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## FreeTime

doughman said:


> What a morning I had my daughter sitting with me when she got a call her boyfriends car would not start so she leaves and as she pulling away from the farm 11 birds walk in front of her. She calls and says dad they are coming behind you. So I ready myself and they walk by my blind 10 Jake's and a lone tom. Dropped him at 10 yards.


So your daughter has a boyfriend named Tom who snuck behind you and you dropped him at 10 yards? . Good Dad I think! 

Congrats on the bird. 


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## Firefighter

Firefighter said:


> View attachment 308989
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> State land. 7 am ish. Tons of talk. Exciting hunt!
> 
> Calling for pops now, since he missed already with the recurve.


Just tagged out pops! 

Funny looking recurve I made him use eh?


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## Namrock

Firefighter said:


> View attachment 308989
> 
> 
> State land. 7 am ish. Tons of talk. Exciting hunt!
> 
> Calling for pops now, since he missed already with the recurve.


Congrats FF, NICELY DONE. Come on pop's!


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## Namrock

BUCK/PIKE said:


> Got it done before 7 this morning .lots of gobbling had 1 to. Working from my right when 5 came in on my left and was able to take this tom.beautiful morning.
> View attachment 308996


Congratulaitions! Looks like you had a hell of a morning!


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## Namrock

d_rek said:


> Bird down
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> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Saaweeettt! Nice job, pretty picture too


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## Namrock

Firefighter said:


> Just tagged out pops!
> 
> Funny looking recurve I made him use eh?
> 
> View attachment 309024


Congratulaitions pops! That is a funny looking stick & string


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## Namrock

FullQuiver said:


> View attachment 309011
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> I had more answers than I could count but the first thing in was 4 coyote who busted me when circling downwind. One stood out and barked at me for a while at about 100 yards or so for a while the other 3 boogied out of sight right as the first one started to bark.. Moved about 1/2 mile down and called in this tom and several others he just got too close first...


Congrats quiver!


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## Namrock

bluealaskan said:


> Wife had choice of 3-toms and 6-jakes all at once. Took the biggest tom again.Beautiful day in the woods
> View attachment 309020


That's a beauty, congratulaitions to your wife!


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## Sewey

Firefighter said:


> Just tagged out pops!
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> Funny looking recurve I made him use eh?
> 
> View attachment 309024


That's gotta be one of those new full-semi assault recurves I heard about. Might have to look into one now! 

Congrats to you both, heck of a morning.


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## old graybeard

FullQuiver said:


> View attachment 309011
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> I had more answers than I could count but the first thing in was 4 coyote who busted me when circling downwind. One stood out and barked at me for a while at about 100 yards or so the other 3 boogied out of sight right as the first one started to bark.. Moved about 1/2 mile down and called in this tom and several others he just got too close first...


Nice bird! Congrats!


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## old graybeard

Firefighter said:


> Just tagged out pops!
> 
> Funny looking recurve I made him use eh?
> 
> View attachment 309024


Awesome morning for the two of you! Congrats to your Dad!


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## old graybeard

bluealaskan said:


> Wife had choice of 3-toms and 6-jakes all at once. Took the biggest tom again.Beautiful day in the woods
> View attachment 309020


The smile says it all!


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## d_rek

Just put mine on the scale and took the tape to it.

25lbs live weight
9” beard
3/4” spurs


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## retired dundo

d_rek said:


> Just put mine on the scale and took the tape to it.
> 
> 25lbs live weight
> 9” beard
> 3/4” spurs
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Congrats that is a big one.perfect morning sounds like almost everyone is doing good


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## PunyTrout

Pinefarm2015 said:


> My 11 year old daughter shot a big tom about 45 minutes ago. 9” beard. I’ll upload a pic later, unless there’s a fast way to do it from my phone that I’m unaware of.
> 
> We were in a tent blind on a food plot edge. The tom came into a hen decoy and a funky chicken decoy. That funky chicken is money!
> 
> It was mostly text book, like on a tv show. My son was with us, with the intention of filming on my phone, but it happened so fast, the phone was in my pocket and I was holding the shooting stick, to stabilize it. So no film. There was a bit of mayhem because we had to switch the barrel from window to window because the bird ran in so hot.
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> I got the kids a 20ga 870 and I put a 1x4 power turkey scope that has a circle plex crosshair. Great for kids. 3” 6’s.
> 
> We heard 9 other gobbles, heard 20 plus grouse drumming, heard geese and Sandhills in the neighboring fields, saw 2 rabbits, one grey squirrel and one doe.


Picture to go with Pinefarm's post:


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## FreeTime

FreeTime said:


> I have a single Avain X hen in front of me who has 3 new friends! 3 hens came in and been hanging with the deke for 40 minutes now! Basically a spread of live decoys now. Some Tom has got to want to join this little posse!
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Michigan Sportsman


They are still here, going on close to 3 hours. I think we are friends at this point













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## WillHunt4Food

FreeTime said:


> They are still here, going on close to 3 hours. I think we are friends at this point
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Stick tight if you can. You're in a good position if they keep hanging around. Where there's smoke...


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## FreeTime

FreeTime said:


> They are still here, going on close to 3 hours. I think we are friends at this point



I informed my new female turkey friends that I was here on behalf of the “me too” movement to end sexual harassment. I told them it was their job to bring me the oldest male that was harassing them for action and I would be sure he was dealt with so he would never harass them again. 




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## sureshotscott

May take a suppressed 9mm in addition to my 870 to defend my dekes from these aggressive yotes...


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## d_rek

Well the hardest part is done...










...Time to relax with some of northern Michigan’s finest!











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## cast and tug

Was able to put this guy down at about 10:30


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## LabtechLewis

Thanks everybody!

Mornings like this are why we love turkey hunting! Cool, clear, quiet. Got out just in time around 6am. It was already getting light. Had a few gobbling on the roost from two different directions. Then they shut up. We could actually see one hen on the roost as it got closer to fly down time. Not much happened right away. We finally had 3 jakes come in to the decoys with one tom in tow. The jakes got right in the decoys, but the tom stayed off to the side. Not more than 15 yards away, but no way to draw and not yet in one of the shooting windows. Then they all headed north/east back into the woods. We could hear hens every so often and see some strutters deep in the woods. We watched. My buddy called off and on for what seemed like 30-45 minutes. Then finally he said, "oh, here they come". I slowly pulled down the window that was closed up tight for cover and noticed two hens running towards us through the woods. There were three toms about 40 yards behind them -- all heading our way. Then the hens hit the field and walked towards our blind. They went behind us. By this time, the toms were in the field hard to my left. I decided I had to give up on looking out the window and get the bow in my hand. I lifted it off the stake and cinched my release on the loop. It was only a few seconds until all three showed up in my field of view. I am a novice archer for turkeys, so I wasn't sure how to get drawn if they weren't fanned out and spinning. They moved right in on the jake -- about 15 yards away. Triple gobble right as I was starting to draw. I pulled it all the way back, figuring that was a good time. Everything was still ok. The last one in seemed to have the longest beard and was quartering slightly away. I had been studying the sticky showing where to aim an arrow at a turkey over the weekend. Sure paid off because I imagined that dot from the picture in the post, centered the sight and squeezed the trigger. It appeared to be a center body shot. The bird headed away, veered to the left a bit and then went down -- not more than 15 yards from where the arrow passed through and still in the field. The other two toms came over while it was flopping and beat it up a bit. Then one backed away and the other mounted it. My buddy was still rolling footage from his cell phone while this was happening. Then he started yelling, "get off that bird!". Silly thing just kept going to town. He yelled some more. Then the two hens came around the corner of the blind from our right at were just a few yards in front of us. One more yell, and they all finally broke off and headed into the woods. Crazy!!!

I went out and retrieved my trophy. First turkey with a bow. 9.5" beard. 1" spurs. I didn't think about weighing it (oops), but it wasn't that heavy. 

And, my buddy must have hit the record button twice because with all that action to film, he only got about 5 seconds of video! :lol:

I love the variety this state has to offer!

Thanks to Ack for the Bowhunting Turkeys Shot Placement! 

I will be back out in the morning (probably running the camera) since I have a couple days off work. Good luck all!



Namrock said:


> Nice bird! Way to go Jason! Damn I'm jelious





old graybeard said:


> Quick and simple! Well done


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## Firefighter

Hunting partner tagged out. 3 for 3. T'was a good day


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## Double d's

That’s a Tom turkey pole right there!


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## LabtechLewis

Firefighter said:


> View attachment 309111
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> Hunting partner tagged out. 3 for 3. T'was a good day


That's an awesome picture! Congrats!


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## DEDGOOSE

Congratulations everyone. Spent the whole day tieing up loose ends probably talked to a dozen landowner's including some said was a waste of time to try :Welcome: No problem

Scouting this a.m morning saw 25-30 gobbys on properties we have permission. Was gonna take kids this evening, but decided to take my boxers for a walk instead as we ain't seen them in 6 weeks on a piece I've hunted for 24 years and seen 8 gobbys on neighbors today which I hunt, it did not disappoint. When theit on this place, their dead. Tracks everywhere.

We'll get some kiddos out next few days.. Gonna maybe record roost in a.m


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## Bow hunter on a Mission

d_rek said:


> Just put mine on the scale and took the tape to it.
> 
> 25lbs live weight
> 9” beard
> 3/4” spurs
> 
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> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


How you ever managed to get that bird on the scales while he was still live is beyond me!!!! But congrats on a great bird!


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## birdhntr

d_rek said:


> Just had a coyote attack my dekes!!!
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> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


shoot it!


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## Pinefarm2015

Thanks Dan. Cell reception at the Death Valley field is poor.

I even got the kids home in time for swimming! Next Monday I’m taking Alex and Sam for their first turkey hunt.

I took the breasts and thighs into the M37 Meat Shack and Johnny is making it into Hillbilly turkey jerky. Should be awesome.

The funniest thing happened on the way back. Being mid day, there was nobody on the public land. But there were 3 long beards standing right in the public land parking area! I mean right where everyone parks. Lol. I’m dead serious. I honked the horn a couple times and they gobbled back. I snapped a blurry picture.

I think a lot of guys give up on mid day, but there’s a lot of activity going on, this early in the season.

Even more crazy, around 2pm, I sighted in a new .25-06 I bought and a turkey gobbled twice from the behind the old house, when the rifle went off. I assume it was the 3 toms I saw an hour before. They were talkative. They were close enough where I could hear them over my electronic/suppression ear phones.

If a guy was a decent caller, he could have called those birds into his lap at 2-3pm, when few guys are out. 

None of my other buddies with tags could make it out in the afternoon, being a Monday.


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## old graybeard

Firefighter said:


> View attachment 309111
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> Hunting partner tagged out. 3 for 3. T'was a good day


Great day and awesome pic!


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## bluealaskan

old graybeard said:


> Great day and awesome pic!


Old graybeard nice to see ya on here. Loved reading your post during deer season. Awesome bunch on here, No bickering like the fishing post. Love it.


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## retired dundo

bluealaskan said:


> Old graybeard nice to see ya on here. Loved reading your post during deer season. Awesome bunch on here, No bickering like the fishing post. Love it.


Your right never heard no bickering and fighting on the turkey forum.To bad it could not be that way on deer hunting forum


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## BucksandDucks

I prefer woods but with my 8 year old daughter along fields and blinds it is 

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## FullQuiver

multibeard said:


> You guys can have those easy turkeys. Does any one hunt turkeys in the woods any more? All the pictures I see in this thread are of field turkeys.


I like em easy and yes I shot mine in the woods easy peasy.. I haven't shot one in a field in a long time.. I just hunt the edge along my creek bottom just into the timber on my high ground... So easy even I can get it done...


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## Healyhardwood

FullQuiver said:


> I like em easy and yes I shot mine in the woods easy peasy.. I haven't shot one in a field in a long time.. I just hunt the edge along my creek bottom just into the timber on my high ground... So easy even I can get it done...



So much for no bickering!


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## FullQuiver

Healyhardwood said:


> So much for no bickering!


Not bickering just saying it was and is easy the first hunt, (sometimes easy is good) also I love hunting in the woods and it just works better for me that way...


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## Bow hunter on a Mission

Firefighter said:


> Truthfully, timber birds are far more receptive to calling than field birds, and come much faster.
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> Field birds will come, eventually, or one can usually move and cut them off.
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> Woods are definitely my favorite.


I agree. Although it still happens, they don’t seem to get hung up just out of range quite as often in the woods as in the field. My theory is that they can’t see the decoys from so far out so they don’t stay out a ways to watch them. They have to get close to check them out. 


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## FREEPOP

Turkeys in the water are the best!!


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## Bow hunter on a Mission

FREEPOP said:


> Turkeys in the water are the best!!


That is a goose dressed as a turkey. Don’t let her fool you!!!


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## retired dundo

That is great picture


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## GettinBucky

Can't say I've ever seen that before...cool pic.


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## thegospelisgood

d_rek said:


> Well the hardest part is done...
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> ...Time to relax with some of northern Michigan’s finest!
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What are those dark cuts?


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## d_rek

thegospelisgood said:


> What are those dark cuts?


Wings, thighs, and drumsticks. The heart and liver is at bottom. I’m not a neck or gizzard kind of guy so those went to feed the local wildlife. 


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