# What would you do?



## Day Late (Aug 12, 2003)

This is a good problem to have while fall turkey hunting. Been seeing a lot of turkeys on trail cams over a rye food plot for deer always in late morning. Looking for a Thanksgiving bird I thought i would sit out in the morning. I wasn't there 15 min and 3 young toms (last years jakes) come out to the field. 10 min after that a family group (hen and 10 poults) join them. Then it wasn't 10 more min and a group of 5 big toms join the party. They were all within 30 yards the most time however the big boys made the young toms nervous and they looked to be moving on.
How would you invite to Thanksgiving dinner?
Big Gobbler?
Young Tom?
Hen?
or young poult?


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## michhutr (Jan 16, 2009)

Day Late said:


> This is a good problem to have while fall turkey hunting. Been seeing a lot of turkeys on trail cams over a rye food plot for deer always in late morning. Looking for a Thanksgiving bird I thought i would sit out in the morning. I wasn't there 15 min and 3 young toms (last years jakes) come out to the field. 10 min after that a family group (hen and 10 poults) join them. Then it wasn't 10 more min and a group of 5 big toms join the party. They were all within 30 yards the most time however the big boys made the young toms nervous and they looked to be moving on.
> How would you invite to Thanksgiving dinner?
> Big Gobbler?
> Young Tom?
> ...


Young tom. Will not disrupt breeding in the spring. Big toms deserve to be taken by calling them in not ambushing and will hurt turkey population in spring. Better eating. JMO


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## itchn2fish (Dec 15, 2005)

I'm after a young, tender poult this fall, but take whatever you want, they're all legal.


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## FireDoc66 (Oct 9, 2005)

Whichever one gave me the first shot opportunity. 

I don't discriminate.


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## kbb3358 (Feb 24, 2005)

Yep what he said.


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## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

I would buy some extra tags, smoke the smallest poults there is.. Fire up smoker, give um a good brining, season and dine.


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## Day Late (Aug 12, 2003)

I agree the big boys are best called in the spring. When the young toms got nervous of the big boys one headed toward me and stopped broadside at 20 yards. That made the decision easy and he ended up in the freezer.


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## FireDoc66 (Oct 9, 2005)

Congrats!


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## cedarlkDJ (Sep 2, 2002)

Congrats! 
My first attempt at deep frying a wild turkey for Thanksgiving with my Dad..










Are you sure you know what you are doing?..Yes Dad.just before the fire started. 
It was good though! (I learned by practice.)
They are good smoked too.


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## Firefighter (Feb 14, 2007)

michhutr said:


> Young tom. Will not disrupt breeding in the spring. Big toms deserve to be taken by calling them in not ambushing and will hurt turkey population in spring. Better eating. JMO


Explain to me the difference in young gobbler spunk and old gobbler spunk, and tell me how killing any aged male will hurt the population in the spring, when one hen can produce 20+ turkeys regardless of who knocks her up...

-Jason


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## cedarlkDJ (Sep 2, 2002)

Firefighter said:


> one hen can produce 20+ turkeys regardless of who knocks her up...


They only need to be knocked up once to produce a full hatch at one egg a day. They just keep doing it to be on the safe side. It doesn't matter unless you are in the M-S turkey contest and want to eat spurs for dinner.....


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## michhutr (Jan 16, 2009)

Firefighter said:


> Explain to me the difference in young gobbler spunk and old gobbler spunk, and tell me how killing any aged male will hurt the population in the spring, when one hen can produce 20+ turkeys regardless of who knocks her up...
> 
> -Jason


My point is mature toms do most of the breeding in the spring. Hens pop out the young ones and taking a jake should have the least impact on the future hatch.

My other point is IMO a mature tom is more of a challenge calling in the spring vs ambushing along a fence row. However, that being said I agree that if it's a legal hunt take any one you want.


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## pickle252 (Dec 24, 2013)

I haven't ever gone turkey hunting but the property i am hunting deer on consistently has 2 toms walking within 15-25 yards of my stand. Only ever see the two should I get a tag and shoot one? I dont see any hens ever. Would it be a good idea to let them go and populate in the spring? I dont know if i will have access to the land next year since it is for sale. I will post a video of them i took yesterday and saturday. Since i dont know anything about turkeys i dont even know if they are considered "big". Please help


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## pickle252 (Dec 24, 2013)

Turkey 10/26: 




Sorry for video with phone the wrong way


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## pickle252 (Dec 24, 2013)

Bear-key spotted 10/25/14: 




The bear-key was a joke for my mother. When we were in Tennessee she starts yelling "BEAR BEAR BEAR". turned out to be some turkeys. Another bear sighting was black trash bags hahahahaha. Fun trip


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## Ihuntstateland (Oct 27, 2011)

pickle252,
Go for it..if you're bow hunting it might be a little more of a challenge. They can jump the string pretty fast. When gun hunting you aim for the head as to not destroy the meat. I know with bow you aim for the body. I'm sure you can find something online that will show you the kill zone. My family loves wild turkey.


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## pickle252 (Dec 24, 2013)

Ihuntstateland said:


> pickle252,
> Go for it..if you're bow hunting it might be a little more of a challenge. They can jump the string pretty fast. When gun hunting you aim for the head as to not destroy the meat. I know with bow you aim for the body. I'm sure you can find something online that will show you the kill zone. My family loves wild turkey.


I have access to another spread that has quite a bit of em. I was gonna gun hu t them there and leave the pressure/gun shots out of my bowhunting spot. Since i have a hunting partner that i am positive wouldn't enjoy the shots while he is bowhunting deer. I am going to get my tag tomorrow i think and get one. Why not.


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## itchn2fish (Dec 15, 2005)

Turkeys have amazing eyesight. I had a group of hens & poults milling about feeding and exchanged conversation with them around me Sunday. I finally was able to draw on one, and when I let my arrow fly, she did the Watusi and she managed to swiftly side-step as my arrow missed its body and I only clipped a couple of feathers off of her. Next time....


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