I almost think I have gone into Full Strut' watchin' these birds!!

Thought I'd share some pic's and some Game Camera pictures with ya'll to get ya'll fired up.

Happy Huntin'
J.J.

I'd Say I'm READY!!!

J.J.

I'm not a turkey hunter so I wouldn't know but are these rio's or eastern turkeys??

rios

Great pics...someone gonna have some fun.

Sure wish those were Easterns...been several years since I've seen a good flock of them in TX.

Gman

Wow! i want to come hunt with you!

good looking pics you got me fired up now . thanks for sharing

You sir are killing me. I'm hopeful we can get us a few this year.

I'll be there for the weekend!

Man, that looks awesome!

Wow, would love to come hunt with you. That's one heck of a pipe feeder pen you got.

It's going to be FUN! Good luck fellas.

-Matt

Was putting some hog hunters out Friday and came across this mess:



Let's just say come April 15 I am ready to say hello to them!

Then Yesterday I went to Cabela's Allen, TX for the NWTF sanctioned Calling Contest.

This was my first Turkey calling contest I have ever entered.

I competed in the Amateur, Owl and Open.

I ended up taking 2nd place in the Amateur!

There was a GREAT turn out and I Learned ALOT!

Look forward to next time!

Here are a couple pictures:




Alan Stie and I with our plagues (He placed first in Owl)

Thanks for the pics, we leave Sunday am for three day hunt outside of Perrin, tx, then I go to Brown county for two more days of hunting. Hope to see some fine birds like you posted. We have one hunter who has yet to take a bird, hope this is his year.

STUNNING!!!!

Thanks for the nice comments!

J.J.

Did some running around yesterday and pulled some SD cards...

Here are a few pic's from some of my properties in Texas and Oklahoma:





(Game Camera freeked on me...must be the nice beard!)

So curious if I see turkeys in fannin county are they eastern or rio's?

They should be Eastern's.

What I have heard from Jason Hardin (TP&W Turkey Biologist) is that Easterns are East of Hwy 75/ I45 and Rio's are west of that line. (obviously there is some overlap)

Good luck! I have heard of some birds in the Bonham area.

J.J.

We filmed this last year...

Thought that I'd share it again.

J.J.

I think I'm going to try this turkey hunting thing this season. I'm excited.

Moonie I'm in the same boat never been, messed around with a call or two, but I'm going to give it a try I saw some birds during deer season in fannin county so I might try this out, even though I have no knowledge of turkey hunting

So do I really need decoys not knowing if I'm going to see one or should I just walk a bit call out to see if I get any answers then try and stalk it?

Slim chance of stalking, Duckslayer. They have eagle eyesight. Your best chance is to pick up one of those $10 foam hen decoys at Wallyworld. Set it up in a clearing where-as a Tom can see it from a distance, hopefully the wind will blow the decoy around on its' pivot stake. Conceal yourself 100%, then call VERY SPARINGLY. They will come in a hurry if in the neighborhood, and not tied down with other hens.

Hope everyone has successful hunts think I may hold out for next season maybe by that time ill know what the heck I'm doing. I'm not great with a turkey call, I've seen the turkeys a few times but I think they were all hens? Idk, like I said never turkey hunted in my life, don't even know where to start.

If your near Fort Worth, and want a free foam decoy hit me up, we switched to Avian X decoys last year.

I know JJ has been using them also, they are AWESOME!!

JJ,

Hope ya'll did as good as we did, hunters dropping the hammer this weekend makes for fun times!


Post some pics when you get some time.

-Matt

Off to a GREAT start!

Got to the Ranch we were hunting this weekend. Pulled Game camera SD cards to do some hi-tech scouting...

Found the bird we wanted to chase:




Unfortunately he never made his presence for us...

But we did find a bunch of Young birds:




The Ranch owner Paul wanted to film Saturday morning so I was able to get behind the gun. He got some absolutely awesome video of two birds come in...I was able to drop this 2 year old bird at 10 yards with a Magnum blend Hevi Shot shell...(lets just say he had whiplash!)

Me and My bird from Saturday morning.


Then that afternoon it was all Paul...

We set up on the other side of the property. About 2 hours after set up here they came! 7 Toms came strollin' up to the decoys...

He took aim and fired off a round dropping another 2 year old bird...



Took this picture as the storms started to brew...


What a GREAT time, and we were successful each taking a bird!

Look forward to this coming week!

J.J.

Down here we would call his two year old bird a Jake. Uneven tail and no spurs.

I consider them Jakes Also...

J.J.

looking forward to Saturday with you in Oklahoma JJ!

You ain't the only one!

J.J.

We have been having a GREAT time and doing pretty well...

Here are some pictures. Working on a video (be patient)

Hope you enjoy!

J.J.

Lookin' good JJ.

Few more pictures:

J.J.



Not bad for this guys first Turkey:

12" Beard
1 3/8" Spurs

Spurs are awesome on that last bird, serious trophy

Thanks!

We have shot a few more birds...

Working on a video...Ya'll will like!

J.J.

J.J. What has been your experience with squirrels barking at Toms coming in? I've heard they will bark at them but then I see game cam pics with the turkeys and squirrels eating under the same feeder.

Twice now I have had squirrels bark and then a Tom or two comes out of the woods...

I think that they just fuss and each other. If you think about it, squirrels will bark and us, dogs, etc...

Even deer, one of the biggest bucks my dad shot, a squirrel was throwing acorns at him...

Hope that answers your question.

J.J.

Well, we finished season off STRONG!

The first weekend of May I had the last scheduled Turkey hunt and I recieved a phone call sayin' they couldn't make it. Well my bags were packed and instead of scramblin' to find a replacement, I decided to take some time off myself head out and check deer feeders & game cameras and possibly do a little Turkey huntin' as well.

Checked 12 feeders and game cameras and then pulled into one property and there was some hens millin' around in the wheat.(food plot) I said this looks promising.

I set out 2 jakes and 2 hen Avian X decoys.

Buried myself in a scrub oak and began to call...wasn't 5 minutes later here came 4 hens...

Then I hear the drummin'...My heart began to race...and here he came the BIG guy that we had been after on this property!

Strolled in, lifted his head and I let the 3" Magnum Blend Hevi-shot fly!!! Rolled him!

10 1/8" Beard
1" Spurs

GREAT way to end a GREAT season...

Best part is that we left ALOT of birds out there...I have Game Camera pics of multiple Toms on each property! Next year is going to be awesome!!!

J.J.

Here are some pictures I took of my bird:

Here is a video that I put together that shows some of how are season was!

Unfortunately we weren't able to get several of the best birds on film (that's how that goes)

J.J.

Hope you enjoy: