Bugs were out in full force, some would have qualified for small aircraft I have been using ThermaCell and it has worked great so far. This old rooster was in stealth mode. Came in with a hen, she left, he stayed.

Nice bird and good photo. They seem to come in more readily late in the season.

One of the best pics I've seen!Birds in my area have lock jaw.I've only heard one gobble a couple times and he was way off from my spot.Congrats!

Nice job! I concur about the lockjaw....zero gobbles on the ground....and I haven't been able to raise a gobble with the hoot owl call in the evenings. Did bag a nice one opening morning in the adjacent state though, must have seen me come in because he didn't make a sound in the tree or on the ground until he was 10' from my blind....let out one gobble and warily headed for my hen decoy....20lbs.

Thank you all....the cold/wet weather in our area has turned them into silent ghosts. If only we could get a few 80 deg days, that would be awesome.

@Norton,
Congratulations, that is a nice bird with good weight. I am still looking for that elusive 25 lbs Eastern haven't found him yet. We get to about 22, 23...that is the limit. Some day, maybe, I keep lying to myself there is one out there

Here are some pics I took scouting before the season.

First pic is of a very sneaky pair, they disappeared right in front of me.



Second pic is of a mature Tom keeping three jakes in line. There were two hens also but they disappeared by the time I took the camera out.

A 25 pound or better eastern us hard to come by. Seems like spring season opens too late and they have already started dropping winter weight. Or fall season is not open late enough to get one at it's full winter weight. My best was a 24 pounder. Shot him the last day of the fall season Dec 31st. Almost no fat on him. A couple more weeks and he would of broke 25.

Here's the list from NWTF.....40-odd birds over 30 lbs with the largest being over 37 lbs.

I agree though that a 25 lber is a rara avis.

http://www.nwtf.org/all_about_...s/turkey_records.php

Norton, thanks for the link. I will be totally thrilled if I ever get a 25 pounder.

I can't even imagine or fathom a 30 pounder...it is too much...my trigger finger will probably refuse to work if I ever saw a 30 pounder


Recent Turkey pics from the field.

Afternoon Walk.



A Jake practicing his strutt. He got a free pass this year

End to a great Spring season...

Wow- classic pictures.

Thank you Palmer