2023 turkey season

[Willie]

14,689 this morning.

A new record topping the “Covid vacation ” 2020 season of 14,492.

Wild Turkey Spring Harvest Data

The latest hunting statistics for the wild turkey season

www.in.gov

 

[Willie]

The spring limit is one male or bearded turkey which is separate from the fall limit of one bird of either sex. You can kill up to two birds per year, one in the spring and one in the fall.

YEP... and we need a Spring AND a Fall license.. Two different seasons and two different licenses.

 

[tcecil88]

My season ended yesterday with no bird this year. I had a bearded in range in a hay field, but didn't see the beard until after she had already moved out of range. I probably wouldn't have shot her. Hopefully she has a nest full of eggs somewhere. I did hear more gobbling this year than I have in the last several years though.

 

[El Conquistador]

Yesterday morning I was in my blind when 2 toms came in the field about 100 yards away. I took my slate call and made a slight purr sound. The toms popped their heads up looked my way and took off running the way they from. I’m like WTH. Sat there 3 more hours no more turkeys.
Yesterday I went to different blind this time I didn’t take a call with me and just sat there by my pond and alfalfa field. I figured they would feed and drink before flying to roost. About 6:30 here comes 3 toms heading my way, the front one is the biggest, he walks within 10 yards of my blind. I drop him at 20 yards. 22lbs 10 inch beard. Season is now over for me.

 

[Willie]

15,199 killed so far. A new record,

Will we make 16,000?

 

[yetti462]

15,199 killed so far. A new record,

Will we make 16,000?

With incoming weather, I don't see 16k, bird activity around me has stopped, maybe they're all dead.

 

[yetti462]

16,119 my prediction was incorrect.

 

[Hookeye]

Injury kept me from going.
Maybe next yr.

 

[gregr]

Fantastic spring turkey season.

Disclaimer; Although that IS MY turkey, that is NOT my face. I had AI disguise my identity.

The hunt: I had hunted for a couple weeks and heard birds, saw birds, but no close encounters. This hunt on new property, no gobbles before fly down, or after. The owner had seen flocks of birds, and knew they were there. My buddy calling for me, and just 10 minutes after official sunrise, a tom finally gobbles in response to his call, and very, very nearby. Two toms come into the field, one strutting and gobbling, the other simply flying wingman. They saw the decoys, but are playing it cool, the dominate bird fanned out and gobbling, but they`re pecking as they go, coming in very slowly. My buddy clucks instead of yelping, and they decided it was urgent. They both come charging in. My buddy had a feeding hen, and a receptive hen, and a jake out. Suddenly, both toms are fanned out and strutting and gobbling, and they are trying to intimidate the jake. I wait, and finally, both toms have their backs to me, and I get the gun up. They are around 25 yards out, which is ridiculously close for the Federal 3rd Degree. I drop the dominate tom, and the other tom begins to attack the jake decoy, and is alternately pecking the dead bird in the head and neck. My buddy does what he tells me later is a fighting purr, and the living tom goes crazy. We finally got up and had to get within 10 yards of him before he finally ran off.

What an incredible hunt.

 

[gregr]

23 lbs 9" beard 1-1/8" spurs.

If all turkey hunts were like this one I'd be fine with it. Called him in from a couple hundred out and he put on a show when he hit the field.

I'll never use anything but TSS again.

I`m shooting a Browning BPS, and my buddy talked me into putting a Gobble stopper red-dot on it and going to Federal 3rd Degree. Both were the bomb. Made all the difference.

 

[tcecil88]

I had a good morning this morning. I got video of a little 6 point making a rub and a few minutes later I called in a flock of about a dozen birds and was fortunate enough to get this young hen.
Good eating for sure.
A little later I was calling for my buddy and a little forkhorn buck walked past so close I could have touched him. He had no clue we were there.
Arguably the most memorable morning in the woods in a long time. Good times with a great friend.

 

[tcecil88]

Another good morning. My buddy got this hen this morning.

 

[loydr]

It was a great weekend all the way around, we both got fall birds, the weather was great, Hunting was good. Would love it if all my weekends were this good, I think the most memorable part of the weekend was a small four-point walked by us so close we could have reached out and touched it, at one point I was having a scaring contest with it. It was awesome.