Team 5 "Beards & Spurs"

[NoWiser]

(1957)Dillon - Y

NoWiser

bluehat28

Mdiesel09

2044mustang

mcfin

Hey all! Let's take a second to introduce ourselves and share a bit about our upcoming hunts. Let's also throw out some team names while we're at it!

I'll be hunting A season down around Oronocco, MN. In the past I've had very good luck hunting the first season down there. This year I'll be trying to get my first archery bird. I'm hoping for warm weather and lots of gobbles!

[bluehat28]

Bluehat here I am hunting Minnesota 507B. I hunt a farm near Rockville Mn that has done quite well in the past. Also property by Brooten in case the first one fails. I also have a Wisconsin tag for their C season. How about Beards & Spurs for a name? Go Team 5!

[2044Mustang]

2044mustang here, I'll be hunting the archery only season. Also attempting to get my first archery bird. Beards and Spurs sounds great to me. Good luck to all of team 5 this season!

[x1957x]

Dillon here. I am 15 and can hunt most any season in mn. Cant wait and good luck to everyone on my team. I also hunt in the lake city area and can around home in the Luverne and Jackson area. I got to think on the name thing for a bit but beards and spurs sounds o.k. to me. Any one know how the turkeys are fairing in the eastern side of mn. north of Winona? Are they breaking up yet. Never shot a tom but I WILL THIS YEAR! just have gotton a couple Jakes is all.

[NoWiser]

Welcome aboard, Dillon!

My buddy was out and about not too far from Winona this past weekend doing some shed hunting and he said turkeys were all over the place, with the toms starting to break off from the groups. He is optimistic! I was fishing out by Ortonville this past weekend and could hear some gobbling. It got me pretty pumped up for the season!

Beards & Spurs sounds A-OK to me!

[Mcfin]

mcfin here. First ever turkey hunt. Will be hunting near Milaca season A. Beards and Spurs sounds good. Good luck to you all.

[bluehat28]

Just came back from scouting the farm I will be hunting in Season B. I was going to set up trail cams to see if turkeys were using the area. As I walked out over a hill I surprised 3 good size Toms. They were with in 15 yards and did not see Me, I backed out the way I came in. No trail cams this year!Now if they stick around till the 21st I also saw a old bird that that has eluded me for 3 years he is almost blond in color so I no its the same bird would be a nice trophy....blue

[NoWiser]

I talked to my buddy last night who I will be hunting with. We have access to a few different properties and he said they are all full of birds. He is very optimistic, and so am I. He saw 8 different toms in two flocks on one of the properties, so I think that's where we'll start out. We'll have a couple kids tagging along with us so the ones who are old enough to hunt will have first crack at the birds. When they get theirs, we'll hunt. I'm getting more excited by the day!

[NoWiser]

It's getting closer. I just wrote my name on the board at work for taking Friday off, so it's official!

It looks like Team 5 is the "Beards & Spurs". Donbo, you can change our name when you get a chance.

Good luck everyone!

[DonBo]

It looks like Team 5 is the "Beards & Spurs". Donbo, you can change our name when you get a chance.

It shall be done. Good luck guys!

[Mcfin]

Weather. Bummer.

[NoWiser]

Weather. Bummer.

Looks like you guys got hammered up there! That's no fun. Good luck, I'm glad we were spared where I'll be hunting.

This time tomorrow I'll be in the blind. Can't wait!

[x1957x]

NoWiser,thought I wanted to let every one know on our team that I am in with a Tom (first ever),, 23.90 lb. eastern today. Pictures and more to follow!!

[NoWiser]

NoWiser,thought I wanted to let every one know on our team that I am in with a Tom (first ever),, 23.90 lb. eastern today. Pictures and more to follow!!

Woohoo!!! Congrats Dillon! I can't wait to see the pictures. It sounds like a heck of a bird!

[bluehat28]

Congrats To you! nice bird! go team 5.

[Mcfin]

Nice going

[Borch]

Way to go Dillon!

[NoWiser]

Tagged out!!

[bluehat28]

Excellent! NoWiser

[Mcfin]

I scored guys! Just got in from hunting and have to go to relatives for dinner.Will fill you in latter.

[NoWiser]

I scored guys! Just got in from hunting and have to go to relatives for dinner.Will fill you in latter.

Sweet!! Congrats!

[Mcfin]

I missed the first two days of hunting due to the storm and scouting public land. I got up at 4 AM to secure my spot. It was so cold and super windy that I figured the birds would be hunkered down. At 9:45 AM I called in three hens followed by a tom. I killed it at about 35 yards. Pretty exciting! First bird on my first day's hunt on public land. One pic shows my two hunting partners, my son and grandson who scouted for me. 19 pounds, 8 3/4" beard.

[2044Mustang]

Way to get us started guys. Congrats on the nice birds!

[NoWiser]

Alright fellas, I finally have time to post up my story.

Every year I apply for a first season tag with a good buddy of mine that lives down near Rochester. We've always had very good success when we draw.

This year I was determined to get one with the bow, so I left the shotgun home as I headed down Thursday after work. I arrived in time for us to hit a little spot near his house. We had to cross a river to get to it but when we did we immediately heard gobbling. Peaking out in the field north of us we saw a few strutters and a bunch of hens. We only had permission to hunt the woods, though, so we set up about 40 yards back hoping they would head our way. But, as too often happens, they headed in the exact opposite direction and the rest of the evening was quiet. Our spirits were still high, though, because we had a handful of great spots to hit over the next few days.

After hunting we went to pick up my friend's second cousin. He was 6 years old and excited to go on a turkey hunting adventure. Although neither of his parents hunts, they wanted him to have the opportunity if he chose to do so. This would be a perfect time to show him what it's all about. My friend's cousin also showed up with a tag and his 8 year old son. The evening was spent watching the Mighty Ducks, playing with the dog, and talking turkeys.

The alarm went off way too soon at 4:00 a.m. the next morning. The kids were a little sluggish at first, but a little facepaint had them rearing to go!

After throwing our gear in the truck we were off. The truck thermometer showed 23 degrees and I knew the little ones would have trouble staying warm, so I threw some handwarmers, a few extra coats, and a blanket into my backpack. We parked the truck at the corner of the field we were to hunt and after a long hike found the spot we wanted to set up the blind. I took care of getting that all ready while by buddy set up the decoys - a full strut tom and a feeding hen. Soon we were settled in and listening to gobbles. I'm not kidding when I say there were gobblers EVERYWHERE!! Every single direction birds were sounding off from their roost. At about 6:00 I looked to my left and two toms were strutting on the top of a rise in the field. My buddy made a few clucks with his call and both stuck out their necks gobbling simultaneously. They knew we were down there but seemed content to strut around about 100 yards away. I thought for sure they were going to continue down the field but they very slowly began making their way closer. Over the course of about 15 minutes they made their way from about 100 yards to about 75 yards. My buddy would cluck occasionally to keep their interest. All of a sudden I heard some hen calls from directly behind me. I looked back and the little guy had a big smile. He was making perfect hen calls with just his mouth!! I almost busted out laughing! We told him to keep quiet and still which was terribly hard when he could see two big birds coming towards us. He said they looked like big lizards.

All this time I had an arrow knocked and my release clipped on. When the birds got to about 60 yards they decided they'd had enough of our tom decoy and came in on a sprint. The only problem is they were running right at us and there was no way I could draw my bow without them seeing me! They stopped at about 8 yards and I whispered to my friend that I had to try drawing since they were getting nervous. He was to shoot his bird if they spooked. I managed to come to full draw but by this time the birds were really nervous and had decided to get the heck out of there. The second tom decided to stop at about 15 yards and take one last look and that was his mistake. I released my arrow and heard the telltale "whaaaack" of a hit. It knocked the bird right off his feet where he laid flapping. My buddy got his gun up in time to shoot the other tom. His first shot was not dead on and it took flight, but the second dropped it right out of the sky. I looked back to the left to see my bird running across the field with an arrow sticking out of his back. I jumped through the window of the blind and gave chase, but there was no need. The tom was done for by the time it reached the edge of the field. It wasn't even 6:30 on our first morning and the two of us had tagged out!!

After the celebration we soon heard at least two more toms in the same field so we decided to pack up and hit the road in case our third guy needed to switch area. We didn't want to spook any birds. So, we loaded up and made the long trek back to the truck.

We registered the birds and made our way back to my friend's house where we met his cousin. He had an action filled morning with two gobblers landing 40 yards from him first thing in the morning, but he didn't want to shoot because his son couldn't see them. Soon the cold got to his kid and they had to come in.

We decided that his son would stay at the house with us while he went back out to where we had shot ours just a few hours earlier. We cleaned the birds while the kids made their own spears and arrows out of the feathers.

Just as we were all getting ready to take a nap, my friend's cousin pulled up with a big smile. He had his bird! It wasn't noon and the three of us were filled out, all from the same field. The kicker was that after he shot his, 3 more toms ran out and beat the snot out of it while he walked to within 15 yards of them videotaping!!

What an awesome hunt! Good luck to those of you whose seasons have yet to start!

[Scoot]

Wow! Awesome job fellas! Jim, that looks and sounds like a hoot! I'm really looking forward to this weekend- almost as much as Ryan is!!!