My season is over... Finally!!

wneb.fisher · 05-05-2008, 01:11 PM

I got my first archery Spring bird back at the beginning of April out of a Double Bull blind. I had birds going back and forth on this trail all morning long and decided I was gonna be kind of picky and wait for a bigger bird. With the blind, they had no idea I was there so I thought I could afford to wait. This bird came in at about 2:00 with a group of 5 other toms and he was the first one come into range. I took out one of his legs and ended up chasing him down to get him. I have never hunted in one of these blinds before and I really want a ground blind now.

I just got this guy last night. The birds were very vocal in the moring and evening after recouperating from the blizzard that went through. I was set up on a ridge top and spotted this bird working his way in front of me on the other side of a fence about 130 yards away. I gave him a soft little yelp and he hammerd right back. I waited a few seconds and yelped again. He gobbled again. At that point I thought "This is it. My one last desperate atempt before the sun goes down and my season is over. I lost sight of him for about 3 minutes but could here him purring. It was like he was saying "Where are you? Where is that hen?" Finally his head popped up about 10 yards from where I last saw him and he came under the fence and went into full strut. That was 100 yards away. He closed the distance fast ever once in a while coming out of strut to look around. I took him at about 15 yards. He was the first bird that I have ever called in and havested. What a way to end the season.

Here are just a couple other pics from my season this year. Congrats to all those who have gotten birds this year, especially to the kids out there!

Check out how dark this birds tips are... deinately a hybrid and one I will be watching for in the fall.

Alex T. · 05-05-2008, 01:15 PM

nicely done. How far west/northwest does one need to go before finding turkeys with white tips?? Not really concerned with pure Merriams,just the white.

Alex

wneb.fisher · 05-05-2008, 01:18 PM

I hunt south of Chadron, I think you could probably find them farther east than that.

flatcoats · 05-05-2008, 01:45 PM

ive shot vivid white ones in johnson county, see lots north of omaha, shot multiple around ord/burwell, my buddy has a flock on his father-in-laws land just north of schuyler that are pretty pure white...i guess it just depends which birds your looking at, but i'd say they're spread out all over. i know there's a lot of cross breeding going on, but i guess in the 10+ birds ive shot, all look just like the two up top

very nice pics wneb. good season

BPbowhunter · 05-05-2008, 06:06 PM

Most of what we shoot out here have pretty white tips. There's some that are dark, but most are like the one I shot this year.

tc_topshot · 05-05-2008, 11:26 PM

ya, I have to agree with BP because we hunt the same pastures it seems...hm....but great looking toms!!! love the other pics to!

Wingman · 05-06-2008, 09:22 AM

Looks like you had a good season. Great Job.

Very nice pics, thank you for sharing.

Ross Juelfs · 05-06-2008, 01:27 PM

Nice birds, congrats on the year. That bird in the last picture almost looks like a pure eastern. Definitely not hybridized with a merriam. I have a feeling that the pure white feathered merriams are going to be hard to come by in a few years because of the expanding turkey population. Hopefully I am wrong. The pure merriams are the prettiest turkeys there are in my opinion.

Cat Whacker · 05-06-2008, 04:19 PM

I saw a really nice tom last week strutting out in a field in southwest Seward county with really white tips. Most in our area have more of a dark cream color. I guess with hybrid birds you get a little bit of everything.

wneb.fisher · 05-06-2008, 04:48 PM

The nice bright white tips are getting harder to find its true. A lot of the birds I see are a light cream color. Almost white but not quite. The bird in my avatar has pure white tips and was a big bird for the area, almost 25 lbs. I did a cape mount off him. It turned out really well. What I find funny is if you look at the hens, almost every one of them is white. I ususally don't see much color variation in the hens.

lablvr · 05-07-2008, 03:05 PM

BP and TC,
I know you guys hunt by BB, and you both state that you see those WHITEYS more, my son and I finished up our birds (4) north of BB on the Middle Loup and it appeared it was about 50/50 with some Hybrids mixed in. Saw probably 75 birds in 2 days and that mixture held true, we hunted in about a 4 mile radius.
Where are you guys hunting if you dont mind me asking?

BPbowhunter · 05-07-2008, 06:20 PM

About 15 miles north east of bow. From what i've seen it's probably about 60:40. There's also a good number of hybrids around.

05-05-2008, 01:11 PM	#1 (permalink)
wneb.fisher Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Chadron, NE Posts: 142 Thanks: 1 Thanked 14 Times in 5 Posts	My season is over... Finally!! I got my first archery Spring bird back at the beginning of April out of a Double Bull blind. I had birds going back and forth on this trail all morning long and decided I was gonna be kind of picky and wait for a bigger bird. With the blind, they had no idea I was there so I thought I could afford to wait. This bird came in at about 2:00 with a group of 5 other toms and he was the first one come into range. I took out one of his legs and ended up chasing him down to get him. I have never hunted in one of these blinds before and I really want a ground blind now. I just got this guy last night. The birds were very vocal in the moring and evening after recouperating from the blizzard that went through. I was set up on a ridge top and spotted this bird working his way in front of me on the other side of a fence about 130 yards away. I gave him a soft little yelp and he hammerd right back. I waited a few seconds and yelped again. He gobbled again. At that point I thought "This is it. My one last desperate atempt before the sun goes down and my season is over. I lost sight of him for about 3 minutes but could here him purring. It was like he was saying "Where are you? Where is that hen?" Finally his head popped up about 10 yards from where I last saw him and he came under the fence and went into full strut. That was 100 yards away. He closed the distance fast ever once in a while coming out of strut to look around. I took him at about 15 yards. He was the first bird that I have ever called in and havested. What a way to end the season. Here are just a couple other pics from my season this year. Congrats to all those who have gotten birds this year, especially to the kids out there! Check out how dark this birds tips are... deinately a hybrid and one I will be watching for in the fall.

05-05-2008, 01:15 PM	#2 (permalink)
Alex T. Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: does it really matter??? Posts: 3,192 Thanks: 0 Thanked 34 Times in 21 Posts	nicely done. How far west/northwest does one need to go before finding turkeys with white tips?? Not really concerned with pure Merriams,just the white. Alex __________________ waiting to see jimbosan's deer pic.................

05-05-2008, 06:06 PM	#5 (permalink)
BPbowhunter 2007 NEFGA Outdoorsman Of The Year Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Broken Bow Posts: 2,346 Thanks: 5 Thanked 10 Times in 9 Posts	Most of what we shoot out here have pretty white tips. There's some that are dark, but most are like the one I shot this year. __________________ Whackin' Woodies Waterfowl Crew "Look, a pair of singles!"

05-05-2008, 11:26 PM	#6 (permalink)
tc_topshot Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Broken Bow/Lincoln Posts: 325 Thanks: 3 Thanked 7 Times in 4 Posts	ya, I have to agree with BP because we hunt the same pastures it seems...hm....but great looking toms!!! love the other pics to! __________________ Whackin' Woodies Waterfowl Crew

05-07-2008, 03:05 PM	#11 (permalink)
lablvr Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: platte river Posts: 50 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	BP and TC, I know you guys hunt by BB, and you both state that you see those WHITEYS more, my son and I finished up our birds (4) north of BB on the Middle Loup and it appeared it was about 50/50 with some Hybrids mixed in. Saw probably 75 birds in 2 days and that mixture held true, we hunted in about a 4 mile radius. Where are you guys hunting if you dont mind me asking? __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

05-05-2008, 01:18 PM	#3 (permalink)
wneb.fisher Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Chadron, NE Posts: 142 Thanks: 1 Thanked 14 Times in 5 Posts	I hunt south of Chadron, I think you could probably find them farther east than that.

05-05-2008, 01:45 PM	#4 (permalink)
flatcoats Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: omaha Posts: 1,206 Thanks: 2 Thanked 20 Times in 14 Posts	ive shot vivid white ones in johnson county, see lots north of omaha, shot multiple around ord/burwell, my buddy has a flock on his father-in-laws land just north of schuyler that are pretty pure white...i guess it just depends which birds your looking at, but i'd say they're spread out all over. i know there's a lot of cross breeding going on, but i guess in the 10+ birds ive shot, all look just like the two up top very nice pics wneb. good season

05-06-2008, 09:22 AM	#7 (permalink)
Wingman 2008 Catch and Continue Finalist Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Lincoln, NE Posts: 288 Thanks: 2 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Looks like you had a good season. Great Job. Very nice pics, thank you for sharing.

05-06-2008, 01:27 PM	#8 (permalink)
Ross Juelfs Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Lake McConaughy Posts: 30 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Nice birds, congrats on the year. That bird in the last picture almost looks like a pure eastern. Definitely not hybridized with a merriam. I have a feeling that the pure white feathered merriams are going to be hard to come by in a few years because of the expanding turkey population. Hopefully I am wrong. The pure merriams are the prettiest turkeys there are in my opinion.

05-06-2008, 04:19 PM	#9 (permalink)
Cat Whacker Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 48 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	I saw a really nice tom last week strutting out in a field in southwest Seward county with really white tips. Most in our area have more of a dark cream color. I guess with hybrid birds you get a little bit of everything.

05-06-2008, 04:48 PM	#10 (permalink)
wneb.fisher Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Chadron, NE Posts: 142 Thanks: 1 Thanked 14 Times in 5 Posts	The nice bright white tips are getting harder to find its true. A lot of the birds I see are a light cream color. Almost white but not quite. The bird in my avatar has pure white tips and was a big bird for the area, almost 25 lbs. I did a cape mount off him. It turned out really well. What I find funny is if you look at the hens, almost every one of them is white. I ususally don't see much color variation in the hens.

05-07-2008, 06:20 PM	#12 (permalink)
BPbowhunter 2007 NEFGA Outdoorsman Of The Year Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Broken Bow Posts: 2,346 Thanks: 5 Thanked 10 Times in 9 Posts	About 15 miles north east of bow. From what i've seen it's probably about 60:40. There's also a good number of hybrids around. __________________ Whackin' Woodies Waterfowl Crew "Look, a pair of singles!"

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