# Gobblers



## GOBBLERSTOPPER (Feb 8, 2012)

Anyone been out listening for gobblers yet? I plan on going out tomorrow morning for the first time.. 

Hearing that first gobble of the season is almost like being a kid on Christmas morning. 30 years of turkey hunting and I still get so excited with turkey hunting!!

I will let y'all know if I hear anything!!!


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## chodges (Jan 30, 2011)

I heard several this past week in blackwater... Never heard them before out there. Maybe I just wasnt in the right spot. excited to get on them this year.


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## capt'n slim (Feb 8, 2008)

Man i miss chasing them birds my old man was one HELL of turkey hunter, i swear he could call one with just his mouth and sit still enough for ole' gobbler to walk right up to him. we used to have calling contest between the two of us all the time. He lived for turkey season named his second son Jake of all things cause he was born during turkey season. i will never forget pops coming home from hunting and having to go to the hospital decked out in full camo, he was huntin that day. Yall go get em boys good luck this season


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## GOBBLERSTOPPER (Feb 8, 2012)

Well I'm over here at Eglin so the only land I have to hunt is the Eglin Reservation. Last year was my first season to hunt here. There are some turkeys out there but for every gobbler I heard, I bet there were 5 hunters after him..

More than one morning I would be working a bird, I would be the only vehicle in the area and then all of a sudden I would either hear that another hunter had slipped in on me or I would see them walking in on me, then get back to the truck and there would be 2 or 3 trucks parked by mine and a couple more parked down the road..

Public land hunting sucks but it is all I have so I put myself through the pain anyway.. My wife says I am stupid for going out every single morning season is open but man do I love turkey hunting!!

What I love more than calling in one for myself is actually taking new folks out and calling for them, I get more satisfaction out of that..


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## BOGIA (Oct 7, 2007)

They have been gobbling in escambia county since january.hope there not done doing there thing by the time the season opens.im sure the poachers are having a ball now.


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## bigbulls (Mar 12, 2008)

Heard them gobbling in blackwater back on the general gun reopener (after thanksgiving opener). Listened to 5 different gobblers and 20 something hens for two hours that morning.


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## GOBBLERSTOPPER (Feb 8, 2012)

Well my plans for going out this morning to listen were stopped when the weather man said last night that there would be heavy fog this morning.

I thought I would wait until tomorrow to go out and listen now. Of course when I walked outside this morning there was no fog.


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## Marine Scout (Nov 18, 2007)




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## oysterman (Jan 23, 2012)

Wirelessly posted

Over in Eglin all them turkey hunters prob calling each other, not a real live Turkey anywhere near. Ha!


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## Mike Moore (Feb 10, 2010)

Dang it man....... thats one tight choke! Ive seen some jelly heads but thats the first decapitation.....lol.


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## GOBBLERSTOPPER (Feb 8, 2012)

Went out listening yesterday morning and heard one bird gobble 3 times but that was it.. Went this morning and didn't hear a thing..

Oh well, I'll give this weekend a break from listening since they are calling for rain tomorrow. Probably get back out Monday morning..

Anybody else hearing anything?


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## GOBBLERSTOPPER (Feb 8, 2012)

oysterman said:


> Wirelessly posted
> 
> Over in Eglin all them turkey hunters prob calling each other, not a real live Turkey anywhere near. Ha!


 I hear you Oysterman, at least from the turkeys I heard or worked last year on Eglin, there were probably 5 hunters to one bird. At least in the areas I was hunting.

Just wish I could find some areas away from the crowd.. But as much scouting I did last year it seemed that the only birds I would find were right off the main roads which naturally drew the attention of everyone else..


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## hyco (Oct 24, 2008)

heard 1 gobble and saw 1 gobbler yesterday. didn't hear a thing this morning....tony


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## GOBBLERSTOPPER (Feb 8, 2012)

Heard 2 this morning and also got a bonus... The first place I stopped I got out and was listening.. I heard one about a 1/4 mile away and he was gobbling often. All of a sudden I thought I heard a gobbler drumming and spitting. I thought "no way", must have been something else.. A few minutes later I hear it and now I know it is a gobbler in the tree (close). I take about 10 steps and see a big gobbler in the tree and sure enough he was drumming and spitting.

He was not 10 yards off the main road that everyone drives on. He never gobbled but he was drumming and spitting about every minute...

It is awesome to hear one gobble but to actually see one in the tree strutting was a bonus no doubt!!!


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## ONEOLDCHIEF (Mar 9, 2011)

Heard two or three back in early Feb, I yelped a few times, they were gobbling their heads off, they never came to me but they did not leave either. I guessed they roosted close to where they were gobbling, had to quit calling, I was trying to hog hunt...


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## outlaw (Feb 12, 2012)

I'm planning to get out this week and do some listening. Haven't actually had the time yet.


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## GOBBLERSTOPPER (Feb 8, 2012)

Only heard one this morning but I did see 2 strutting in an open area with 3 hens.. Of course it is in a closed area of the base..


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## hyco (Oct 24, 2008)

saw a gobbler in a food plot sunday..............tony


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## FrankwT (Jul 25, 2010)

How about this fellow??


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## hyco (Oct 24, 2008)

didn't hear a thing this morning.............tony


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## ONEOLDCHIEF (Mar 9, 2011)

Is there a law about hunting over corn (bait) for Turkey?


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## FrankwT (Jul 25, 2010)

yes

Taking turkeys over baited areas 
■ Taking turkeys when the hunter is 
within 100 yards of a game-feeding 
station when feed is present


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## ONEOLDCHIEF (Mar 9, 2011)

Thanks, I will look it up...


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## GOBBLERSTOPPER (Feb 8, 2012)

Heard 2 this morning but they didn't gobble until after they hit the ground..


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## FrankwT (Jul 25, 2010)

funny no one commented on the turkey I posted a pic of, thought for sure someone would have ID'd it by now.


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## GOBBLERSTOPPER (Feb 8, 2012)

Other than a real nice bird what is it? He is definitely a big boy!! Is there something wrong with him like a clubbed foot?


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## FrankwT (Jul 25, 2010)

CHK your PM for a hint, then cross reference pics


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## GOBBLERSTOPPER (Feb 8, 2012)

Had to go back and look at the pictures, is he an Osceola?


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## FrankwT (Jul 25, 2010)

He certainly is not an eastern, and looks to me not to be full blood but certainly some strong Osecola genes. We had in the past released 500 pullets on the lease and this is what we get. Some hens are even more definitive. We only take 1-4 a year and let them breed, pretty cool this far North!


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## GOBBLERSTOPPER (Feb 8, 2012)

That is cool. I just wish the state would relocate some up here in the Pan Handle. I know they would make it..


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## FrankwT (Jul 25, 2010)

Would be nice as the outfitters in S FL charge $1200-1500 for a hunt and turkey.


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## jlk0007 (Mar 27, 2009)

looks kind of hennish to me. Possible bearded hen.


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## FrankwT (Jul 25, 2010)

I was wondering that too...not much of a turkey guy but what about the head. No or little decoration and a light weight bird...long beard indicated age, but do does the head??


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## jlk0007 (Mar 27, 2009)

looks a lot like a hen, more brownish in coloration and no visible spurs. Not to mention its head does not look like a typical mature gobbler. We have several bearded hens on the property I hunt that have at least 9 to 10 inch beards. Beard seems thin as well.


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## FrankwT (Jul 25, 2010)

Yeah the Toms I have seen are larger and have more on their heads and neck...had not considered a bearded hen, thanks.


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## Caspr21 (Oct 4, 2007)

jlk0007 said:


> looks a lot like a hen, more brownish in coloration and no visible spurs. Not to mention its head does not look like a typical mature gobbler. We have several bearded hens on the property I hunt that have at least 9 to 10 inch beards. Beard seems thin as well.




Beard size means nothing. A gobblers beard grows an average of 4 inches per year. That is a gobbler but a younger bird. Head is red in second picture. Spurs are probably about 1/2 inch or so. Not a mature bird but will gobble his head off. Remember most hens travel in groups. And with as mild of a winter and warm of a spring so far I am sure a lot of gobblers are split up looking. 

Frank t if you will tell me where he/she is I will be happy to do some further research on this particular bird........say next week around the 15th


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## FrankwT (Jul 25, 2010)

Funny guys, we only allow 3-4 member to hunt Turkeys each year and I passed this year as a butterball tastes alot better and I am too busy hog hunting. Just wanted to share the pics. A fellow lease member told me about 3 weeks ago I had 15-20 hens from what he could tell walking my old plot when he busted them driving by.


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