2025 Turkey Season

Got this guy this morning around 7:00 a.m. He came into a hen and Jake decoy and was about to thrash the Jake decoy when I put the hammer down. Two year old and twenty three pounds on the nose.

Turkeys often do not run or fly away after they hear a gunshot unless the hunter stands up and moves. Many times a second Tom or a flock of jakes will run to the dead gobbler and spur him up pretty good.

Way to go steelslinger!

Thinking hunting with a crossbow is less ethical versus a recurve or a compound . Ethics means making the best high percentage shot to kill the target quickly. I have hunted with them all except a long bow .I prefer a weapon that i can consistently shoot accurately and removes the unpredictability of body induced errors , resulting in less wounded game .

Don Meier wrote:

Thinking hunting with a crossbow is less ethical versus a recurve or a compound . Ethics means making the best high percentage shot to kill the target quickly. I have hunted with them all except a long bow .I prefer a weapon that i can consistently shoot accurately and removes the unpredictability of body induced errors , resulting in less wounded game .

No one said ethical for the xbow. A bow season is lengthy due to the simple fact there are so many different challenges to get game within distance, then once within distance you have to draw aim and hit the release. X bow should be legal but in my opinion not during the full bow season. The challenge is 50 percent eliminated, the numbers show in last years mn deer season. But it generates good money and that is a huge factor.

Trying not to completely derail this thread but just going off of what’s just came up. For the people saying crossbows are easier or way more efficient or cheating or whatever, how many of you guys have practiced or got really familiar with a crossbow by shooting it? I got mine a few years back and it was an upper tier bow then. People say you can make crazy long shots, might as well use a rifle etc. but for me I wouldn’t feel comfortable taking a shot at more than 60 yards and preferably it would be 40-50. Can they shoot 100 yards? Yes, and that’s where the ethical thing comes into play for me anyways. When that thing gets to 60 yards you can tell it’s slowing down big time and I’d never want to take a shot where I’m playing the game of how a deer is going to duck or jump. That being said I’ve never shot a new compound bow either so I can’t comment on speed or accuracy of them.

fins wrote:

Trying not to completely derail this thread but just going off of what’s just came up. For the people saying crossbows are easier or way more efficient or cheating or whatever, how many of you guys have practiced or got really familiar with a crossbow by shooting it? I got mine a few years back and it was an upper tier bow then. People say you can make crazy long shots, might as well use a rifle etc. but for me I wouldn’t feel comfortable taking a shot at more than 60 yards and preferably it would be 40-50. Can they shoot 100 yards? Yes, and that’s where the ethical thing comes into play for me anyways. When that thing gets to 60 yards you can tell it’s slowing down big time and I’d never want to take a shot where I’m playing the game of how a deer is going to duck or jump. That being said I’ve never shot a new compound bow either so I can’t comment on speed or accuracy of them.

Very familiar with xbows have set up and played with many. I spend alot of time at the archery shop with the guys. It isn’t about speed and accuracy, nor how far and fast, it the technique that makes it differ. Pick up a preloaded weapon aim and pull trigger. Very Very different then archery. I have 0 issues with xbows. I think they are not for the young and healthy especially for a full open season. They should still be limited to partial seasons just like a shot gun. I think pretending your bow hunting with a gun like tool is kind of funny though. Again, I’m only stating my opinion for young healthy xbow shooters, not old or injured, then its a different story. They are way easier and more efficient, can’t think of a single thing you could argue against that. You have a scope and preloaded ammunition ready to fly with the pull of the trigger, almost 0 room for error.

Crossbow isnt bow hunting. All about the draw

Bearcat89 wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>fins wrote:</div>
Trying not to completely derail this thread but just going off of what’s just came up. For the people saying crossbows are easier or way more efficient or cheating or whatever, how many of you guys have practiced or got really familiar with a crossbow by shooting it? I got mine a few years back and it was an upper tier bow then. People say you can make crazy long shots, might as well use a rifle etc. but for me I wouldn’t feel comfortable taking a shot at more than 60 yards and preferably it would be 40-50. Can they shoot 100 yards? Yes, and that’s where the ethical thing comes into play for me anyways. When that thing gets to 60 yards you can tell it’s slowing down big time and I’d never want to take a shot where I’m playing the game of how a deer is going to duck or jump. That being said I’ve never shot a new compound bow either so I can’t comment on speed or accuracy of them.

Very familiar with xbows have set up and played with many. I spend alot of time at the archery shop with the guys. It isn’t about speed and accuracy, nor how far and fast, it the technique that makes it differ. Pick up a preloaded weapon aim and pull trigger. Very Very different then archery. I have 0 issues with xbows. I think they are not for the young and healthy especially for a full open season. They should still be limited to partial seasons just like a shot gun. I think pretending your bow hunting with a gun like tool is kind of funny though. Again, I’m only stating my opinion for young healthy xbow shooters, not old or injured, then its a different story. They are way easier and more efficient, can’t think of a single thing you could argue against that. You have a scope and preloaded ammunition ready to fly with the pull of the trigger, almost 0 room for error.

My girlfriend has a bad shoulder and can’t shoot a rifle so we got one so she could feel included in the whole deer hunting camp thing and hunt with us. She got the permit before everyone could use one. Neither one of us have killed a deer with it. Since I could use it legally we’ve taken turns sitting and watching the little one. We both have had several chances but holy $hit they are usually way close encounters. That click of the safety going off seems so loud its ear piercing and that’s usually the instant the white flag flys.

Bearcat89 wrote:

It isn’t about speed and accuracy, nor how far and fast, it the technique that makes it differ. Pick up a preloaded weapon aim and pull trigger. Very Very different then archery. I have 0 issues with xbows. I think they are not for the young and healthy especially for a full open season. They should still be limited to partial seasons just like a shot gun. I think pretending your bow hunting with a gun like tool is kind of funny though.

Both of my serious compound archery hunter friends say the exact same thing. So it’s not just one opinion.

But they also knew this was coming at some point too since Michigan and Wisconsin and most other states legalized their use during the designated archery season.

The primary demographic they generally cater to are gun hunters. Not many previous compound hunters all of the sudden switch to a crossbow; its added participants that were previously only gun hunters.

I don’t archery hunt, never have. Once they legalized the use of a crossbow during archery season, I have considered it though. Just haven’t done it yet. Don’t really have the time.

I also imagine that trying to shoot a turkey with a bolt is significantly tougher than a deer. Much smaller target and always moving.

If you shoot a turkey with a bow (either kind) are you aiming for the head still? I would think so, but man, that has to be a well placed shot with almost zero room for error at least in my head anyway.

No they aim for the chest. Right where the beard is, I’ve been told.

Got the deed done this morning. Birds made me work this year. Put a lot of miles on trying to get in the right position on them, with a lot of getting busted. Finally was able to get 2 toms to respond to my box call. The birds didnt seem to like my pot calling so may need to brush up on that this off-season. He’s plucked and sitting in brine. Going on the the grill for Easter.

Jake Brake. Washington County.

Love it Crawdaddy

Ben got his first mature Tom this morning.

We hunted behind the house, 43 yard shot and it piled up like a ton of bricks (he was using my 12ga turkey gun)

Good work everyone. We didn’t make it out and it’s not looking like we will until next weekend. But I did see a bunch of turkey in a field we target today, hopefully they stay close

Hank got lucky again this morning filling his MN tag at 6:10

We were on some private property a few miles from our house, on a very kind man’s land that has let the Boys hunt two years in a row now.

The bird came off the roost, landed in the field and ran right towards us, Hank popped him at 45 yards right after a cool strut

I told him it never goes like that for me…lucky bassturd

Nice work guys! We had turkey last night. First time I’ve ate wild turkey and I was pleasantly surprised. Cut into nuggets and deep fried. The ones in the franks red hot breading was delicious!

I’m not a big Turkey hunter by any means, in fact this is only the 3rd year I’ve gone. My 14 year old son really likes it and I enjoy going with him and learning together. Still have not bagged a bird, but yesterday was about as good as it gets without pulling the trigger. First time we’ve hunted season A. Seemed harder to move gobblers but birds everywhere so you could basically deer hunt them, IE wait a while and something would walk by. Once they got close, the calling got intense. Got busted by a sneaky Jake that flanked us in our first spot as we were talking with gobblers somewhere in front of us. The second spot we summoned a group of 4 big toms that were locked on to a single hen. We watched them strut around for about 30 minutes but they just never closed the distance. Eventually the hen drug them off the opposite side of the meadow from us. After lunch, we set up where we saw the hen and toms come out, hoping they might backtrack in the afternoon. We both took an hour snooze in the woods, woke up and called a few times with no response. Then I saw what was probably that same lone hen walking towards us through the tall grass. We called a few times, got the gobblers following her to blow up but they held cover as she came across the meadow to check things out. She almost walked right over my son who was laying prone in thick cover, trying not to move. Once she got within a few feet, she knew something was up. She didn’t bolt, but started putting and cautiously walked past us. The Toms must’ve have heard her and broke off their pursuit. They quickly shut up and disappeared. Super fun time in the woods! My boy is still a youth so he can hunt the rest of the season and I think he’ll bag one. I’m fine if I never pull the trigger but want to see him tag one in the worst way.

Finally managed this one on Saturday morning. Had birds around me all 3 days before this and just couldn’t seal the deal. Then Saturday at 9:30 am I called this one and his buddy from 300+ yards away across a river in less than 10 minutes. Just depends on what mood they are in.

Gerty wrote:

Then Saturday at 9:30 am I called this one and his buddy from 300+ yards away across a river in less than 10 minutes. Just depends on what mood they are in.

That’s pretty impressive!

True that Gerty. We have called them in from a half mile or more away … crossing gravel roads and running full spring the last 100 yards. Other days days they pop up just out of gun range and never take a step closer.

When Toms go quiet they may be coming in but possibly from a different pathway … some can take a pretty broad circle towards your area. It takes a lot of patience to sit there and sit there and sit there waiting. Especially after they were so vocal earlier in the day or week.

I got mine Thurday morning. No pictures cause I was alone and the girls were gone when I got home. 25.3lbs, 11.25″ beard, 1 7/8″ spurs. Was hoping to get Abby out last night but she didnt wanna go in the rain.

Jeremy that is a great bird! Those are quite the hooks.

JEREMY wrote:

I got mine Thurday morning. No pictures cause I was alone and the girls were gone when I got home. 25.3lbs, 11.25″ beard, 1 7/8″ spurs. Was hoping to get Abby out last night but she didnt wanna go in the rain.

Jesus those are some daggers

I hope you hung onto them.