It certainly was one very memorable year filming and hunting turkeys this year. I hunted and/or filmed over 30 days covering 3 states (MT, WI and MN). I was fortunate and harvested a tom in each state (1 merriam and 2 easterns) and my MN tom was a bow kill. I also filmed/called/witnessed 5 other gobbler kills this spring. The memories and relationships that were built along the way is the thing that I will cherish the most.
Here were some of the keys to our success:
Scouting – We spend numerous hours scouting turkeys before our season starts. It’s important to understand their roosting areas, travel patterns, strutting zones, feeding areas, nesting areas and even where they have their dusting bowls.
Don’t push it:
We take extreme measures not to push these toms – ever. If they are not responding to our calls, we back out and hunt them later in the day or another day. Only one time this entire season we were busted by a tom and that is one of the things that I most proud of.
Bowhunting:
We use blinds and dress completely in black and I truly love the Gamehide reversable black archer shirt. I also like to shoot through the mesh of my Covert blind because it allows me to draw back my bow without being detected.
For the last two years, I’ve been using 5 decoys in my setup when using my bow. I like to use a full strut tom with a bedded hen off to one side and on the other side I use a jake with 2 hens (alert and feeding). Reason being is if the dominant tom shows up, he will approach the full strutter. If a subordinate tom shows up, then hopefully he will approach the jake with the two hens. I’m having some good success and once the toms see the decoys, they commit (8 kills).
Calling:
This year more than ever, I’ve really mixed up my calls in varying sequences (box calls, slate calls and mouth calls). I learned a lot and realized that every tom doesn’t like the same call. In MT, we also had success yelping back and forth with one another. I was using a box call and little g was using a slate call. We were just mimicking two hens talking to one another and we ended up killing both of our merriams this way. I also used Jeff Fredrick’s Custom Mouth Calls this year and they are truly awesome!
Patience and persistence:
Only 2 of the 8 toms were killed within the first couple of hours after daylight. The others were killed at various times throughout the day. If you are only hunting in the mornings, you are missing out on some great hunting. Two of the toms were spotted out in the field. We watched them until they entered the woods, gave them an hour and then set up between them and their projected roosting area. Worked like a charm both times!
I want to thank Joel Nelson, Kooty, gutone4me, Rick Liefring, little g, Kirk Peterson, Mike Pearson, Dan Pearson, Danielle Pearson, my son – Ian and my wife – Tina for all of the awesome memories! It will be a season that I will cherish for a very long time.
Tina’s tom went 20 lbs., 9 inch beard and 3/4 inch spurs. One of the coolest encounters that we had while turkey hunting was with a grouse!
We stumbled upon it while stalking closer to a tom and she wouldn’t leave us alone. She literally followed us for over 100 yards and numerous times she was within 2 feet of us! It was sincerely one of the highlights of our turkey hunting season. 
My WI tom went 21 lbs 4 oz, with a 9.5″ beard and 3/4 inch spurs. Special thanks goes out to the landowners who gave me permission to hunt on their land.
It only took us 1/2 hour and we were done! 
I was able to film Kirk Peterson’s WI kill – 23 lbs 14 oz, with 11 inch beard and 1 1/4 inch spurs.
A few other kill 2010 kill pictures along with some misc pictures.
Truely awesome, great job Brad! Now lets concentrate on those basin Mille Lacs walleyes. We have to hook-up up there this summer.
Wow what a year Brad
Thanks for sharing some turkey blind time with me
Phenomenal. One word to describe your season, your report, your photos, everything. I really liked how you summarized, I’m sure intentionally, all of the little points and topics which brought you success this season. I’m sure this was probably your best season to-date, and there’s no mistake in pairing the great-hunts you’ve had with the level of attention to detail you’re hunting with. It was also pleasing to see all of the hunts you enjoyed where you weren’t the primary tag-holder. I’m guessing you’d call yourself a deer-hunter first and foremost, but you’re doing a good job of fooling everyone.
Congrats again on your season, and thanks for spending some time with me!
Joel
It was a spring I won’t soon forget Brad!! Thanks for everything you’ve done for me!
I give you a lot of credit for the time you put in this year to get as much on film as you could. I enjoyed the time you spent with us in turkey camp and I know Dan and Danielle did as well. Although we were probably the only camp that didn’t harvest a turkey with you there, we certainly made some fun memories.
Also have to give props to your wife Tina for letting you pursue your passion of hunting…and for sharing it with you. Congrats on another successful season Tina! 
Congrats on a very awesome season Brad!
I wish I could spend the time you do chasing those birds.
You are one VERY lucky guy with a VERY understanding wife to put up with all that!! 
great report and congrats on a great start to 2010! it can only get better from here!! bring on the deer and bear!!
Congrats on a great season!
Congrats on all the birds guy’s and gal’s
