I need to start this thread off with a big thanks to David for the invite to Oklahoma! It was a great trip and one I truly enjoyed. I look forward to our next trip buddy!! Oh….and for those of y’all that might not be aware, Daggers is pure death on a turkey! He can flat out run a pot call with the best and has a boat load of patience.

Dagger’s and I started off this trip with a couple hunts in Bama in his personal stomping grounds. I tagged along for moral support since I had already limited out. I’m glad I did because I got to witness one of the best afternoons of gobbling I believe I have ever heard. This bird gobbled so much he would get choked up in the process. How he didn’t meet his maker that day I want never understand but he lived to see another sun rise.

We pulled out for my Illinois farms after a quick morning hunt on 4/2. It was only a 5 hr drive from Dagger’s house so we were there in plenty of time to get something roosted for the season opener. After visiting a couple different farms I was pretty much spun out. I had never hunted Illinois and not located a bird on my property. This was a first for me and I was feeling to pressure to show Dagger’s what Illinois had to offer. With a little persistence I located 6 gobblers together in a neighbor's crop field. We watched them go to roost in the other neighbor's woodlot and formed our plan.

The weather forecast was calling for rain so we drove back into the farm and put out a blind along a tree line where there was a sizeable gap between my property and the neighbor's crop field. I was hoping we could call the group of gobblers down the edge of the crop field to a point where they could see some decoys we had placed in my field. We arrive early and so far the weather was cooperating with us. The updated weather forecast had pushed the rain arrival out to midday. Since we already had the blind in place, we utilized it to be comfortable and concealed. I had a feeling we might be in for a long wait since there were not any bird roosted on my property.

As it started to break day the birds started hammering. We heard the 6 we roosted and also heard one that we were not aware of gobble a couple hundred yards to our NE. Daggers also heard several other groups that were out of my hearing distance. Once it was good and light out Daggers said he heard a bird fly down close to us. We started with some calling but the close bird did not answer. The group of 6 would though so we kept calling occasionally to keep their interest. This went on for about 30 minutes of so when all of sudden I see a big gobbler come over a rise in the field we were set up on. He had come in silent but was in a full run to B-Mobile. In just a matter of seconds he was in front of us breeding the submissive hen I had in front of B-Mobile.

We watched him for a few minutes and I noticed he had a dang fine set of spurs on him. I told Dagger’s to kill him anytime he was ready, which he promptly did. Daggers picked his bird up and placed him behind the blind out of sight. The plan was to stay put and wait out the group of 6 we had roosted. After sitting for a while we called in 4 jakes that violated one of my hen decoys for a lengthy period. They finally let and we got a hen fired up that came in our area for a little back and forth hen talk. After she left it was dead for a while. Daggers and I would give a few calls every 10 to 15 minutes. During one of my series Daggers said a gobbler answered me so I gave another call which was answered again. It wasn’t long and I could hear the gobbler answer me so I knew it had closed the distance. Turns out it was the group of 6 we had roosted and they were coming fast. I started picking up movement in the timber in front of us. The bright red heads stuck out the timber big time and where easy to track. The first gobbler entered our field and he held his ground waiting on back up. He was soon followed by his 5 buddies. It did not take them long to figure out they had B-Mobile outnumbered and where headed to him. All 6 waded up around B-Mobile so I had to be careful not to kill multiple birds. I finally had a window where there was some separation and I took the shot. Daggers was able to get most of the action and kill on video with his phone. That’s a nice little video to have saved and I bet I’ve watched it a half dozen times already.





We pulled out for Oklahoma on 4/4 after getting some much needed rest. It was going to be a long drive to OK from IL. We broke this drive up by driving most of it the first day and spent the night and finished the last 4 hours the following day. This put us in OK in time to get checked into our hotel and rest a little before going to roost some birds for opening morning. This was my first time to OK and it was similar to north central Kansas in some ways. We spent a good portion of the afternoon riding and looking for birds. We covered a lot of ground to only see a few turkeys. I was hopefully optimistic the turkeys just weren’t out in the fields that afternoon. Right at dark we pulled up to a known roost location on a farm we could hunt. Daggers rolled down the window and we were greeted with some hen talk and some gobbles as the bird were working their way into the area to roost. We both ease out of the truck for a better listen and to pin point which group of trees the roost in. I’m standing on a bank above the road and Daggers is standing in the road. A few minutes pass and Dagger’s gets my attention. He’s motioning for me to look up the road and there stands a hen. She was walking down the road headed to the same roost sight. We watch her for a few minutes; she decides we aren’t any threat to her and she continues on her way. She literally walked within feet of Daggers standing in the middle of a public road and the truck. This blew my mind as I’ve never had a wild turkey do that before. We ended up putting a good flock of turkey’s to bed and several gobblers for the opener.

We arrive way before daylight and we get in tight to roost. Daggers told me being we didn’t know exactly what direction the birds would go when they flew down he wanted to be in their bedroom when their feet hit the ground. I find a big cotton wood tree to set up on while Dagger’s puts out a few decoys. By the time we are settled in some hens are starting to talk and soon followed by several gobbles. This continues for the next 30 minutes in the dark and only intensifies as it starts to get daylight. This was a very exciting situation; I started to shiver from the flood of adrenalin and anticipation of what was to come. Once it was good light turkey started flying down behind us and we began to call. We had a steady stream of turkey talk and gobbles from this folk of birds from the time their feet hit the ground. The only problem was we were facing the wrong way and could not see a single turkey. We kept the heat on with our calling and within minutes we had birds working our direction. I could hear phfttttttttt…..doooom just off Dagger’s left shoulder. This turkey was within feet of us. I kept cutting my eye hard to my left hoping to catch a glimpse of the gobbler. As I’m straining to cut eyes that far left I hear wing tips dragging off my right shoulder. The gobbler had circled behind us and was now coming around my side. I cut my eye’s hard right and see this gobbler pass by within feet of me heading to the decoys. He was soon followed by his running buddy and several more turkey’s. I did not have a clear shot for several minutes but finally got some separation. I counted to 3 and we both shot. Dagger’s dropped his and I missed but quickly recovered with a follow on my bird. An opening day double was in the books on my first trip to Oklahoma.

We headed back to town to clean our birds and grab some breakfast. Once we have that out of the way Daggers wanted to go try a mid-day hunt on another farm. We find some sign on a fence row and find a good shady spot to set up. The two neighbour’s property had good turkey habitat so we felt like we were in a good area. The birds were using the fence row we were set up on and Daggers told me with confidence, we are gonna kill on this set up. About 45 minutes into the hunt Dagger hears a hen answering me every time I gave a call on the box. We are into the hunt an hour or so and haven’t seen a turkey or heard any gobbles. We were discussing leaving when we both heard phftttttt…….doom at the same time. We went into scramble mood to get into position as the turkey was dead behind us over a little berm. He was so close I could hear his wing tips dragging the ground as he strutted back and forth behind us. I slip a mouth call in and start giving him some soft talk and he gobbles within a few feet of us and about blows my hat off. I really enjoyed that so I made him do it again several more times. Finally the bird works around to David’s left side and comes through the fence. I yelp to him one last time before Dagger’s unleash the TSS at 10 steps. That’s 3 in the books half way into the first day.

We decide to split up that afternoon on a farm we can hunt in an adjoining county. I head to another known roost area and get settled in. Dagger’s goes to a cow pasture nearby. I don’t know all the fine details of Daggers hunt that afternoon but he promptly calls in two gobblers and kills his 3rd bird that afternoon. I have action shortly after I get settled in and it’s none stop until dark. I manage to call in 6 different mature birds and don’t fire a shot. I never had one get in an opening when I was in position to shoot that direction. I had birds coming for different directions and trying to pick which way to point my gun was challenge. Needless to say I didn’t pick the right direction for the particular bird that was in range and offered a shot at that moment. I don’t think I have ever called that much over several hours in my life. Those turkey’s absolutely love to be called to and often. It was very fun afternoon even though I didn’t pull the trigger.

The 2nd day arrives and I’m set up tight on this roost sight. I’m hoping one of the gobblers will pitch down close and I can end the hunt quickly. That was not the case and all the birds headed away from me. I felt confident I could move a 100 yards to an area where I saw a couple gobblers strut the afternoon before. I ease to this area and give a few calls. I have a gobbler answer me and he was soon on his way. A few minutes pass and I see him coming down a fence row. He’s moving at a pretty face pace. He blows through my one and only opening and doesn’t give me a shot. I don’t understand why I couldn’t stop him but I soon figure it out. I look back up the hill in the direction he came from and there are two strutters and a single hen headed my way. I soft talk the hen right by me and the two gobblers soon follow. At 15 yards I call to stop them and the lead bird cuts me off with a thundering gobble. He never retracts his head before the TSS found it’s mark. I have #2 in the bag and looking for my limit bird. I could have killed his running buddy but I wanted another hunt so I let him live to see another day.

We head back to the county we started in once my bird is cleaned and taken care of. We go to farm with a pretty wheat field and set up a blind and some decoys. We were not there long and I spot 3 red heads sticking up out of the wheat about 350 yards away. It’s very windy so I start cranking the box call and they are on the way. They cover the ground between us pretty quickly and I get ready. Daggers is on the bino’s looking at spurs for me. He quickly gives me the green light they are PBT’s and I need to kill one of them. I unleash the TSS and I have my 3rd bird in the bag and limit filled.

Looks like y'all had a heck of a trip. Congrats!

Congrats guys!

Awesome! Congrats to both of you!

Buncha Dang Killas!! Congrats on a great trip Fellas!!

Great story!!! Congrats

Nice congrats to ya both Mike!

Congrats fellas. Dave is a bad man on turkeys

Good job guys. Makes me wish I could leave the state one day in the spring. Ole Daggerz is a turkeys worst nightmare.

When Dave brings out that Lonnie Snead slate it's time for the lights to go out

Most of the time. Yes. As long as the shooters do their job

Awesome trip, congrats guys.

congrats Mike,and Dave,and you are rite ole Dave can sure run a call!!

Congrats. Headed to Illinois (Massac Counfy) next week and hope they cooperate half as much.

You should hit it right in my opinion. Birds were still grouped up from what I saw.

Congrats

Sounds like a great trip! Congrats!

Superb gents. I am insanely jealous. I'm still trying to fill a limit here then hope to hit Kentucky or Missouri in a few weeks.

Great hunts! Congrats!

Glad you guys wore them out! Congrats!

WOW!!

I'm exhausted just reading about all the action!

Congrats you two!


God Bless,
David B.

That's awesome! Congrats

Awesome trip teammate. Enjoyed reading about it!

Congrats!

That sounds like an awesome trip. Congrats

What an awesome trip

Congrats! Heck of a trip!

Great stories! Congrats!

Congrats fellas!

Great write up. The trip sounds awesome.

Awesome trip

Enjoyed reading, congrats to you both.