2025 Official Turkey Challenge

[47thGARBB]

I try to talk to as many hunters as I can on my WMA and locally to get any sort of intel I can get on the birds here around me. One common factor between what they tell me is the phrase "these are the strangest acting birds I have ever seen." Some of these gentlemen I have met I have wound up making decent friends with, and are very experienced hunters. Everyone I have talked to has been very up front and honest that our WMA is kicking our butts this season. Everyone shares similar experiences of silent birds, unpredictable daytime behavior, and constantly changing travel patterns. Very little success stories to be heard this season. This is my first time hunting the part of the state that I am now in and I have no idea what is making them act like they are, as I am a novice turkey hunter at best (2 under my belt, years ago) but I feel like I am getting closer and closer every hunt I go on. At least we have a good few more weeks before the cat's out of the bag.

 

[24on48hunting]

I try to talk to as many hunters as I can on my WMA and locally to get any sort of intel I can get on the birds here around me. One common factor between what they tell me is the phrase "these are the strangest acting birds I have ever seen." Some of these gentlemen I have met I have wound up making decent friends with, and are very experienced hunters. Everyone I have talked to has been very up front and honest that our WMA is kicking our butts this season. Everyone shares similar experiences of silent birds, unpredictable daytime behavior, and constantly changing travel patterns. Very little success stories to be heard this season. This is my first time hunting the part of the state that I am now in and I have no idea what is making them act like they are, as I am a novice turkey hunter at best (2 under my belt, years ago) but I feel like I am getting closer and closer every hunt I go on. At least we have a good few more weeks before the cat's out of the bag.

One thing I can tell you about most any turkey hunter is that they will not give another person anything to go on, especially on public land. Friendly, yes, they’ll be that, but very few will be honest and tell you if they’re seeing or hearing birds and where. I rarely go on the word of another when it comes to current conditions.
There are very few people that I have shared my public land knowledge with
and those few are people that I know will take that info to the grave and/or are ones that I hunt with from time to time.
(yall know who you are and you are sworn to secrecy) 🤣
If you compare the # of days I have hunted and the miles covered to the birds killed, it would basically show how much of a butt-kicking I have received this season.
It’s no different anywhere else.

 

[24on48hunting]

I got 8 3/4” beard and 1” spurs which would be 9 3/4” overall. But like I said earlier when we talked, next year we will for sure go back to the way it was. I like having extra points for different things.

We also need to remember to add the 2 date verification pictures for every entry to be official. We bent rules last year with some of the entries and gave grace to some who technically had invalid entries.
I would not dare question Fly Fishing Guy ’s honesty and integrity, as I know he’s a stand up fella, I’d say keep the entry but let that be the last one. We need to be aware of the rules that are in place now and follow them to the letter if we are to only add more rules and variables for the coming years.

 

[47thGARBB]

One thing I can tell you about most any turkey hunter is that they will not give another person anything to go on, especially on public land. Friendly, yes, they’ll be that, but very few will be honest and tell you if they’re seeing or hearing birds and where. I rarely go on the word of another when it comes to current conditions.
There are very few people that I have shared my public land knowledge with
and those few are people that I know will take that info to the grave and/or are ones that I hunt with from time to time.
(yall know who you are and you are sworn to secrecy) 🤣
If you compare the # of days I have hunted and the miles covered to the birds killed, it would basically show how much of a butt-kicking I have received this season.
It’s no different anywhere else.

One thing I should add is I personally know a good number of the people hunting there, so I know that they are honest with me. No, I don't ask for or expect some random guy in the woods to give me to coordinates to his favorite roost tree, his mother's maiden name, or his social security number, etc., etc. You get the idea. But I believe I have good reason to think a guy is telling me the truth about a tough season when I watch him drag himself up out of the woods with bags under his eyes for days, unshaven, and hanging his head low. That's about how we all look right now LOL

 

[24on48hunting]

One thing I should add is I personally know a good number of the people hunting there, so I know that they are honest with me. No, I don't ask for or expect some random guy in the woods to give me to coordinates to his favorite roost tree, his mother's maiden name, or his social security number, etc., etc.

I didn’t say that you asked for that.

 

[47thGARBB]

I didn’t say that you asked for that.

I hope I didn't sound rude because that's now what I intended. Long story short it has been a grind in my neck of the woods.

 

[24on48hunting]

I hope I didn't sound rude because that's now what I intended. Long story short it has been a grind in my neck of the woods.

No sir, all good. I didn’t take it that way. Nor is it my intent to be perceived as such either. Nothing wrong with discussing things, even if opinions or views differ.

 

[new57]

Myself, I would take any Intel with a grain of sand - fishing or hunting. Sadly I wonder if people are telling me BS with respect to lures, locations, etc. In other words, too easy to tell someone misinformation to keep them from catching or killing.

That said, we were out at Charlie Elliott early last week and saw a very good number of birds. And specifically where they recently burned out there. So anyone hunting there head to the fresh burns because birds love those areas. Allen and Whitetail ponds were two zones we saw multiple birds.

I am open to discussing rules. I was targeting a bird on our land because he has two long beards, probably over 21 inches combined. But I learned this challenge we count only 1 beard, so that Tom got a pass from me. At this time I would be against a point for public land because on public land we see and hear birds, and that seems to say private land is easier. Which may not be the case, especially if the tract is small and borders public where there is activity. I do think good measurement photos are important, and the date pics. Someone said already in a thread maybe there are prizes for - public bird biggest, most number of beards, longest 2 or more beards total, etc.

But Adam thank you for organizing and doing this, it is all good this year! Much appreciated!

 

[Fly Fishing Guy]

Public birds themselves might take the same skill level to kill… but it’s no doubt my boots have way more miles, I’m up earlier, and I’m faced with challenges that private land hunters don’t have in regards to competition. The bird being a bird isn’t different on private or public… but the overall effort is higher. And I’ve hunted both private and public so I’ve experienced both and to me… I’m more proud of the birds I’ve earned on public land.

Date pics- yea I forgot. We made that rule in the first year when we did have someone in the group that was prone to cheat. He’s not here anymore. But a rule is a rule. I’ll make sure to have it all present on the next one…. Cause there will be a next one. 😂

OG rules to the ODT turkey hunting challenge just presented more opportunity for some excitement. Double beard is an additional point. Additional point for spurs over 1.25 inches. Additional point for beards over 11. Stuff like that. The name of the game is winning but more importantly, fun. More opportunity for points equals more fun.

And ain’t no body I know passin on two ten inch beards… if that’s true… I have great psychologist recommendations 😂. DM me and I’ll get you connected. lol

 

[Adamjen15]

Turkeys can be tough to hunt anywhere
(private,public,etc) but I have to agree with Fly Fishing Guy on this one, public land you definitely wake up earlier and put in a lot more miles for sure. Also have to deal with people that don’t know what there doing as well. 😂