JFT Turkey Tour 2019

[Aggie PhD]

How many does she need? Just grab s handful from each bird?

I grabbed a handful. I imagine 7-10 would be plenty. As soon as I hear back I will let y'all know

Here is the text of her post:
"My name is Amanda Beckman and I'm a PhD student in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology program at Texas A&M. I'm interested in studying Rio Grande Wild Turkeys for my dissertation. One project I'm working on is collecting RGWT feathers from across Texas to extract DNA to analyze population structure and understand habitat use. I'm looking for individuals that are planning on hunting Wild turkeys this season and are willing to collect and mail breast feathers to me. I will provide all the supplies and postage needed.

if you or your family and friends would be willing to assist in this project please contact me so I can arrange for you to get the supplies

Thanks for your assistance!
Amanda Beckman
akb13@tamu.edu
727-946-3147
"

[Smart]

Had a great hunt in Atascosa Co. yesterday morning. Birds (and wildflowers) were everywhere, and we finally got a couple to commit. This Tom and his buddy strutted down the road to ~35 yards.








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Nice bird Atascosa!! Congrats!

[ClayW]

Had a great hunt in Atascosa Co. yesterday morning. Birds (and wildflowers) were everywhere, and we finally got a couple to commit. This Tom and his buddy strutted down the road to ~35 yards.








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Very nice! Congrats!

[ClayW]

I need to get out but these birds are still here.

Haven’t heard a single gobble since flydown but have seen 8 different gobblers.

[TildenHunter]

My buddy killed one on our place south of Utopia on Saturday AM. We don’t have the best turkey hunting but they are in the area. They roost on our neighbors and a groups showed up at 10:15. Double beard and 1 good spur and 1 broke. Good bird though.



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[ClayW]

Well that was fun

15 yards, beatin my decoy and no shot!!!

[Smart]

Well that was fun

15 yards, beatin my decoy and no shot!!!

Son of a.....


But that's why I like to bowhunt them.

[Aggie PhD]

Well that was fun

15 yards, beatin my decoy and no shot!!!

I'm amazed at how the toms beat the snot out of the poor jake. I keep thinking it will need to get repainted soon. I wish I would have bought him sooner

[MASTERS]

JFT Turkey Tour 2019





Had a lone gobbler sound off about 1/4 mile behind me close to 9am. I called and he answered back, a minute later I purred on the Sinclair titanium and he rattled my eardrums at 40 yards coming in at my 6. He was coming in FAST....A couple seconds later I folded him up on the way to flank the deeks.....numero dos on the books....

[Smart]

I'm amazed at how the toms beat the snot out of the poor jake. I keep thinking it will need to get repainted soon. I wish I would have bought him sooner

I was the same. Passthrough and ClayW kept telling me to get a 3/4 strut jake and I was like I have killed enough birds over these foam cookie cutter upright decoys I don't need to spend big money on turkey decoys. Glad I finally did several years back...the show they put on is worth the price of the decoy.

[jaker_cc]

JFT Turkey Tour 2019

I’m up to bat this afternoon, going to try a new spot that I just got permission on by Charlotte. I’ve seen birds there in the past, but I’m not sure where they are roosting so it’s more of a recon mission than anything

[jaker_cc]

Nice Bird Clay! Beats sitting here at work.



Yesterday the birds gobbled on the roost and got real quiet when they hit the ground. Reminded me of hunting Easterns.

We did get a couple come close. But they saw the blind and walked the other way. They didn't want anything to do with the decoys or be near the blind. Next time it is back to sitting next to a tree. Saw some good birds finishing up chores at the lease, but they were all with hens. Except for one that was 30 yds from camp and flew off as soon as he saw the truck.



Also saw a post facebook that was shared from the NWTF page. There is a grad student at TAMU who is studying genetics and habitat utilization of Rios. And is wanting breast feathers. I will post her info when I get done with the meeting. I sent her an e-mail this morning about her sampling kits. Right now I just pulled some feathers and put them in a ziplokc in the fridge



I got 2 weeks before I can go again.

Cool keep us posted. I’ll grab some from each bird as well


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[Smart]

I grabbed a handful. I imagine 7-10 would be plenty. As soon as I hear back I will let y'all know

Here is the text of her post:
"My name is Amanda Beckman and I'm a PhD student in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology program at Texas A&M. I'm interested in studying Rio Grande Wild Turkeys for my dissertation. One project I'm working on is collecting RGWT feathers from across Texas to extract DNA to analyze population structure and understand habitat use. I'm looking for individuals that are planning on hunting Wild turkeys this season and are willing to collect and mail breast feathers to me. I will provide all the supplies and postage needed.

if you or your family and friends would be willing to assist in this project please contact me so I can arrange for you to get the supplies

Thanks for your assistance!
Amanda Beckman
akb13@tamu.edu
727-946-3147
"

I just sent her an email....should be able to provide her with some West Texas birds

[Smart]

Hunting out of a pop up is passive hunting. You’re waiting for a bird to hear your yelps, see your dekes, and come into your set. Different strokes for different folks, but I’d much rather hear a distant gobble, actively close the distance, and fool him the rest of the way down the barrel of my shotgun.

Man this post sure has a JMalin tone to it. I'm starting to believe that Masters was right.... If you are Jmalin then this is a waste and I don't even know why I'm typing this....but here it goes.



Actually it is quite active before we bowhunters set up. We scout the days before to find our birds, check cameras, check fields, listen for gobbles, check roosts etc etc. Prime example is I bet Clay has scouted 6-8 days before season started and has posted pics on here doing just that. I know he has sent me several pics doing so. I'll be doing the same the week before our season but I'm 5 hours away from my place. I have cameras in place doing some as well.

Then after we "actively find the birds" we "actively set up on them"..much like you do when you "actively find one" the same day of your hunt and then turn to "passively hunting" them (your words) by calling them to you....unless I missed where you run them down with a shotgun blasting them like Rambo without any calling. They are more similar then you make them appear, there are just different time factors.

I'm not suggesting one is better than the other. I'm merely pointing out that they both have their "active" and "passive" aspects during the whole experience in general.

[eyedoc]

I’ve killed quite a few turkey with my bow exactly how I would running and gunning with a shotgun. Popup blind on my shoulder, vest with decoys, bow in hand, mouth call....a lot of work but fun.