# Thunder Chickens



## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

I've been busy lately and it's probably been noticed because I haven't added my factual opinions of late. It's spring, so naturally! Well Turkey Opener was a hard day, it was in the low 40s with 30 mph winds. To add insult to the conditions, a neighbor blasted every gun he owned plus tannerite. YES TANNERITE!!! Boy was I irritated. I had made visual with a gobbler and he answered my yelps but was preoccupied with a hen. I could hear them go deeper in the woods. Shucks. About an hour later I got a second chance. I hit it, second hit and immediately heard feathers ruffling. Looked to my right and there they were, BOOM! I could've had a twofer because the hen just stood there. If it been another Tom, he would've been dinner too. Had fresh turkey for dinner last night 

26 pounder with 10" beard and a nasty pair 1 3/16" spurs.


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## Swv.farmer (Jan 2, 2016)

Nice bird.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Congrats....been a tough spring starting out but will get better for sure.

Regards, Mike


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## glasswrongsize (Sep 15, 2015)

Well, ifn any of y'all's kilt out and had any of your luck left over, squirt a lil of it my way. Just started hunting these critters last year and ain't kilt one yet. Should be able to hunt Thursday and Friday this week. I have landowner permits and an ONLY allowed to hunt on property that I own. The birds tend to roost on the neighbors and in the river bottoms. After today/yesterday's 2.5+ inches of rain, the river is out; hopefully it will push the birds up to my neck of the woods.
The dang things can't have a brain any bigger than a pebble, but are smarter than I am!! 3 years ago, a hen nested in the brush between the house and the chicken pen (@30 yards) and raised a hatch. Now that I have a permit, the hens AND the toms cut a larger circle during season. There was upwards of 50 birds within a 100 yards of the house 3 or 4 days out of the week for about a month straight a couple of months ago, but are a scarcer sight right now.

Reckon that's why they call it "hunting"?

73, Mark


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## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

Could've tagged out  This bad boy's beard is thicker than the opener. Chasing a Hen through one of my hay fields. I'll grab him later 









Glass the only advice I can give you is get a comfortable chair, put the sun and wind to your back, and try different things. I yelp, purr, and cuss even. I use decoys too but that's hit or miss especially it the Gobbler has a hen. Sometimes my best luck is making no noise at all. Hunting is 10% skill, 90% luck.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

This is a bird my future daughter in law took on opening weekend....it was 24 pounds, 10 1/2" beard and a 7 " beard and it had a 1 3/4" spur on one leg and no spur on the other leg.

Regards, Mike


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## Swv.farmer (Jan 2, 2016)

The season should get better as soon as the hens all get nesting.then the boy's will be looking for new love.


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## haybaler101 (Nov 30, 2008)

Vol said:


> This is a bird my future daughter in law took on opening weekend....it was 24 pounds, 10 1/2" beard and a 7 " beard and it had a 1 3/4" spur on one leg and no spur on the other leg.
> 
> Regards, Mike


I am impressed, she is cute and she can hunt too! Oh, and the bird is nice also.


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## Shetland Sheepdog (Mar 31, 2011)

Got a herd of 'em around here! Wife & daughter been lavishing cracked corn on 'em! Don't need no camo or firepower, just walk over an' club 'em!


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## haybaler101 (Nov 30, 2008)

Got 25,700 of them here averaging about 43 lbs. right now, 7 days till payday!


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Good luck! Looks like you may have weathered the flu storm Joe?

Regards, Mike


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## haybaler101 (Nov 30, 2008)

Looks the flu is going to be "1 and done" for the whole country this year.


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## luke strawwalker (Jul 31, 2014)

Now I see why Ben Franklin wanted to make them the national bird instead of the bald eagle. Powerful, intelligent animals, and very beautiful in their own way, as well as being highly useful.

I guess it's more fitting that our national bird is an opportunist bottom-feeder that commonly steals from others for its sustenance, will finally hunt for its own food when it has to, and will kill whatever opposes it or stands in its way.

Later! OL J R : )


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

luke strawwalker said:


> Now I see why Ben Franklin wanted to make them the national bird instead of the bald eagle. Powerful, intelligent animals, and very beautiful in their own way, as well as being highly useful.
> 
> I guess it's more fitting that our national bird is an opportunist bottom-feeder that commonly steals from others for its sustenance, will finally hunt for its own food when it has to, and will kill whatever opposes it or stands in its way.
> 
> Later! OL J R : )


Pretty much sums it up except the very last of the last sentence....the "will kill its opposition" is not part of the Bald Eagle repertoire......Golden Eagle yes, Bald Eagle no.

Regards, Mike


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## haybaler101 (Nov 30, 2008)

luke strawwalker said:


> Now I see why Ben Franklin wanted to make them the national bird instead of the bald eagle. Powerful, intelligent animals, and very beautiful in their own way, as well as being highly useful.
> 
> I guess it's more fitting that our national bird is an opportunist bottom-feeder that commonly steals from others for its sustenance, will finally hunt for its own food when it has to, and will kill whatever opposes it or stands in its way.
> 
> Later! OL J R : )


I have not dealt with any wild turkeys, but the white domesticated ones are not intelligent, in fact they have to be one of the dumbest creatures God ever made. But they are quite tasty and they make a lot of money.


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## luke strawwalker (Jul 31, 2014)

Vol said:


> Pretty much sums it up except the very last of the last sentence....the "will kill its opposition" is not part of the Bald Eagle repertoire......Golden Eagle yes, Bald Eagle no.
> 
> Regards, Mike


Okay... was trying to make a point about the gubmint, guess it maligned the bird inaccurately. Sorry.

I think the recent gubmint showmanship in Idaho makes the point pretty well though.

Later! OL J R


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## luke strawwalker (Jul 31, 2014)

haybaler101 said:


> I have not dealt with any wild turkeys, but the white domesticated ones are not intelligent, in fact they have to be one of the dumbest creatures God ever made. But they are quite tasty and they make a lot of money.


God didn't make those-- we did. Domesticated them and inbred them into what they are today-- meat factories that are dumb as a post.

Same is true for a lot of domesticated animals. Dogs and cats being the primary exception.

Later! OL J R


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