I have been a turkey nut for many years, but actually started late in life....sorta. We didn't have turkeys near where I grew up until after I was in my mid twenties. If I wanted to hunt them I had to go to another part of the state do do it. It took me 7 years to draw my first tag in 1981. I killed a decent tom that season. I filled the next tag I drew a couple years later, then didn't draw another tag until 41 years ago.......and didn't fill the tag. That was the last time that happened. This morning I filled my 40th consecutive Michigan spring tag. After the lousy health issues the last year brought, I feel blessed to have even been able to get out in the woods! My All Purpose Boy tagged out this a.m. as well, his 30th straight successful Michigan spring hunt. Last weekend his oldest boy (7 years old) filled his second of two spring tags since age 6! The Morse Boys are on a roll!! I was lucky enough to have my son, plus both his boys, beside me this morning as well.

Congrats

Nice!!! Thanks for sharing.

Really pretty! I’ve never been a turkey hunter but I went this morning with a mentor and had a great time. Jakes kept chasing off the gobblers. It was interesting!

Congratulations that was exactly how it was with me no birds near me until 1996

Michigan's original turkeys were extirpated by over hunting and habitat destruction. The last recorded turkey was killed in Van Buren County in 1897, when my Grandad was only 2 years old. They re-introduced them in 1954, a year before I was born. It is amazing how fast the birds spread after the state figured out that relocating wild birds was the way to go. I have no idea how many there are now, but they are found nearly in every corner of the state. There are some areas in the U.P. that have none, but that's what 3-5 feet of snow on the ground does! The entire lower peninsula is loaded with birds, even the parts that didn't have them pre-settlement era.I think the annual harvest is 30,000 plus birds. It is an amazing wildlife success story.

Cool story!

Awesome!!! Ashley Jake’s make turkey nuggets too .

I would have shot one but I was a guest there….

I had every intention of shooting a Jake this morning. My All Purpose Boy and I had a plan of attack for some birds he roosted last night.....didn't know if the longbeards were still in that group that were 2 weeks ago, but we decided we didn't care, especially with the Grandboys along. We want to expose them to as much as we can, so Jake shooting was ok by both of us. My APB shot one of three Jakes that flew down and went directly to him.......they headed my direction (I was 175 yds away on their alternate route) The surviving Jakes came my way and even gobbled back at me a few times. They wouldn't come within range or I'd have tagged one of them instead of the longbeard I got 4-5 miles away less than an hour later.

J, I’m an equal opportunity turkey killer, I love shooting long beards but with the limited time I get to hunt Jake’s are fair game when they step in front of my gun.

Nice job.

That is a milestone to be very proud of, especially getting the boys involved too!!

Congrats!

WTG Jim, nice turkey

Nice turkey, Jan. Sounds like good memories were made.....