2.5 weeks in and finally got a tag filled. I have seen a good number of birds... all in the middle of the road. I have heard a LOT of birds, but until yesterday not a single one of them would actually appear in front of me. Well, not since opening day when I called in birds and they were literally right over the property line and wouldn't come any closer. I digress. I saw Tuesday, and didn't hear a single gobble on the roost, or at all. Yesterday morning however, they were feeling chipper and I was happy to hear lots of gobbles and close. I played cat and mouse with the hens and gobblers. And I knew there was a lovesick tom who reallllllly wanted me to head to him. He would try every 45 minutes to entice me... until he finally ended up behind me and came in from behind and to my right. Didn't realize he wasn't alone at the time and thankfully got on him fast, because he brought half a flock with him.

I'm doubly excited for delicious meals, this boy was BIG, and will provide, but also because I get to submit his DNA to the wildturkeydna.com project. This spring hunters could request a kit with super easy to follow instructions, and submit a slice of the tongue. I'll send that in today, along with a sample from the bird my husband shot last weekend. They are checking genectics, specifically looking in hybridization, genectic diversity, inbreeding potential and more.

Well done, Christina. Congratulations on a great bird!

Great bird, and way to stick with it.

I’m happy for you, girl!!!

Congrats on your gobbler!

Congrats

That DNA thing is interesting!!

I'm gonna look into that.

Great job! Great bird too!

Nice work Cristina!

Congratulations

Wow! Nice turkey Cristina!!!!!

Good deal. Looks like some good spurs.

A fine gobbler congratulations

Congratulations! I’m about to head out and chase turkeys myself. I hunted them four out of five days this week so far. I’ve called in a black bear and a bobcat, but no long beard yet. LOL

Nice bird, ive never heard of the DNA kit before.

Congrats

Real nice bird. Congrats. DNA kit? do they make public there findings?

Just to update on the www.wildturkeydna.com project - you can head to the website to learn more. Last season (2025) was the start of the project. It was aimed at folks who shot rare plumage or different plumage turkeys, unique feathers etc. If you go to the website you can see. They would then send a kit out and they are working on publicizing the results of what the genetic makeup of those birds submitted are. It's been really interested to see the results, a lot of surprises for sure.

This yearh (2026) they did a call for folks to request kits to participate. My husband and I submitted a request back in February or March and were chosen. Our kits arrived, instructions are included and a vile with liquid in it. When you harvest you go online, log information about where you shot the bird, pictures of the wings, spurs, bears and fan. Then slice of 1/4" of its tongue, pop it in the vile, freeze it and drop it off at the post office. Neither of our birds had any differing plumage, but were taken from the same farm.

Essentially they are looking to find out how inbred turkey are becoming. That is kind of the laymen's way of putting it, and there is more they are looking into, but it will all be released to the public.

sweet!! Nice bird!

congrats. both you and Andy. birds have been pretty hard to get interested here too. same as when I hunted in Alabama earlier in the season. some birds working and I have blown a couple of shots. getting older has many drawbacks.