Until the bears come out...

[drahthaar]

Heard some gobbling near my house this morning, decided to grab the shotgun and go check it out.
Smoked turkey breasts this weekend!!!!

 

[Big Fin]

The dog looks far less excited than the hunters. Congrats, DJ.

 

[Gerald Martin]

But did you find it on Google Earth before you shot it?. Nice bird!

 

[drahthaar]

The dog looks far less excited than the hunters. Congrats, DJ.

She's upset because she didn't get to retrieve this one out of my neighbor's pond like the one two years ago. THAT was a sight!!

 

[JohnCushman]

Is there any more?

 

[Mica Man]

Nice looking bird and great looking smiles on dad and son!

 

[drahthaar]

But did you find it on Google Earth before you shot it?. Nice bird!

LOL. Ha! I tried, but they just called me in instead.

 

[Bulldog0156]

Is that an Eastern?

 

[kansasdad]

But surely you changed out of your fancy camo before you took your picture. Everyone knows that you can't get a bird unless you are sportin' the latest and greatest threads.

Way to take a bird on a short notice whim.

 

[1_pointer]

Great pic! I need to be better about home site selection, as I don't get to hear anything near as exciting as turkey gobbles.

 

[drahthaar]

Is that an Eastern?

I haven't the foggiest. I know nothing about these birds.

 

[drahthaar]

Is there any more?

There were 6 big toms pestering 1 hen.

 

[sbhooper]

Nice, short hunt! Good bird.

 

[recon6036]

Very nice. Congrats! Just about every spring I have Toms come in my yard and peck at the basement windows....haven't shown up yet this year though!

 

[tarheel]

Nice eastern bird; I didn't know they could be found that far West. I live in town but there is a small flock which hangs out in a small wooded area about 6 blocks from my house. I'm tempted to spend some time there with my bow, as a friend's property adjoins the wood lot and I could sneak in there totally undetected.

 

[Bulldog0156]

It definitely looks like an Eastern. Montana isn't supposed to have Easterns I thought...

 

[MinnesotaHunter]

That is a beautiful bird. If it isn't an eastern it has weird looking fan for a Merriam's. Awesome bird either way.

 

[MTbowhunter84]

Congrats on a great bird.

 

[JohnCushman]

The body feathers look kind of Merriamsish, but the fan is Eastern...maybe it's some sort of hybrid like I see in Oklahoma between Easterns and Rios

 

[Gerald Martin]

That's an Eastern. The flock @ Kalispell area was built up with transplanted Easterns. Merriams in the rest of the state.