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A big group of my hunting buddies and I drove up to the San Carlos Reservation on Friday morning to chase turkeys for the weekend. We got to our campsite around 2:30pm and got the wall tent and kitchen set up. After consulting OnX, we figured out where each group was going and hit the road for a little evening scouting. It was the first weekend of the first season on the San Carlos, so we couldn’t actually hunt until Saturday morning. My hunting partner and I opted for a spot close to camp, hoping to minimize the drive time the next morning. We drove our road from about 4pm until just before sundown, without locating any birds (about 10 miles out-and-back with no gobbles). We had the windows down, heading back towards camp when I thought I heard a gobble. We stopped the car and listened for 5 minutes… nothing. I was sure I heard a tom! My hunting partner climbed back in the rig, probably thinking I was pulling his chain. He shut the door and BOOM - gobbles. Perfect. We had at least two toms roosted and were even able to see one of them roosted halfway up a ponderosa. We dropped a waypoint on OnX and made our way back to camp. After a good night’s sleep, we were up and at ‘em at 4:15am with coffee and premade breakfast burritos on the wood stove. While we were packing the truck, it started to snow (NOT IN THE FORECAST!). We made the short drive to our spot, parking 600 yards from where we had roosted the birds the night before, and heard the gobblers going off! That made it easier to pick a good spot to set up in the dark. The snow was really starting to come down as we made it into our spot and set up our decoys. I only started hunting turkeys in the past few years, so I was unsure how the weather would affect the birds. But I was convinced our toms would just hangout on the roost all day because I sure as heck wanted to be back in the warm truck! We made a few quiet yelps to let the gobblers know where we were and sat back. They gobbled for the next 30 minutes, without us prompting them. We felt like we were in a good position and made another quiet yelp sequence to keep them intrigued. 15 minutes before sunrise we heard some gobbles 100 yards to the north of where our birds were roosted. It was either another set of toms that we hadn’t known about OR our birds had gotten down out of the roost without us hearing them. It ended up being the latter! The next 5 minutes was chaos, with the gobbles getting closer and closer. Each time they gobbled, I could feel it more and more in my chest. I understand the thunder chicken moniker now! I began seeing movement 75 yards out, which was a feat with the snow coming down in droves. I didn’t know it in the moment, but I think the snow covered up our decoys making it harder for the three incoming toms to know where we were. They missed the “X” and were moving to my left. In doing so, they forced me to rotate my sitting position and turn my shotgun towards the birds who were in the open at 25 yards. Aiming at the middle tom, I squeezed the trigger and CLICK. While trying to be quiet at the truck earlier that morning, I guess I hadn’t let the bolt slam all the way closed on my 3.5” shell and had a misfire. Trying to not the let moment pass me up, I cycled the bolt on my shotgun and got another round in the chamber. With all that noise, the turkeys knew something was up. They were confused and fixin to leave, but not before I got a shot off! What a cool morning! I had my first tom on the ground after an exciting hunt and the pictures in the snow will remind of this weekend forever. Side note: we filled my buddies tag in a similar fashion on Sunday morning, after it had warmed up a bunch. I’m hooked - and we will be back in the turkey woods next spring. CHEERS and thanks for reading! -MM

Sad to see but they have to do something. I’d like to see them keep coues as otc but limit mule deer in some units

Mandatory harvest reporting seems like such a no-brainer to me. I can't understand how this isn't being done.

That many closures have the potential to really clog things up, especially with the suggested non-resident trend. I would like to see something for OTC/NR change.

I’m planning on commenting and have made my voice heard about several issues during calls to the public. im just torn on this issue, don’t know how to feel about it. I am somewhat glad and encouraged by this change. I would not be upset if they made the entire state a draw for archery deer. Would be like a choose your weapon for your deer hunt. I’m an archery hunter and think this would greatly limit the amount of quasi archery hunters. People who wouldn’t normally archery hunt would put in for rifle hunts. Less people in the field during archery season. I also like to put in for quality, hard to draw rifle tags and when I don’t get drawn I fall back to my true passion of archery hunting. So yes, I will be commenting but still trying to decide what I want to say.

I hate to say it but AZ offers too many OTC opportunities for NR's considering we have such a limited resource. We aren't like colorado with a ton of animals or wyoming that only has about 700k residents in the entire state. AZ has a booming population and a very limited resource. All these outdoor shows like Meat Eater don't help either. Where else can you go and have great weather, a ton of public land and buy a deer tag over the counter? I believe NR's are more dedicated hunters anyway. When they travel from out of state they are "locked in" and focused on killing an animal. They are more likely to hire a guide as well. Many resident hunters tend to be very nonchalant about it because they think they can do it anytime. I have no stats to support it but I would say if you took 100 nr bow hunters and 100 resident bow hunters hunting deer the NR's kill more. The bad thing about bow hunts going to a draw is that it will make hunters choose a weapon type. Face it, killing an animal with a gun is easier than with archery equipment. I'm afraid people will end up giving up archery if they are forced to choose. This will not be good for the local archery shops and archery sales in general.

Sorry looks like we had 3 postings at the same time on this topic.

Something constructive

For sell is a brand new Redding Reloading T-7 Turret Press and Primer Feeder Slide bar. I bought it a few months ago and it is still in the box (I did open the press to inspect but it is not used in any way and I have not opened the primer feeder box). I’m selling because I decided to go with a progressive so I need to sell this one. I did a ton of research before buying and this is a great press. I’ll sell it for a little less than I paid plus cover the taxes. Local pickup only. I’m in Gilbert and can meet in a reasonable location. Press - $360. Slide bar - $65. Open to trades but nothing specific in mind.

What did you guys do with your free time since you weren’t playing on CWT? 🤣

I’ll take the two 142s

It definitely missed you too Matt ! 🤝❤🤗🤣 I felt like I has to be missing out on an awesome trade opportunity with you 🤣.

closing Unit 33 Early season and going to Whitetail only in Jan is a bummer. I love that early season hunt....nobody is out there due to heat.

I LOVE that 27 may go to a draw. WAAAAAY to many people this last year.

Finally gonna give kids the first hunt in 20c

NR archery tags should be a draw IMO. But... probably too much money at stake for that to happen.

What is the flu???

Probably posting at same time. Lol

You could also try GreyBoe they are right here in Phoenix.

Excellent!!!!! Cool that you got your first gobbler! Also looks like you guys know how to camp! Good stuff! S.

That's awesome man.. will call today

Wait, you got a q-tip test? They told me all they had was the Chinese anal swab test.

Are you sure your wife wants to go on a fishing trip for her honeymoon? Go to Hawaii

Gonna need about 3 times more than that to have a chance.