Struttin

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BIG WAGS
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2014/03/29 20:37:08 (permalink)

Struttin

Over this past week I have ran into three different groups with toms in full strut pushing hens......
Still have a month until first day......hope they still are horny come that time...
 
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    eyesandgillz
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    Re: Struttin 2014/04/01 13:12:13 (permalink)
    Yep, drive by 2-3 diff. groups every AM on my way to work with the toms/jakes strutting away.
     
    Been seeing a lot more deer out in the AM and PM's in the fields too and more roadkills.  Probably BB's getting pushed out of mommas home range since the new crop is getting ready to be dropped in a month or 2.  
    #2
    dpms
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    Re: Struttin 2014/04/10 19:21:50 (permalink)
    3 weeks yet to go. The green up has begun in the southwest corner of the state. Breeding was observed weeks ago and all of our neighbors will be hunting well before us as we wait for our late spring season to start after the best is over. 

    My rifle is a black rifle
    #3
    eyesandgillz
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    Re: Struttin 2014/04/11 11:09:03 (permalink)
    Talked with the neighbor last night...
     
    A farm just down the road he has permission to hunt on, had a flock of over 100 birds in a cut corn field on it last weekend....
    #4
    BIG WAGS
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    Re: Struttin 2014/04/14 21:04:24 (permalink)
    Wow what an evening here in the hollow.  Heard one gobble across the street. Pulled out a mouth call and he answered right up. Over the next 20 minutes I watched 2 deer move out into a field. Then watched 4 struttin their stuff at 700 yards. Heard 2 more in the wood line. So 6 gobblers talking. Yelped again and now have 2 behind my house. 3 hens roosted 30 yards from the house. 2 boys were still on the ground. Got the one into 20 yards until he flew up and roosted. His buddy came into 50 yards before he flew up.
    Haven't heard or seen any since winter, and now have 8 gobbling and at least 3 hens.
     
    I will bet in two weeks the fly south for the spring.................
    #5
    Eman89so
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    Re: Struttin 2014/04/15 08:31:57 (permalink)
    Im ready to go what time should I be there
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    BloodyHand
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    Re: Struttin 2014/04/15 13:26:16 (permalink)
    With this late spring that hasnt happened yet, do you think the hens will be dropping eggs anytime soon? I just started Turkey hunting last year and have the opportunity to take my nephew ( mentored youth ) on the junior Turkey hunt ( April 26th ). I'm hoping to suck a tom in with a hen decoy? Or do you think it might be too late as the Gobblers will be henned up already?
     
    BH
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    Eman89so
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    Re: Struttin 2014/04/15 13:58:00 (permalink)
    I always use.a hen
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    BIG WAGS
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    Re: Struttin 2014/04/15 22:04:36 (permalink)
    B H...I have never had luck with any decoys. Although have buddies who do.
    I saw birds separating today, so I assume the hens are nesting
     
    Eman...I won't be hunting the birds by my house, well at least the first week or so...
    This flock had +80 just 10 years ago. 2 years ago down to +30. Would like to see them multiply.
     That being said I was told where there's a flock of 30 birds. If you want to go after them all you need is a good set of legs. Here in Forward Township we are all hills and hollows. I hope to go scout for them next week. I hunt Mondays and Tuesdays as they are my only days off.
    More than willing to show people the area. Open to public hunting, Consol property 930 acres.
    #9
    Eman89so
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    Re: Struttin 2014/04/15 22:42:36 (permalink)
    Elizabeth Forward??
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    BIG WAGS
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    Re: Struttin 2014/04/17 20:49:52 (permalink)
    Yes Eman In the Forward Township side.
    Sorry it took so long to get here. smoked the computer
     
    just came inside. set out 3 decoys in the front yard. Brought 2 gobblers in within 20 minutes.
    They would not come into my yard . they held back into the neighbors. Both +10" beards. I got to watch the one fly 300 yards off top of hill.....
     
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    Eman89so
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    Re: Struttin 2014/04/18 07:21:05 (permalink)
    I got a few spots down there as well wags. aroud the park area.. and 51
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    r3g3
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    Re: Struttin 2014/04/18 09:01:58 (permalink)
    Wags-
     Kinda doubt limited hunting has a negative affect when the flocks are in decline. Out back of my old home there were 800 to a thousand acres with the vast majority off limits to hunting- loaded with birds. When they declined they simply disappeared. 
      Hearing No gobbles in places ya could walk out in April and May  for years and hear many.
     I stopped hunting the small portion allowed hoping to 'help' and  now kinda kick myself- it made no diff at all-population crashed.
     Way too many variables out there having far more impact than harvesting  a Tom or Two. Birds of prey- mast crop- wet Spring- Yotes and egg eaters of all kinds have far and away more gross impact than we do.
    #13
    BIG WAGS
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    Re: Struttin 2014/04/18 20:46:55 (permalink)
    Eman you mean 51 & Round Hill. Thats 1 mile out my back door.
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    BIG WAGS
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    Re: Struttin 2014/04/18 20:55:58 (permalink)
    R3 i get your point. I just have let my toms do their thing the first two weeks. Hoping to get optimum results for the flock. Yotes are becoming a major issue. Looking into participating in that type hunting soon . Foxes have increased in numbers here also.
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    Eman89so
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    Re: Struttin 2014/04/19 09:25:49 (permalink)
    Yes wags alot of friends down therr
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    BIG WAGS
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    Re: Struttin 2014/04/19 23:16:30 (permalink)
    I got one gobble last night.....and zero tonight
     
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    Eman89so
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    Re: Struttin 2014/04/26 15:40:34 (permalink)
    Sister put the smack down this morning on one with the crossbow
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    BIG WAGS
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    Re: Struttin 2014/04/26 21:05:05 (permalink)
    Congrats to her..... My wife saw 5 struttin to a lone hen this am.....in the front yard
     
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    Eman89so
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    Re: Struttin 2014/04/27 08:28:24 (permalink)
    Not long now Wags..
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    BIG WAGS
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    Re: Struttin 2014/04/27 22:53:49 (permalink)
    itchin' in the finger.....
    but hitting the lake in the morning, need some trout.....
     
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    Eman89so
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    Re: Struttin 2014/04/28 07:06:05 (permalink)
    I got plenty of those I been stocking up for catfish season. I will be hitting work
     
    we did shoot the other day I was surprised how did my girlfriend did was the gun!
    #22
    BIG WAGS
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    Re: Struttin 2014/04/28 19:31:13 (permalink)
    Hooking the boat at 5:30, in the dark , birds started gobbling. Got 5 rainbows by 9 am. Watched a guy pull in a 17 lb. carp on powerbait!
    post edited by BIG WAGS - 2014/04/28 20:24:48
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    Eman89so
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    Re: Struttin 2014/04/28 21:34:15 (permalink)
    We did good today at Mammoth in the pouring rain! I still don't know where we are headed on Saturday. Gonna be the girlfriends first hunt and I wont even be taking a gun just calling and videoing for her. I have a spot but afraid other people will be around and I don't want it ruined for her..
    #24
    BIG WAGS
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    Re: Struttin 2014/04/29 10:17:37 (permalink)
    NO FISHING TODAY...............SO I decided to sit on the porch and see what i could call in. Put out 3 decoys out, I have never had success with any, but gave it a try. Nothing till 6:00. then a fire whistle went off and heard 6-8 gobbles after that. 45 minutes later brought in a Tom followed by 2 jakes and a hen. He was small, only 15-18 lbs., yet had a +11" beard. soon as I can figure out how to post a picture  from my iphone I will..... the Tom came to the decoys at 2 feet (15 feet from the porch). What a scene to watch....I got a video to but it sucks iphone focused on my blind and does not adjust.
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    BIG WAGS
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    Re: Struttin 2014/04/29 15:15:13 (permalink)

    post edited by BIG WAGS - 2014/04/30 21:04:20
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    BIG WAGS
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    Re: Struttin 2014/04/29 15:17:22 (permalink)

    post edited by BIG WAGS - 2014/04/30 21:05:02
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    Eman89so
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    Re: Struttin 2014/04/29 21:35:03 (permalink)
    Wags your pictures are X on the screen
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    Eman89so
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    Re: Struttin 2014/05/03 21:34:33 (permalink)
    2 down today. Dad and brother
     
    Not me though. I didn't hear a gobble all morning. Seen one hen.
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    Claypool313
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    Re: Struttin 2014/05/04 12:18:56 (permalink)
    I was beginning to wonder if anyone from this board hunted yesterday at all.
     
    Better weather day than I expected.  Got set-up in a decent position on a roosted bird.  Could have gotten a bit closer in hindsight.  But it didn't matter as he shut-up and never made another peep, before flydown.  Odd.  It was public land, but no other vehicles or hunters seen.  Maybe someone got too close that I didn't hear.  Coyotes carrying on behind me but they were a ways off.  Might have been enough to quiet him though.
     
    Stuck it out on a couple more sits deep in the woods.  Not a sound.
     
    Around 10:15 got back to truck and headed home, stopping by another public spot that I wanted to scout a walk-in route for pre-work hunting this week.  That took all of about 20 minutes.  As walking back to truck across a field I heard the usual.  A gobbler saying goodbye.  That always seems to happen.  Checked my watch, 11:10.  Eh, that's enough time.  Hurried back to the woodline.  Judging from the sound, he was across a river.  But then I heard others further upstream that I wasn't so sure weren't on my side.  Moved down the woodline to a better position.  By better position I'm mean marginally better.  Not ideal.  Sitting on a dirt bank with standing water below me and assorted swampiness between me and the birds.  Worth a shot anyway.  Answered almost immediately.  One seemed like it was coming in.  Plenty of responses so I shut-up.  Sounded like hung up at about 60 yards which I expected given the barriers between us.  Gave one more yelping sequence but quieter.  I don't know if that did the trick, but within a few minutes here he comes.  Took a bit longer shot that I wanted as it was #1 open, #2 in front of the standing water.  I didn't think it would get any better and was afraid he might take off to fly over the water.  Ended up dying in a foot of water, but wasn't too bad fishing him out.  Not too pretty after flopping around in muck.  Good bird though.  Guessing a two year old.  9" beard but thin.  Heaviest I ever shot.  Using a crappy scale I got between 22-24 lbs.  Not much for spurs.  One broken.  The other barely 3/4".
    post edited by Claypool313 - 2014/05/04 16:16:00
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