Spring turkey....

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eyesandgillz
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2021/04/13 13:48:20 (permalink)

Spring turkey....

Hoping to get my daughter out for youth day on April 24th (I think that's the day).  Last year we weren't early enough and someone was in the spot I wanted to be....hopefully this year turns out better.
On the way to dek hockey traveling the back roads to get on I-70 yesterday evening, saw 10 or 11 gobblers plus many other turkeys out in several different fields.  A good sign, even though the PGC says numbers are down and are banning rifles for fall season.
#1

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    eyesandgillz
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    Re: Spring turkey.... 2021/04/16 15:26:04 (permalink)
    well, just found out my daughter's last club vball tourney is April 24th so, no youth season for us.....
    oh well..
    #2
    thunderpole
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    Re: Spring turkey.... 2021/04/16 15:36:38 (permalink)
    I will say I believe numbers are on decline around my area forsure. Since ice out iv seen 11 different Tom's in what 5-6 weeks now. Most weren't in normal areas I see turkey annually. Something is definitely going on and there in decline

    I'd rather be lucky then good,but im to good to be lucky
    #3
    BloodyHand
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    Re: Spring turkey.... 2021/04/17 09:31:59 (permalink)
    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
    Predators maybe???
    Coyote population have been picking up in most the areas I hunt.
    Caught a yote taking out a hen a couple years ago. The rest of the flock ( 20 birds ) tried to come to her aid but with no avail. When I hit the seen, the yote ( with hen in mouth ) took off 1 way and the birds took off the other.
     
    BH
    #4
    thunderpole
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    Re: Spring turkey.... 2021/04/17 16:13:12 (permalink)
    Could be to an extent on the yotes I think West Nile virus or maby coons and oppossoms? I watched a documentary from the hunting public with Mike Chamberlain the turkey doctor the other day. There seeing declines all over the country. But noone really can pinpoint exactly why.

    I'd rather be lucky then good,but im to good to be lucky
    #5
    BloodyHand
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    Re: Spring turkey.... 2021/04/18 09:08:46 (permalink)
    Just checked a trail camera yesterday in a spot I can usually catch a yote on once in a blue moon. Have a picture of 6 of them running together and multiple solo shots.
     
    BH
    #6
    r3g3
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    Re: Spring turkey.... 2021/04/18 19:50:51 (permalink)
    2 hens w/14 hicks in the backyard last year -
    week later 2 hens NO chicks.
    4/5 years ago turkey were commonplace
    Now all ya see every day is red breasted hawks.
    Yotes and bobcats around and hawks as commonplace as crows.
    Every day there were fewer and fewer chicks then zip.
    Havent seen one bird around here now in the year since.
    Game management cant have it both ways.
    Open the cat seasons and do something about the huge overpopulation of hawks.
    We drop every yote we see and it my  have an affect but the other stuff is protected here.
    post edited by r3g3 - 2021/04/18 19:54:31
    #7
    dpms
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    Re: Spring turkey.... 2021/04/28 19:38:47 (permalink)
    Well, the weather looks pretty good for the opener. I set a blind last weekend and have the bow ready to go. No gobbling at first light but two birds fired up while I was setting the blind from a few hundred yards away. Good luck to all headed out on the opener. 

    My rifle is a black rifle
    #8
    fishin coyote
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    Re: Spring turkey.... 2021/04/28 21:03:14 (permalink)
    It’s been quiet here also but I know there’s a couple around.

    Nothing is Free!!
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    #9
    thunderpole
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    Re: Spring turkey.... 2021/04/29 12:34:15 (permalink)
    I have been seeing a lot more turkey's out this past week. Had a rain day today so I ditched the girlfriend at 630 to go cruise for birds for a few hrs. Seen some new ones I just might hunt Saturday. I typically don't hunt first day because there's to many guys , and every year I get screwed. Idk why guys can't respect people with first come first serve. Guys just pile in it's rediculous.

    I'd rather be lucky then good,but im to good to be lucky
    #10
    eyesandgillz
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    Re: Spring turkey.... 2021/04/30 08:29:13 (permalink)
    I respect it TP..
     
    Last year, first day of youth, we were a little late to our spot (still plenty dark), and already two vehicles there so, my daughter and I turned around and went home and went back to bed.  I didn't have a back-up, at least not a close one....I even put the birds to be the previous night.  Just the way it goes sometimes.
    I may adjust my work schedule this week and hit the woods for an hour or two each morning before beginning my work day.  Hopefully the woods aren't too crowded....and, I'll be scanning for morels too...they should be a popping after this rain.
    #11
    thunderpole
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    Re: Spring turkey.... 2021/04/30 09:49:12 (permalink)
    I looked again this am for 2hrs lots of birds out none of the ones I was planning on possibly hunting lol. I don't get into a big rush anymore I'm thinking I'm gonna try a new block hopefully noone else plans on hunting it will see I guess. I found my first ever morrel yesterday under a dead apple tree. I'll be out looking more this week... It was a gray one I left it there . Hopefully more come up iv been looking for other old apple spots on my turkey scouts hopefully I can finally find enough to eat. Never even tried them before because I could never find them. I think I got a better understanding now. I could never find sheepheads before now I find them everywhere lol. I got probably 60 trees marked they grow on. I don't even pick many I give most away grill up a few with fresh backstraps

    I'd rather be lucky then good,but im to good to be lucky
    #12
    dpms
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    Re: Spring turkey.... 2021/05/02 07:29:30 (permalink)
    Sent an arrow through gobbler #1 yesterday. It was on fire. Even though I got him early I stayed to listen to see where the birds liked to be. I sat till 11 and they were still sporadically gobbling when I left. 
     
    post edited by dpms - 2021/05/02 12:43:45

    My rifle is a black rifle
    #13
    DarDys
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    Re: Spring turkey.... 2021/05/02 08:13:40 (permalink)
    Super. Congrats!

    How do you ensure they don’t fly after being bolted?

    The poster formally known as Duncsdad

    Everything I say can be fully substantiated by my own opinion.
    #14
    dpms
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    Re: Spring turkey.... 2021/05/02 08:26:42 (permalink)
    DarDys
    Super. Congrats!

    How do you ensure they don’t fly after being bolted?



    Thanks! For that reason turkeys can be tough when slinging arrows. If you hit them in the right spot, they usually hop a very short distance and die within 20 yards. Mine went about 10 yards. The vitals are the size of a softball so shot placement is critical. 
     
    I like to break down one or both wings so I aim at the wing butt. They won't be able to fly and you get the vitals as well. 


    My rifle is a black rifle
    #15
    fishin coyote
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    Re: Spring turkey.... 2021/05/02 22:20:27 (permalink)
    Congratulations dpms. I worked in the yard all morning and didn’t hear any. 

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    #16
    DarDys
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    Re: Spring turkey.... 2021/05/03 07:09:50 (permalink)
    Thank you for the information. That is extremely helpful.

    The poster formally known as Duncsdad

    Everything I say can be fully substantiated by my own opinion.
    #17
    dpms
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    Re: Spring turkey.... 2021/05/04 19:04:55 (permalink)
    It was a bit wet but I filled tag#2 with this soaked two year old. It was dead quiet till the rain briefly stopped after 9:30 then this guy fired up and I killed him at 10. Thank god for pop up blinds in weather like we had yesterday. 

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    DarDys
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    Re: Spring turkey.... 2021/05/04 21:01:15 (permalink)
    Thanksgiving dinner at your house!

    The poster formally known as Duncsdad

    Everything I say can be fully substantiated by my own opinion.
    #19
    Panfisher
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    Re: Spring turkey.... 2021/05/07 17:19:28 (permalink)
    dpms
    It was a bit wet but I filled tag#2 with this soaked two year old. It was dead quiet till the rain briefly stopped after 9:30 then this guy fired up and I killed him at 10. Thank god for pop up blinds in weather like we had yesterday.   




    Still hunting on that turkey farm I see.  lol  Congrats on the 2 birds.  Now what???
     
    Where's pic of bird #1? 
    post edited by Panfisher - 2021/05/08 19:57:45

    The only thing better than 1 day of fishing is 2 days of fishing.
    #20
    dpms
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    Re: Spring turkey.... 2021/05/09 07:03:06 (permalink)
    Panfisher
    Where's pic of bird #1? 

     
    Thanks! Here is #1 from the opener. Cold and heavy dew but three gobblers, three jakes, and a few hens made the first hour of the day entertaining. Sometimes things just line up and sometimes killing one of these buggers seems like an impossible task.
     

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    dpms
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    Re: Spring turkey.... 2021/05/21 20:53:33 (permalink)
    Tough season? Nobody hunting? Or nobody cares to post about their hunts? 
     
    I have been in observation mode for the past two weeks. I have a group of 5 longbeards located. They are basically in the same spot every morning. Some days there are 3, some days all 5. This morning 3 longbeards and several hens. Gobbling sporadically but lots of strutting still. If these guys are in the area next spring, I am gonna make a play on them for sure. Good spot to bow hunt. I have a feeling people haven't messes with them cause they are in a firearm safety zone. Not many guys bow hunt spring turkeys. 
    post edited by dpms - 2021/05/21 20:56:53

    My rifle is a black rifle
    #22
    DarDys
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    Re: Spring turkey.... 2021/05/22 07:22:14 (permalink)
    I don’t hunt them, but I have been hearing them about every 2-3 days — some time on one ridge, at others, on a different one. Haven’t seen them in the fields since a month before the season came in.

    The poster formally known as Duncsdad

    Everything I say can be fully substantiated by my own opinion.
    #23
    Moses Guthrie
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    Re: Spring turkey.... 2021/05/22 13:19:36 (permalink)
    Season started out fine for us, son took this bird first Thursday morning then I had two mornings of guys pushing in on me. Including one moron running across a corner of a field while I had a bird coming in. Was enough to push me into fishing mode now.

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    r3g3
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    Re: Spring turkey.... 2021/05/22 22:23:16 (permalink)
    Thats why I stick to Pvt lands with VERY limited hunters.
    The family piece I hunt has one kinda part time other guy and he knows how to hunt.
    Gave up on the state lands and open pvt places long ago- cant stand rude behavior  and learners crashing your hunt.
     
    Took a biggie this year after a long  far off call fest -FUN- one and done- ya can take 5 here but self imposed one limit due to down numbers.
    post edited by r3g3 - 2021/05/22 22:24:29
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