noodle one

Many people have asked me, why do I carry so many calls? My answer to them is because turkey hunting is a lot like fishing. Yesterday the fish were killing the lurer that I was using and today they wouldn't look at it. I needed to change the color ,size and or the presentation in order to catch fish. Turkeys are like fish. One day they like it loud and the next nice and soft. Sometimes when fishing they just pick at your bait and until you find the right presentation you are not going to catch any. When you do find the right presentation (bang) they will hit it hard and you will catch all the fish you want. Turkey hunting is the same, give them the right presentation and they will come. Many times when you call, a turkey will answer ,but will not come to your calling. "Why?" . Because your calling is almost there , but your presentation is wrong. You need to find what the turkey wants and he will come running. I experienced this many years ago first hand. I had setup one hundred yards from our property line calling. and got answered by two gobbers three hundred yards away on private posted land. I knew where the turkeys were and felt that I needed to call loud for then to hear me. They would gobble at my loud calls every time, but would not come to me. I was sitting there when a hen came in from behind me. She was ten yards from me when she gave a very soft cluck and those gobblers went wild. She walked off toward the gobblers. I sat there thinking that with all my loud calling and they would only gobble once for me, but when she came in and only with a soft cluck made then go gobbling crazy. I sat there for and hour before giving another call. The call I gave was a very solf cluck and the gobblers went crazy again and came running all the ways from three hundred yards out. The first thing I learned that day was that turkeys have very superior hearing it is amazing how far they can hear. I also learned that when you give the right call the turkeys will come running.

MKVxD , Good for you for sticking in there. A lot guys have given up because they can't find any gobbling birds. You never know when you are going to find that one hot gobbler.

I have been very busy working around my house to do much turkey hunting . I haven't been out since taking my first bird on the first Sat. of the season. I am building a shed 16' x20' that needs to be build on post (20) and it is a lot of work. I retired so that I didn't have to work any more "ha ha". There is a pipe line down back of my house and I have taken many turkey there. I am up every day between 4:30 am and 5:00 am. I am out the door at first light and in the back yard getting things around so at I can get some work done between the rain drops and this year there has been many rain drops. Up to the last two years I have always heard gobblers down back, but for some reason there hasn't been any gobbling and or sign down back. I don't know what has happen to them , maybe coyotes, I just don't know. I always had them in my back yard , but have not seem any in the last two years. Every morning working out back ,I have not heard one gobble. Every morning after getting things setup for the days work I would get into my truck and head down to the corner store to get a coffee to go and then make a run around the mountain and up a back road to sit and listen for turkeys while drinking my coffee. Every morning the same thing ,not a gobble. I would get back to my house around 7:00 am. every day. About a week and a half ago, I was heading home and coming to a small open lot just before turning on to my road I spotted a hen bird heading for the pipe line. I saw her two more times after that at the same time 6:45 am each morning. I thought to myself that she was heading to a gobbler and he wasn't gobbling. About two days later while working out back I heard a hen yelp two times and then no more. no more yelps or gobbles. I said to myself that she has just meet up with the gobber. The next morning I was up and dressed for turkey hunting by 5:oo am. I did the same thing that I do every mornig and started to setup for the days work.At around 6:00 am I took two decoys ( hen and jake) and pick up my gun and headed for the pipe line. I wanted to get there before the real hen. I knew that if she was coming, at she would get there about 7:15 am. I was setup by 6:15 am and had my decoys in place. I gave three yelps and was answered with a gobble way out, I mean a long ways off. I waited a couple of min. and gave some more yelps and he was in the same piace and answered with a gobble. I waited five mins. before calling again and when he gobbled he was heading my way. I waited another ten min.to call and when he gobbled he was about two hundred yards out and coming. All this time I am hoping that he would show up before the real hen. I hadn't given him a call for about fifteen min now and was thinking about giving him another call ,when I looked to my left and there coming up the pipe line was a big fan. At that time he was about 50 yards out.and headed straight for the decoys. He was taken his time stopping every few feet to put on a show. It took him for ever to cover twenty (20) yards and come to within thirty (30) yards. I said to myself that he is one big gobbler. I gave him a putt and up came his head and it was all over. nine and one half in. beard (9 1/2 in.) and spurs of an inch and a quarter (1 1/4 ") and turning up to sharp points. This shows that there are more ways to find a gobbler than hearing them gobble. So if you see a hen or hens heading for the same place early in the morning, chances are that she or they are heading to the gobbler. This is not the first bird that I have taken this way, I can think of a half a doz. right off the top of my head and they all have been big birds. Thanks for reading my story and now I have to get to bed, because I still have to get up to work on the shed so I can go fishing. Thanks again, noodle one

Cabin Fever, Thanks for the great tips. We have the pail with peanut butter on a tin can up at our camp for mice. I never knew about the seeds in a half a bucket of water. Tomorrow I am going down to agway to get some seeds. I have all kinds of chipmunks that are getting into my turck and car and I could never get them to come to the peanut butter bait. Now that I know about the seeds "look out chipmunks". Thanks again, noodle one

I am into river and stream fishing for trout. I fish the West Branch Delaware for big browns and rainbows. I like to fish the Salmon River for steelhead. I am not into salmon fishing because when you hook into one, all it is a tug of war,no real fight.

I live on top of a mountain and I know that mice and chipmunks like to get in next to the engine to build a nest to keep themselfs warm on cool nights.I also know that they will go in the air intake to build their nest. I put screen over the air intake and that keeps them out. My problem is keeping them from around the engine and chewing on the wire. My wife came home this afternoon and said the car was running funny and the engine light was on. This is a new car with 10,000 miles on it. I took it for a little ride and when the gears would shift, it would bang in. I headed right to the dealer to have them check it. They told me that I have a rodent problem and they were chewing on the wire harness and I need to call my isurance co. to get taken care of.They also told that this is the third car this week with the same problem. When I asked them what I could put in there to keep them out ,they couldn't give me an answer.I would like to know if anyone else has had this problem and do you know of a way to keep them out. I would apprecicate any help with this. Thanks, noodle one

Very good story. Sounds like you had a great time. There is nothing like being in the turkey woods when they are gobbling. I love being on the moutain at first light listening to the song birds wake up the woods, and then hearing that first gobble of the day. Good luck at getting another chance at "the janitor" and safe hunting.

Way to go and Congratulations. You will remember this hunt forever. There is nothing like calling in and taking your first gobbler. Now that you are hooked, you will probably become addicted to turkey hunting. There is nothing like the feeling you get, when your heart is beating so fast and hard that you think it going to come out of your chest. When you run to your first bird and when you finally get him pined down and you start to shake so bad that you think it will never stop. That is turkey hunting and thats what will keep you coming back for more. Good luck with your second tag.

WNYBuckHunter, Whatever you do , do not give up. If the birds were there before , they are still around. The reason you are not hearing them is that they are hened up. I know it can be hard hunting when you are not hearing any gobblers. Hopefully in the next week of so most of the hens will be on their nest and the gobblers will be out looking for that one lone hen. You never know when you will find that one hot gobbler and your hunt will be over in two mins. Things have been running about two week behind because of the weather, so hang in there.

bkin, You are so right,I agree with you 100%. There are so many people that never have taken advantage of something that is there for the taking, free. One needs not be a hunter to enjoy the rebirth of a new morning. To be there when the song birds wake up . To see the sun rise and to see the wild creatures of the mountain making their first moves in the morning, yes it is truely amazing. I have been hunting spring turkey going on 40 years now and even after all those morning being in the woods ,it still awaken me each and everyday. It is a shame that more people can not or don't want to experience it.

After giving the turkey woods a rest for the last three days, I headed out the door at 4:15am to try to fill my second tag. I sat down at 5:10am and waited to hear the woods wake up.The song birds were singing and everything was looking up. I know that a gobbler has his roost tree close by. I was hoping that by giving this spot a break for three days would let the gobbler settle down and maybe want to come to that lone hen that had been calling to him all last week. 5:40am I heard a soft cluck and I answer with a soft cluck. The birds were close, real close. I started looking in the tree tops. I spotted a hen about 80 yards down hill starting to move around on a limb of a big oak. I heard some more soft clucking and yelps real close. I answered her with the same soft clucks and yelps. Still no gobbles. I then spotted another hen in the same tree as the first hen. The soft yelping was almost continuous from the real close hen. I finalily spotted her about 50 yards away in another oak on the other side of a big hemlock. That makes three hens that I know of out in front of me. Still no gobbler or gobbles. This soft yelping went on until 6:05 am ,when the first hen came out of the tree. Three more hens followed her and never made a sound. Not a cackle or yelp. I didn't even hear their wings flap. I did not see a gobbler or hear one. I waited 15 mins.and then moved down to their level and set up. I gave some soft clucks and purrs. and scratched the leaves some. After 5 mins. a hen answered me with a few soft clucks. After that nothing.I gave it a hour and half and never heard another sound. I figured the gobblers were not going to talk today ,so I might as well go home and get ready and go fishing. I went down to the West Branch Delware. I knew that for good fishing I was running late.The river is stiill running a little high ,but coming down. The turkeys didn't want to play today ,so maybe the fishing would be better. Well to make a long story short , the fish didn't want to play either. There is aways another day.

I don't take pictures of any of my deer or turkey anymore. I have so many of them ,they all start to look the same anymore. I use to keep the beards and leggs for the spurs, I had so many that I use to find them laying all over garage. now I just give them away or throw them out. I have been very lucky when it comes to hunting, that I can not give you a number of the deer and or turkeys at I have taken, but believe me if I don't take another one, I have gotten my share.

Bear, I have seen a lot of it here in Broome Co. (Windsor area)

sssurfertim, you need to find the call that the gobbler wants to hear. You can't be afraid to try something new. If the birds are not gobbling then there is nothing to lost. I myself had to try many different calls this year before I found the one that they liked to hear and would answer. I have worked birds everyday. When you think this way and not being afraid of spooking the birds, you will start finding birds to work. If the birds were there before, then they are still there , just not talking. They are hened up and may only gobble at you one time and then walk away. I have found that a high pitch yelp works best when they don't want to talk. Keep trying because it only takes one hot bird to make your day. Good luck, straight shooting and safe hunting.

Up and out the door that 4:20 am. Parked the truck and heading in the woods at 4:45 am. I knew right where I was going and it was a hike. Up the side of the mountain across the top and down to the first ridge . A good one half hour hike in the dark. I carry a small light ,so I don't poke an eye out. The first part of the hike is across a flat and up the side of the mountain of mixed hemlock and hard woods, very dark. The top opens up to big hard woods. Just as I reached the top the song birds were waking up and I could tell it was going to be a beautiful morning and a great day to be in the turkey woods. The top of the mountain looks like someone has been running around with a rake with nothing better to do than just keep on raking spots all over the place. I cross the top and drop down the far side to were I want to be. 5:20 am, I sat down and was thinking what a beautiful morning, when a thurderous gobble comes from a big hemlock 80 yards in front me. I knew he was going to be there because I have been hunting this area everyday for the last week. Everyday I have worked turkeys that would gobble at me and then walk away. I had some that would come in 50 or 60 yards looking up through the big open woods looking the hen that was calling for them. My decoy was not doing the trick. This morning was going to be different, I was going to bring the hammer down. I gave him a very soft tree call . There was no response from him and I know that he had to hear me. About two mins. later came another gobble, this time I gave him some soft clucks and still there no answering gobble. :-[ I am thinking that he has to know that a love sick hen is sitting over here waiting on him. I decided that I would just sit there and wait him out. This went for about 20 mins. with him gobbling every two mins.This is the first morning that he was gobbling this much in his roost tree. I was thinking that maybe most of or all his hens have left him to have him gobbling this way. It was going to be a waiting game. After 20 mins. I hear a hen down below him . He gave one more gobble and out of the tree and down the hill he went. I gave a call and got no answer back ,nothing. I sat there for a half hour making no calls, just scratching the leaves every now and then. After doing this a half a hour I made some very soft purres and clucks. After doing this solf calling and scratching for ten mins. the hen answer me. I said to myself that here they come and got set. I waited for a half an hour and nothing showed ??? . I gave some louds yelps and no answers. They must have moved off. I decided move to on to another place and come back later. This other place was a long walk and I knew it would take me a good hour to walk over to there. I also knew that there are some good woods roads to walk and call. All this land is controled by the club that I belong to (1400 acres) and I wouldn't have to worry about walking and calling. It was about 8:30 am when I got to were I wanted to hunt and found some sign , not as much as the other spot ,but fresh. I had been walking the woods roads for a hour and a half with no answers. I was thinking about heading back to my starting spot and sat down to take a five min. break before heading back. It was now 10:00 am and hoping that the gobbler would be back looking the hen. I sat there having a smoke and thinking about giving one more run of loud yelps. I had no sooner started when a gobbler cut me off and he was close. No time to set up my decoy , no time for anything but to get my gun readly and make another call.He cut me off again and the next I see is a fan coming at me about 50 yards out. He was putting on a show for the hen or was it me, all way in. At 35 yards I gave him a putt and up came his head and it was all over. (10" beard and 3/4" spurs) I would say a two year out bird . After all my planning for the first bird that walked away and turning around in two mins. and taking one this way. You never know when a hot bird is going to show up. This is my first bird for this year and I have another tag and that other bird to work with and hopfully some more beautiful morning in the turkey woods. It was a long walk back to my truck, but well worth it and it makes for a good story to tell the guys.

I play golf with some guys who use dryer sheets and they have no problems with the little suckers. I can't say ,because I use bug spray. They put a sheet under the back of their hat with about 3 quarters of it hanging out the back. The people who use them, swear by them.

I have been out everyday except yesterday when it rained so hard. I have had birds gobble everyday, but they hang up and don't want to come in. I called in a big gobbler on Monday that came in to 50 or 60 yards and hung up. This morning I worked a bird that gobbled a (12) doz times and still would not show himself. He came to within (100) hundred yards and hung up. I know some of the gobblers have hens with them , they gobble once or twice and shut up. I am hunting big open woods and they can see a long ways. When they don't see any hen , they just stand there looking. I have seem (2) two different birds do this to me. They stand there for a half hour and don't move. I have used decoys the last two times out and have used every trick that I know of. I have used every call in my bag and I have many. Sometimes when I setup and I just scratch the leaves , this has made them gobble ,but they still will not come in. This land is loaded with turkeys. I have hunted turkey for (40) forty years and only had one other year that they acted this way. I know what call i need to use to get them in, but I don't want to use this call because there are other hunters in the woods. That call is the gobble. Maybe after this weekend when the other guys have to go back to work. I am hunting our club land (1400) acres and I will know if anyone is hunting the land , members only. I am retired so I can hunt everyday if I want ha! ha!. Anyone know of any thing that I can use for this weekend?

fasteddie, If you think there bad in your yard, you should try hunting turkeys in the woods. Those little suckers will eat you alive if you are not wearing insect repellent. I put it on my face mask, hat and just all over and they still buzz around my head. I remember one year when out hunting turkeys , I forgot my bug spray and I had no sooner sat down and started a gobbler and had him gobbling every step coming in. those little suckers were feeding on me like no tomorrow. I took it for (5) five min and said to myself ,that's it ,I can't take it no more. I got up and left with the bird gobbling and coming at 60 yards. I hate those little suckers.

Last night (April 30) I went out to try to roost some birds and went to a spot were I have never tied before. There is a small stream not far from my house that is down from the ridge that I can hunt. I have never hunted the bottom by the stream , but have started birds from the ridge down in the bottom and have had them come up to me. Some times they would hang up on me down in there and I would think to myself that I need to find out who owns the land and ask for permission to hunt it. I have always gotten my birds and would never got around to ask. Now I have lived here for (40) forty years and when my kids were small I would take them down to the bridge to catch shinners and never looked for trout. Last night I parked by the bridge to listen for birds. I was there about 15 min. when down the road came a pickup and pulls up and the guy in it asked if I was fishing the stream. I said no, I was there to listen for turkeys and that there wasn't anything in the stream that I wanted to fish for and all that was in there were shinners. He told me that he owned the land and stream and he didn't mind people hunting and fishing if they asked for permission. I introduced myself and told him were I live. I told him that I had never hunted the stream bottom, but that I hunted up on the ridge and have called birds up out of there and have always wanted to hunt it and asked for permission.He told me no problem and I could hunt it. We then started talking about the stream and fishing . I told him that I fish the W B Delaware and that I don't keep any fish and that there wasn't anything in the stream that I wanted to fish for ,just shinners.He then told me that it was loaded with small brook trout. He said that there were some people who were fishing it and taking everything out that they could catch and never asked for permission. He told me that there are a lot of 4" and 5" ins. in the stream and a few bigger ones 10"ins. He told me that he didn't mind people taking a few of the bigger ones ,but let the little ones grow. I said they would probably would die anyways because the stream dries up in the summer. He told me that there is always a little water running all summer and all the bigger holes hold water. I said that they must have come from someones stocked pond with all the rain. He told me that he has owned the land for (6) six years and that they have always been there. I told him about a small stream that I knew of and a lot of guys found out about it and were keeping everything and they fished it out and today you would be lucky to find a trout in it and it was a shame and he shouldn't tell to many people about it. He told that was the reason he was keeping a close eye on it. He then gave me permission to fish it. I probobly will never fish it ,but it is good to know. Well things didn't work out for me today with the turkeys, but all is good. I have more new land to hunt and I now know were there are some brooks if I ever want to fish it. There always tomorrow for turkeys.

I'm up and dressed and ready to head out the door in (5) five min. 4:25am . Good luck to all who are heading out and may there be many gobbles for you.Good luk and be safe.

Water, water everywhere and not a place to fish. I want to do some stream fishing for trout and can't get near a stream. The river is high, wide and brown. The small streams are over their banks and there is no way to fish them. I guess if I want to fish ,I will have to go to Cannonsville reservoir to fish. I am not big on fishing ponds, lakes, or reservoirs, but I hear that they are catching browns from shore in Cannonsville. Is there anyone who knows how to fish for them from shore. What is the best set up. do you use bait or lures. If useing lures , what is best? Thanks noodle one

This is ideal tick weather and there are alot of them this year.You want to have something to take care of them and check yourself after coming in from the woods.

Good post, A lot of good infor there . Thanks for taking the time posting it.

Sprayed my turkey hunting clothes with (Sawyer Premium Insect Repellent) should be good for (6) six weeks. Went down to Dick's and got a box of 12Ga. 3in. No.#6 shot Win. Now all I have to do is find some turkeys. I have been seeing a few singles around , but not many. I have not heard one gobbler this spring, but I know they are there. I have been staying out of the woods so that I don't spook them. Tomorrow or Fri. I need to take a walk in the woods to check things out. I have a few places that I know of that if i find some tracks and or dropping, I should be all sit. Good luck to all who are heading out this Sun. May your morning be filled with gobbles.

I am going to build a shed and it needs to be put up on post. i live in Broome Co. and looking to hire some one with a post hole digger. I need (20) twenty holes drilled, 4 ft deep x 12" ins. I live on top of ridge and there is a lot of stones on the land. I live in the Windsor area. If any one does this kind of work or if you know some one who does this work and wants a job , you can E- mail me at ([email protected]) and title it (post holes). Any help with this would be appreciated. Thanks , noodle one