TurkeyHuntPA_NY

They strut every year this early. They have been struting since the beginning of March. Its the same way every year. They are right on schedule

Cool beans man! You stay home and leave more turkeys for the rest of us!

Birds are doing exactly has planned right now. There are 3 phases to the Breeding/Strut Process. Right now they are near the end of phase 1 soon to begin phase 2. Phase 1 is when most of the strutting take places between the Toms to show who is the lead bird of the group. Which takes place between end of Feb to end of March Phase 2 usually All of April and beginning of May. This is when most of the Toms are henned up and when most of the breeding takes place, some will take place in phase 1. Phase 3 is when mostly all the hens have been bred and will be on their nests most of the day. This is when Toms will be lonely and when all of us hunters will want to be hunting because they will be willing to come to almost any call cuz they are lonely. Phase 3 is usually last 3 weeks of May. Now, since we had such warm weather in March, this may have increased the phases by a week or so but not much. Toms will gobble all year long. Gobbling is increased warm weather. On the other hand, hens will only be receptive to breeding due to increased daylight hours. Everything will be as normal as it is every other year, just maybe a little greener than usual in the first week. Maybe tougher to hear them. All is well!

Hey everyone, Been Turkey hunting NY for close to 15 years now and out of those 15 years I think 3 of those years I got birds to gobble on the roost at night... What does everyone observe when roosting birds in the evening? I have used a box call and a goose call to get them going those times I did, but it has been awhile since I got one to gobble at night. Let me know if anyone has any tips on how to get birds to gobble in the evening. I just havent had much luck.

Hey guys, Just wondering if anyone would be up for a fun contest for turkey season? I would like it to make a team contest. Depending on how many guys would like to participate we can have teams of 2 or 4. Contest rules: -Each Bearded bird killed (Tom, Jake, or Hen) - 10 points -Take the measurments of the beard and spurs and total them up. (Example: 10 inch beard + 1 inch on left leg + 1 inch spur on right = 12 pts) -Therefore, your bird would score 22 points. -Bird must be taken in NY. -Each contestant can enter 2 bearded birds (Since thats how many bearded birds you are allowed in the spring.) Let me know if you would like to participate. I think it would be fun and you can meet a lot of new people

Yes most heart pumping sound in the world!

I am with you Fan Tail! I am out of here in 45 mins! Leaving for camp tomorrow morning! I hope the gobble better this year then they did last year! Good luck everyone!

Yes, Lawdwaz is right. The peak breeding happens in April, so the hens are already knocked up so they can produce more turkeys for the upcoming seasons. if we hunted them during april they would not be any birds too populate for the upcoming hunting years. It works out sometimes because usually the hens are starting to ignore the gobblers and that where the hunters come in to pretend the are an interested hen.

Awesome man! Nice looking birds! Good luck to you Sunday! What are of the state are you hunting?

I can't wait til Sunday! There is nothing like Spring Gobbler Hunting! Whats everyone been observing? Birds in fields alot? Are they henned up? Gobbling much? Let hear from everyone!

Remintong 870 Express. Madd Max Choke Tube. 3 in Winchester Xtended Range #6 shot turkey loads. Does some major damage up to 40 yards...

Virgil, you should be listen for birds right at dusk. Usually in the first week of Sping Gobbler its between 8 to 815. I will usually sit in a field and listen. I wear my turkey vest and take a seat around 745 and will sit and listen until its totally dark. Try to stay out of the woods if you can. 9 times of 10 birds will roost half way up a hill or right on the edge of a field, but don't get discouraged if you don't hear one. There has been many times where I have listened the night before and then the next morning I go back to the same spot and I hear turkeys gobbling all over. I have noticed this especially in NY. I just can not seem to roost birds in NY. Hope this helps! Good Luck Hunting!

Hey Guys, Just wondering what it looks like in Central NY as far as the spring green up. Does its still look like winter or is there color starting to show?

Hey MzlHunter. where in Chenago County do you hunt?

I agree with steve. Setting up closer than 100 yards, you have some crazy skills. The CLOSEST I will ever get to a bird 75 yards max and thats pushing it. I have bumped so many birds over the years of turkey hunting, it makes me sick. PLUS...when you get closer to a bird under 75 yards, if he is a mature bird. He knows if there was hens in any trees around him before he goes to sleep, so by you calling at 50 yards or so, it will throw a red flag up like "where the heck did she come from and will fly the other way." (now if its a jake, it will probably work in your favor because they are just crazy horny birds.) Also, when you roost a bird the night before, you dont know if there is any other turkeys around that gobbling bird. If there is and you go in there thinking there is only that one, 9 times out of 10 you will be wrong and there will be a few other birds in surrounding tree, then it will take is to bump on of those and your hunt is over. Moral of the story, stay within 100 yards of that bird and you should have a good hunt ahead of you. Hope this helps!

Does everyone have the same problem I have in NY that you cant roost them at night??? I have only ever roosted 2 birds in my entire 15 years I have been hunting NY. But it seems in the morning the choir boys sing, its like I go from hearing not a thing the night before to the next morning I hear birds all around me. Anyone have this problem too? If not what kind of calls do you use to light them up?

what area of the state you hunting BIGTOM?

Hey guys How many of you hunt State Game Lands? How well do you do and how many hunters you run into?

I hear ya man....I am really getting antsy for May 1st. Just put in my vacation days for the first week. I have my cell phone gobbling as a ringtone and a Big Tom as my background. Cant come soon enough!