Fall Turkey Season 2012

[G-Man]

I've hunted bear spring mt. and had good luck off the ridges looking in cherry leaves for scratchings. Didn't get out there this year for oct 1 opener just to busy at work. I've also had good luck driving around in delhi/walton area looking off road for flocks in fields. A few knocks on doors and i have a bunch of land to hunt for turkey only! One farmer has let me hunt there for 10 plus years now even intoducing me to his son who took over his farm! I do not even ask to hunt deer there.. i don't know what it is but people are way protective of their deer. but seem willing you let you hunt birds no problem..... I also recomend you give a little some thing to the farmer for letting you hunt there at end of hunt a 10 or 20$ tip for them is nice and make sure you thank them even if you don't have luck, i also send christmas cards and a small ham to farmers that let me hunt year after year.

[WNY Bowhunter]

Our season opens this weekend here in Region 8. I can't wait to chase some birds around!!!!!!

[landtracdeerhunter]

Had 4 above my head this am.. One hen almost flew right into my tree stand. Sitting their with a bow hunting deer, had the perfect bow shot. Dang season don't open till Saturday. Teasers.

[stubbz]

^{our season is open down here, i was trying to bump up a big 8 or 10 pt my brother saw early sunday morning when he radiod to me sayin a bunch of turkeys were heading up my way, im more of a turkey hunter than i am a deer hunter so i was all for it, they came right to me i was shocked i got to draw without them busting me, i waited for one to come out in a small clearing i had and was ready to take him, he was a tom also with a decent beard. he was roughly about 20 yards from me, i put my 20 pin on him and took my time and shot, caught him right in the top of his left leg not an inch or 2 higher and i woulda had him, woulda been first turkey with bow that ive been wanting so bad. got a feelin he did the ol hop when i shot tho and thats why i missed him, tried to get a second one in him while he was hoppin around on one foot but missed him and they all took off. tried to round them back up but to no avail. gonna be tryin again this weekend i hope}

[growalot]

NWTF has asked the ppl refrain from shooting hens ..due to #'s...unless they as specifically hunting hens this fall...strange wording I thought but...

[landtracdeerhunter]

Stubbz, that's tough and to get a shot that close, well better luck this weekend. I seen 2 toms on the farm for months now, but as soon as season opens, gone.Grow; thanks for posting the info. Not one to shoot a hen, with numbers so low, I let nature run it's coarse. Would think the state would revise the fall hunting for males only, and a 1 bird limit, if things were that bad. Sure was nice to get a lot of turkey footage . Had to remind myself many times, suppose to be deer hunting, lol.

Edited October 26, 2012 by landtracdeerhunter

[Jennifer]

After scouting all of September and October, and finding no sign, we've finally got scratching going on!

I was very excited to locate and bust a flock of 12+ birds this morning with my husband, to try and get him on his first bird. Unfortunately, the area we broke them in was very thick with no chance to pick a bird out, so we scattered them as best we could. Got one bird to come back in to us, and due to my own fault with mis-communicating, my husband took his shot too soon while the bird was out of his range (16 ga.). I told him to take his time, wait for a good shot, take it when he was ready, which he misunderstood. To be fair, the only other time we got into birds was a jump shot where I shot a flushing bird, so he was eager to get a shot off.

We moved a short ways and set up to work other birds in as they started kee-keeing all around, and one flew in to us and was working in at about 70 yards, but the owners of the neighboring property started running utvs around and had some kids and dogs running around too, then started the chainsaws and target shooting up and down the roads. The property I hunt is sort of an island within their property so they were all around us. Not at all angry with them-- they probably had no idea we were there... just unfortunate timing! The birds shut right up and wouldn't peep the rest of the day. I'd love to go back in and try to group them off the roost but work calls.. alas! It was a lot of fun, and a learning experience for us both. I'm learning how to mentor and he's learning how tricky turkeys can be!

Feeling very fortunate to have had fun with those birds today, even if it was short lived.

[WestchesterBowman]

After two long days in the Catskill mountains we finally made it happen with an hour left in the day. We had been bushwacking all day, trying to locate a flock of birds. Finally around 3pm, we followed some fresh scratches right in to a big flock. We put the sneak on them belly crawled along a small hedge row to get closer. When we pounced the flock scattered out of the timber and in to a corn field, with many of the birds flying up in to trees. We quickly moved across a set of train tracks and found a good vantage point to setup. After 20 minutes of calling, we finally started to get a response. A lone bird crossed the tracks and rolled up the bank but was not within range. The calling really picked up, we were talking with multiple birds across the railroad tracks. Birds started to appear across the tracks, about 50 or 60 yards away form us.

Just as it looked like they were crossing, we heard the loud rumble of a train coming and within seconds a seemingly endless cargo train steamed through. We used the cover of the train to reposition ourselves and get ready. It was only a minute or two after the train passed and the birds were vocal again, a lone bird came across to our left, he couldn't see us and walked 15 feet to our left and I dropped him (right handed shot). A few minutes later we heard more footsteps across the tracks and two more birds appeared. They came in on a string and appeared right over the embankment and walked right in to the muzzle of my Mossberg 535 and I folded him.

It was a great end to a long day of working the woods. We definitely put the time and effort in so it was nice to put some birds on the ground at the end.

[Jennifer]

Nicely done! Not much better than working a broken flock in the fall. I prefer it over gobblers in the spring, but I'm wierd like that.

[fishuntrapper]

great job guys. i am with Jennifer, fall turkey is more challenging and much more rewarding than spring turkey.

[landtracdeerhunter]

Congrats on the harvest. Great story.

[Huntingbum]

Man I love the Turkey hunting stories.... can't wait to get my first Eastern. I have many Merriams, Rio Grande's but no Eastern.....yet

[DTG3k]

Man I love the Turkey hunting stories.... can't wait to get my first Eastern. I have many Merriams, Rio Grande's but no Eastern.....yet

Good Luck, you are gonna need it. Eastern birds are smarter since they get more hunting pressure.

[stubbz]

id have to disagree with that statement. sure some areas do get a lot more pressure. opeing day in May there pretty damn easy to bring in to ya. i would say merriams are harder cuz the land is so much more spread out in the west.

[G-Man]

Hunted all over and nothing is harder than an eastern adult tom off public land, and that holds true in every eastern state i've hunted in!

[Jennifer]

Agreed, around here you are lucky just to hear a few gobbles all season..! I've never hunted eastern turkey in this part of NY that runs right in opening day or otherwise.