TURKEY REPORTS - SPRING 2014

[agross]

Heard about 30 to 40 gobbles out of two sets of turkeys on neighbors property and one lone gobble from another area. No gobbles since about 6. Just heard first shot (unfortunately coming from where the two groups of gobbles were).

[Meat Manager]

Hearing lots of birds...but no turkeys.

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[josephmrtn]

opening day no gobbling untill 8:30 then let loose like mad till about 9:30... yesterday zip! didnt hear one gobble from 5 am till noon.... today gobbling like mad while still on the roost and thru fly down right up until the time i pulled the trigger @ 6:20

 

oh and im in 6G

[Meat Manager]

Congrats to everyone scoring gobblers!

I've had an eventful but disappointing morning...

About an hour after the crows started hollering I began lightly working my mad hatchet.

15 minutes later (6:45) there was a nice bearded lad 20 yds out my side window.

I drew back waited for broadside aimed at the upper wing and released.

Pop...bird flopped just into the woods and I was already on my way out of the blind and nocking another arrow.

Got out of the blind and I could hear him trying to fly but flopping...but couldn't see him...never did again.

Here's the crime scene:

Bottom half of wing sliced off:

Last sign 10 yds away...breast feathers:

Broadhead was full of feathers but that's it, did not pass through, most likely did not even penetrate the chest cavity...almost no blood.

Searched using concentric circles and game cam footage and found no new clues. Hands and knees, nothing. If he managed to fly I'd be impressed, but he still sure could run.

If this was deer season I'd still be looking (and I'm gonna take another set of circles before I leave) but with a non-lethal shot I don't think there's anyway I'm catching up to that bird.

At 9:15 I heard a gobble above my blind so I decided to head back and try again...I adjusted my hen and got back in the blind.

Hit the mad hatchet about 3 lil purrs and bam another Tom 35 yds out the front window.

I drew back but hesitated because it was at the end of my range out of this blind and I did not want to make a marginal shot and perhaps wound another bird.

Another personal reminder that archery is not easy...and that shot placement is critical.

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Edited May 3, 2014 by Meat Manager

[Meat Manager]

Called 2 more within 30 yds in the past 20 minutes but they only offered marginal shots...I'm still hesitant from the first wounding.

Half hour left before I take another hard look for halfwing...then back in the 7j blind tomorrow AM. I had great action all day, I just couldn't close.

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Edited May 3, 2014 by Meat Manager

[RTGobbler]

Not a gobble yesterday or today. Not on the evening roost, or the morning roost, or on the ground. Crazy how one day they are blowing up from 9am till noon and then nothing for the next two days. Well that's turkey hunting.

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[34NY]

9G, 9H had one on opening day at 100 yards, never made a sound, was pure luck I even saw him. He left, heard some gobbles then someone's shotgun went off from that direction. Went to another spot, 3 birds responded to a cutt then dead silence, never saw or heard them again. Day 2 had one right off the roost, i played hard to get, he gobbled at 75 yards about 45-50 yards then bam someone's shotgun goes off, definitely for that bird, and a little too close for comfort. Day 3 went to new area with a buddy, no sounds whatsoever. Sat till 10 decided to have a look around, there's a logging road adjacent to where we were. Found scat, a ton of scratches, and tracks, looks like a big bird. Had to have been from the previous evening. At least I know where to setup next time there. Left went to 9H, no sounds at all, hit a few calls, nothing. Walk 60 yards, bam 2 Jakes walking right up the side of a ravine. Spooked em. Its my rookie year and I'm loving every minute of it. I think its just a matter of time before I connect.

Edited May 3, 2014 by 34NY

[132 eight pointer]

I hunted private property in 8F opening morning, heard no gobbles from dark to after 10 .Another hunter near me saw a coyote.Hunted this morning on State land in 8M and also heard no turkeys,had a fox come by.I did hear a shotgun blast shortly after sunrise.Talked to two other hunters and they heard nothing as well..On the way home a couple of miles away saw 2 coyotes trotting across a field at about 11 am.Including last year I have not heard a gobble in the last 6 or 7 times out.Very disappointing not to hear any turkeys anywhere.I did see a flock of about 7 with 2 gobblers fanned out in an area that is a park near Rochester on the way home so at least I saw some turkeys.

[Meat Manager]

Hen set and Im In the blind before the rain shower hit. Drizzle, gusty and 43 in 7j.

Switched to my 2 blade hypodermics hoping for some better penetration.

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[Woodjr55]

On state land got a bird gobbling 100 yards ahead of me was chasing him yesterday but ran out of time

[Meat Manager]

2 nice grouse just passed by.

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[Meat Manager]

Had a silent fella scoping my hen from about 65 yards out, he moved on...haven't heard a bird though.

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Edited May 4, 2014 by Meat Manager

[34NY]

Have 2 around me since 5:45 can't get them in... been playing hard to get. Haven't heard them in awhile.

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[Meat Manager]

Had 1 come through the way the last 2 did yesterday at about 30 yds but no shot offered so I tried to get out and cut him off but I got busted halfway thru my stalk.

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Edited May 4, 2014 by Meat Manager

[agross]

Heard one gobbling his head off this am but would come in. Thinking he was with a hen. Then wind kicked up to about 20mph in 7p. Time for early lunch

Edited May 4, 2014 by agross

[Meat Manager]

30 minutes ago I had another pass me at 30, then gobbled from above.

I hit a few purrs on the mad hatchet and he swung back around and gave me a broadside 15 yarder out my side window.

Hit em a tiny bit back from where I intended but I saw that he was really hurtin but trying to get away.

I got out of my blind and saw him in a pile about 60 yds out but still moving like crazy.

I cut him off using my Loggingtrail and got within 30 yards and fired a clear body shot (his head was moving too much to waste that shot).

I nocked another got up to about 10 yards and buried another in him...Out of arrows but he was still alive.

I realize I had more arrows in the truck so I went back to get three more arrows and had to sink all two of them into this guys neck to finish him:

One tough bird!

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Edited May 4, 2014 by Meat Manager

[hunter49]

     JMHO. but I think some of you are leaving the woods to soon. I have found over the last 40yrs. that the toms will start talking again around 10 -11 in the Am. Hang in there & try one loud blast from a crow call as a locater call & listen for the gobble then work him.   Just a suggestion. 

[turkeyfeathers]

     JMHO. but I think some of you are leaving the woods to soon. I have found over the last 40yrs. that the toms will start talking again around 10 -11 in the Am. Hang in there & try one loud blast from a crow call as a locater call & listen for the gobble then work him.   Just a suggestion. 

I totally concur on hanging out until the tom's are unhenned. Opening morning I hit the crow call hard later morning after only hearing two gobbles on roost and nothing after. 3 birds shock gobbled and I was able to close the deal on one later morning. 

This morning in 9H took the 11 year old daughter. Could only hunt til 9 as I had to work. Shock gobbled one at 7 but I'm sure he was henned up as well because he wouldn't hit my calling. Dang was it windy out there this morning. Had we been able to stay I believe he would have been easier to call in. 

[TeeBugg]

All quiet at my spots in 8f. Gonna try a new spot in 8j tomorow!

[RTGobbler]

Yepper, if your not in the woods you cannot hear them and you can't chase them. If you have the time always stay in the woods. Try to find a spot with good acoustics and just sit and listen, don't call, just listen. I've chased many a bird that went off randomly at 10:15.

 

Up in 3A heard no birds all day yesterday, a continuation of the action on Friday. However today down in 3P I got a nice bird, and saw a number of hens with him too

[ants]

  My one spot in 7F has been dead quiet. So far I have only heard one gobble and that was on opening day around 830. I got too cocky and ended up bumping him. 

I know their out there. It can only get better.

[Meat Manager]

Wow. That's your 2nd bow horror story. I will definitely stick with shotgun for turkey from hence forth.

I'm just gonna keep it under 20 yds and go for the neckshot from now on. Either a miss or rapidly fatal hit that way.

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Edited May 4, 2014 by Meat Manager

[TeeBugg]

Think its time to switch to a magnus bullhead...lop their heads off.

[518BowSlayer]

crazy gobbling in 4b from the roost this morning. then some a-hole and his kid try to set up 10 yds next to me. pretty sure the birds heard me yelling at this d-bag because they stopped gobbling and never came out to the field. not to mention this is the 3rd time I had to kick this moron off the property in the past 3 years. he tried to justify it by saying he's hunted there for 20 years yet he's been told not to hunt there by me, my father in-law, and the land owner. I had to go through so much BS just to get today off from work and this piece of trash ruins my hunt in a matter of minutes. had to run and gun the rest of the day, had some gobble back but nothing came in close enough. it's too bad because I would have had at least 4 gobblers in front of me if it weren't for that no good trespassing jerk.

[TeeBugg]

crazy gobbling in 4b from the roost this morning. then some a-hole and his kid try to set up 10 yds next to me. pretty sure the birds heard me yelling at this d-bag because they stopped gobbling and never came out to the field. not to mention this is the 3rd time I had to kick this moron off the property in the past 3 years. he tried to justify it by saying he's hunted there for 20 years yet he's been told not to hunt there by me, my father in-law, and the land owner. I had to go through so much BS just to get today off from work and this piece of trash ruins my hunt in a matter of minutes. had to run and gun the rest of the day, had some gobble back but nothing came in close enough. it's too bad because I would have had at least 4 gobblers in front of me if it weren't for that no good trespassing jerk.

Maybe its time to take the not so nice approach and call mr green jeans. Its apparent he isnt listening to you, multiple people have said get off the land, and whats even worse is his kid is learning its ok to trespass.