Live From The Woods 2023 Turkey Edition

[New York Hillbilly]

Woke up 4:11 and said to self close eyes for a minute. Looked at clock and was 5:53. Long blink! 

Now sitting at the base of a tree overlooking the creek  bottom where I missed on a few years ago when it popped up just a few feet from me.  That one was so close the pattern must have been like a slug going past its head.  

It sure is pretty in the Springtime woods. I just seemed to have lost a step along the way, or the fire I once had in my belly for chasing these birds.  
 

And, now it starts. i sit here  and worry every tickle I feel is another tic! Lol

One gobble gobble way off in the distance. 
 

 

 

[blackbeltbill]

3 hours ago, New York Hillbilly said:

Woke up 4:11 and said to self close eyes for a minute. Looked at clock and was 5:53. Long blink! 

Now sitting at the base of a tree overlooking the creek  bottom where I missed on a few years ago when it popped up just a few feet from me.  That one was so close the pattern must have been like a slug going past its head.  

It sure is pretty in the Springtime woods. I just seemed to have lost a step along the way, or the fire I once had in my belly for chasing these birds.  
 

And, now it starts. i sit here  and worry every tickle I feel is another tic! Lol

One gobble gobble way off in the distance. 
 

 

 

   I heard no Gobbling today.  Next time out,I might hit some Fighting Purrs and some Gobbling with an Orange Hat on. Birds are Super Pressured on Public by now.

 

[cas]

I hunted four days (3 1/2 really) on I guess what would be the second week of the season. Did not get a shot, but I would call it our most successful season ever, seeing birds every day, several times a day and "interacting" (calling and getting responses) a couple times a day.  Considering we barely SAW anything last year, and hadn't  heard a gobble in a couple years, that's a huge step up. 

Down side was, it was it seemed to be the same male and two females each time.  3 birds isn't much of a flock, so in that respect I don't mind not shooting him. 

[JALA RUT]

Finally back out today after a crazy work week and commitments keeping me out of the woods yesterday. Since I leave for vacation in FL next Saturday, this will most likely be my last outing for the season, unless I can sneak in a quick morning hunt before work this week. Today can only be out until about 10 for a wedding this afternoon. The woods have been void of turkey gobbles or turkey chatter so far this morning but we'll see. Good luck all.

[DirtTime]

Heard some gobbling way off but it's quiet now. 

 

Good luck to the other hunters hunting today. 

[DirtTime]

Noone else turkey hunting around here?

 

Got a couple of decoys on sale last week. Third time out seeing what the fuss is about. Nothing magical happening here.

 

[JALA RUT]

4 hours ago, DirtTime said:

Noone else turkey hunting around here?

Wish I was out there instead of at work, but I'm prob done until next spring. Will be leaving for FL on Saturday morning for vacation, so it's looking like I won't be filling tag #2. But that's OK, seems like the turkey #s are down and I did have some fun & excitement this season, filling tag #1.

Good luck out there! 

 

[blackbeltbill]

Hunting close to the " Black Dirt" with Cynthia.  Heard a few far off Gobbles.   I was Gobbler Yelping today  in sets of 3.

[JALA RUT]

Sitting in the airport waiting for my flight....wish I was sitting up against a tree listening to the woods wake up. Good luck to all out this last weekend of the season.

[fasteddie]

Last weekend of Turkey Season . Good luck to those going out to get a bird . I usually get my turkey at Tops or Aldi's .

[DirtTime]

This is my 19th morning out here, and today is a wrap for my season. Don't think I'll sit for more than a couple of hours. Had a few birds come in but not closer than 70 yards. Seen a bunch of deer, a turtle hunted one morning with me. Stare down with a coyote one morning.........

 

[blackbeltbill]

Heard just 1 Gobble today.... still very early. 

[DirtTime]

Didn't want to end the season on an odd number so I'm out here for the final day. Not expecting any action but you know what they say about the couch..

 

 

[blackbeltbill]

Hunted 30 days between New York + New Jersey on different  Public Areas. Happy to Kill the 1 Jake.

  On to more Hiking now.

[DirtTime]

I ended with 20 days hunted and had plenty of action this year over the past 6. heard a lot more birds, got eyes on 4 I called in but would not get close enough for a shot. Yesterday culminated in a tom shock gobbling from a twig I stepped on and then playing back and forth for about 5 minutes until he went silent. Three hours later he showed up silent where I knew he would, the other side of the field 180 yards away. I got up and tried to cut him off to no avail.

I saw plenty of deer, called in a couple foxes and a coyote. Called in a turtle (not really, but he made a good partner for one morning). I'll take a season like this and tag soup over sitting in a chair staring at an electronic.

 

Hunting is the most fun thing to be frustrated over.

[blackbeltbill]

5 hours ago, DirtTime said:

I ended with 20 days hunted and had plenty of action this year over the past 6. heard a lot more birds, got eyes on 4 I called in but would not get close enough for a shot. Yesterday culminated in a tom shock gobbling from a twig I stepped on and then playing back and forth for about 5 minutes until he went silent. Three hours later he showed up silent where I knew he would, the other side of the field 180 yards away. I got up and tried to cut him off to no avail.

I saw plenty of deer, called in a couple foxes and a coyote. Called in a turtle (not really, but he made a good partner for one morning). I'll take a season like this and tag soup over sitting in a chair staring at an electronic.

 

Hunting is the most fun thing to be frustrated over.

You had a action packed Season!

  I came sooo close to filling my 2nd tag on May 29th.

  Set up on a Ridgetop,I had a Tom Gobbling and walking up from the bottom in " waist High" Foliage to my Calling.

   Never saw him. But he must have seen me at less then 20 yards looking through  that Foliage at me.

 Meanwhile right below me- it was open.  These Pressured  Gobblers know they are being Hunted.

    That same Day- good Friend Cynthia in her 4th year with me and 4 Gobblers killed so far- wanted to hunt a high area by herself since,I told her that the previous morning, I heard 2 Gobblers.

 So,I hunted a good 1/2 mile away from her on Public and She called in 2 Gobblers with very Long Beards to 65 yards.

   They then separated  and walked up on either side of her and out of Shotgun Range.   And never saw her. 

[LET EM GROW]

Only got out a handful of times again this year. but we managed to take 3 longbeards. Passed several Jakes. Several times. Hoping this dry weather continues for a few more weeks to help any un raided nests and poults out.. Lord knows we could use more turkeys.. 

[blackbeltbill]

[blackbeltbill]

June 11th/ Gobbling + Strutting.