OK.. check in time....

[Marion]

Spring turkey looks to be gearing up yet again to kick my ass and leave me bloodied and my pride on life support. Hopefully something decent or even with one whisker strolls by

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[growalot]

A tad too breezy for my being in the woods ..especially when the leafs are now full and those limbs and tops are heavier,swinging way more than before..

[Grizz1219]

I'll be taking two people out this coming weekend.... fingers crossed they are still gobbling.. 

 

 

[Doewhacker]

I will be out for the grand finale this weekend with the whole crew, son, daughter (8) and wife. It would be something to get one with the whole crew!

[WNY Bowhunter]

I'll be out after them til the end. Still have several LBs on the radar but none play by the rules. They're not public land birds but I guarantee will be just as tough to tag. Time to start hunting them like deer based on travel patterns. The hens are definitely heavy into the nesting cycle now. 

[Two Track]

Saturday  I set up where I have heard a few gobblers in the past and I heard a few gobbles, but couldn't get anything to come into view.

So Sunday I moved to the other slope that I thought this bird may have been on Saturday and heard nothing - tried clucks and yelps from slate, glass and crystal pot calls, purs and yelps from a box call and clucks from mouth call.  Even pull out a gobbler-shaker to do a couple jake gobbles and nothing.  Get back to the car at 12:15 and hear clucks behind me - the turkey was sitting 35 yards from my car by the gate.

To top it off I had some kid go riding through on a mini-bike at 11:20 - state forest land that bands all motor traffic.

Called that one in.  he's been tearing up the fire road in every damp spot turning it into a big mud hole and tearing up some of the woods by riding through it.  Not sure if the ranger did ever find him.  Last I saw and heard the kid, he was headed towards the Appalachian Trail.

If I am lucky, I get two more days to hunt out of a three day weekend and two tags to still fill.

Good luck out there, stay safe.

 

[growalot]

Well I'll be out every dang day if possible...These 2 Toms are always one step ahead of me and not going in any regular pattern as far as roosting nor feeding...I do think I now have a clear handle on where the girls have nests

[Pygmy]

Glad I am not the only one who is struggling...

Gobbling activity has been very erratic in my spots....Several PERFECT mornings there was no gobbling at all...Then the next day there would be several birds sounding off....

I blew my chance on my second bird Sunday morning..Don't feel like typing the complete story, but  I hurried my shot and missed him clean by shooting right over his head... There were extenuating circumstances however, but for now, we'll just say I blew it and missed..

Still got a week to go... Tomorrow is another day....

[stubborn1VT]

I have had a tough season as well.  I finally called in a LB, but set up under a hemlock with low branches.  He was at 35yds, coming through some baby Christmas trees.  Tried to shoot under the hemlock limbs and over the little balsams.  Clean miss.  I feel your pain Pygmy.  

Luckily, the following morning I hunted the other side of the road and had luck on my side. I set up on a patch of dirt on the edge of hay field.  The hens get sick of the tall, wet grass, so they come to that spot to preen and wait for it dry out.  I went in plenty early and set up behind a dirt berm.  The tom was tight lipped, but gobbled when the crows were right on top of him.  I called soft on my slate and homemade wooden striker to let him know I was around.  He did me the favor of gobbling when he was on the ground to let me know he was coming.  A hen came out to the dirt spot with a jake and the strutter in tow.  They hung out for a few minutes with some 4 foot poplar saplings between me and them.  Got to watch them preen and the tom strutted, spit and drummed.  He bumped the hen and she moved away far enough to get him around the saplings.  The berm served as a bench rest.  32yds with plain Federal #4s.  He barely flopped.  Like most of you, I've been tired and frustrated.  It was nice to go to the farmhouse for another coffee, and to sleep in the next morning.  

For those of you with tags left, have hope!  I did see a lone tom gobbling all by his lonesome.  It seems late, but the toms might finally realize that the hens are totally ignoring them.  

My 2nd LB.  20lbs even.  10" beard. Inch spurns.  Also pictured: my trusty 870 turkey slayer.   Not the best pic, but it kept showing my other photo vertically.  WTH, I'll post that one too.

[Five Seasons]

I've made 4 trips this year. I consider myself a recreational turkey hunter. The biggest issue I have is that I can't hunt the fields or timber where they tend to hang, which means I'm stuck to the hardwoods and relying on my poor calling or lucky spot to catch them on fly down. I've got birds but I don't lose sleep over not getting them. I really enjoy the spring woods. Dislike the spring alarm clock time.

[reeltime]

Well unless someone wants help back in ny when I get back my season is probably done.
The last week has been unreal, I shot 2 good birds on back to back days sat. And mon. Matt and Jason got to camp wed. Night and we were into birds every day even in pouring rain, wind, thunder, road hunters, deer...but I had done tons of scouting and it all paid off yesterday with another slammer on the ground for matt and Jason with his first ever pa longbeard.
After getting pics, birds cleaned and changed into work clothes we started working on my new hay implement barn. Worked on that till dark.
Everyone wanted to start a campfire so we all set at the fire till 11 pm. Heck I ain't seen 10 pm but twice since March and have been up and gone most days before 4 am since then. The pressures off but still doing scouting for next year already.

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[Grizz1219]

Finished strong myself this past weekend.... I'll post pics on another post....