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Unofficially....Live from the woods 2021 turkey hunting thread.


mowin

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I went out for a quick walk after I did chores at my friend's farm.  I hiked up a log road into the hardwoods behind the barn, calling on a diaphragm call every once in awhile.  There was tons of scratching under the beech trees.  I decided to sit and listen for awhile.  Broke out my cheap Primos slate and got a very distant gobble.  He gobbled on his own after a couple minutes of the silent treatment.  I cut the distance and he answered, but didn't seem to be moving.  I crept up behind a chunk of ledge and could see jake fan and a bunch of red heads.  They were on a ledge 100 yards away.  It turned out to be a giant jake flock (or two jake flocks combined).  I cut on the slate and alternated with the mouth call.  What a ruckus! 10 jakes all gobbling together!

 After firing them up good I went quiet and scratched in the leaves.  After 5 or ten minutes of quiet I purred and clucked and soft yelped facing away from them.  5 of them got in single file and found a spot to climb off the ledge.  I got them to 25 feet before they figured out something was up.  They were really little with 3" beards that stuck out straight.  They putted, but I would yelp and they would come back.  I fooled with them until almost noon and when they drifted away I dropped over the hill and got out of there.  Lots of fun, but not the birds I was looking for.

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13 minutes ago, stubborn1VT said:

I went out for a quick walk after I did chores at my friend's farm.  I hiked up a log road into the hardwoods behind the barn, calling on a diaphragm call every once in awhile.  There was tons of scratching under the beech trees.  I decided to sit and listen for awhile.  Broke out my cheap Primos slate and got a very distant gobble.  He gobbled on his own after a couple minutes of the silent treatment.  I cut the distance and he answered, but didn't seem to be moving.  I crept up behind a chunk of ledge and could see jake fan and a bunch of red heads.  They were on a ledge 100 yards away.  It turned out to be a giant jake flock (or two jake flocks combined).  I cut on the slate and alternated with the mouth call.  What a ruckus! 10 jakes all gobbling together!

 After firing them up good I went quiet and scratched in the leaves.  After 5 or ten minutes of quiet I purred and clucked and soft yelped facing away from them.  5 of them got in single file and found a spot to climb off the ledge.  I got them to 25 feet before they figured out something was up.  They were really little with 3" beards that stuck out straight.  They putted, but I would yelp and they would come back.  I fooled with them until almost noon and when they drifted away I dropped over the hill and got out of there.  Lots of fun, but not the birds I was looking for.

Still a ton of fun.

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4 hours ago, The_Real_TCIII said:

My friends bird was full of these, the size of peas. Anyone know what they are?c469aa950d79e2c29382e2ee16c0fb2f.jpg76da41621fc9677784e97407451594a6.jpg


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I was thinking they were smart pills and he didn’t eat enough?

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Finished up my 2021 season at 6:23 this morning. He roosted about 100 yds of my blind. I set up a lone hen decoy well before daylight. He had several hens and a Jake with him and he slowly strutted my way. My first triple bearded bird, 8”, 5 1/2”, and 5”. 1 1/8” Spurs and about 20#. Fun hunt!

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sigh...

I was in bed at a decent time, I slept well and at 4am I just couldn't find the energy. Sure I was tired, but if I'm being honest this weather is really crushing my turkey hunting spirit. I'm not a diehard turkey hunter, I enjoy the time in the woods and the chase more than anything with turkey. It's a very different type of hunt and a different reason on why I hunt than whitetails. Of course I'd love to land a nice Tom or even a jake... but 40's with overcast and rain/drizzle is just a total mood killer for me.

The sad thing is that the next 2 weeks don't look like it's getting any better in 8F and by mid-May the breading in NY always seems to be at a trickle.

Just venting I guess but also a little bummed

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sigh...
I was in bed at a decent time, I slept well and at 4am I just couldn't find the energy. Sure I was tired, but if I'm being honest this weather is really crushing my turkey hunting spirit. I'm not a diehard turkey hunter, I enjoy the time in the woods and the chase more than anything with turkey. It's a very different type of hunt and a different reason on why I hunt than whitetails. Of course I'd love to land a nice Tom or even a jake... but 40's with overcast and rain/drizzle is just a total mood killer for me.
The sad thing is that the next 2 weeks don't look like it's getting any better in 8F and by mid-May the breading in NY always seems to be at a trickle.
Just venting I guess but also a little bummed

Late May is typically excellent hunting, don't put your stuff away just yet


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sigh...
I was in bed at a decent time, I slept well and at 4am I just couldn't find the energy. Sure I was tired, but if I'm being honest this weather is really crushing my turkey hunting spirit. I'm not a diehard turkey hunter, I enjoy the time in the woods and the chase more than anything with turkey. It's a very different type of hunt and a different reason on why I hunt than whitetails. Of course I'd love to land a nice Tom or even a jake... but 40's with overcast and rain/drizzle is just a total mood killer for me.
The sad thing is that the next 2 weeks don't look like it's getting any better in 8F and by mid-May the breading in NY always seems to be at a trickle.
Just venting I guess but also a little bummed

I don’t understand? Mid 40’s light drizzle add some wind and I wish every day of may was like this!!!

Zero bugs, quite moving, not sweating, birds tend to gobble.


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1 hour ago, The_Real_TCIII said:


Late May is typically excellent hunting, don't put your stuff away just yet


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oh I will hunt till the very last day. I just have always had better luck early season.

56 minutes ago, Buckmaster7600 said:


I don’t understand? Mid 40’s light drizzle add some wind and I wish every day of may was like this!!!

Zero bugs, quite moving, not sweating, birds tend to gobble.


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Like I said, I'm a fair weather turkey hunter. Not a die hard or anything more than a casual chaser of beards. I more or less enjoy the spring, mixed in with a little sunshine meditation and deer season scouting. I believe this is year #10 in the turkey woods and I'll say my hunting down south was much better than up north. Earlier season timed with the breeding cycle and just a far greater number of birds. 

All that said, getting a gobble back and then hearing that gobble get closer and closer is unlike anything in hunting and it sure as shit is fun.

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I didn't get done chores in time to go out.  2 toms out in the fields across from the barn.  Flock of birds in the hay across from my house.  My buddy is working his bee hives at my brother's farm and he has seen 2 toms and 2 jakes.  Today was the day!  The weather was right and the birds have calmed down after the opening weekend assault.  I have Thursday off.  Look out longbeards!

Congrats to those who have filled tags.  Way to go!

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Supposed to be a nasty morning.  No lawns to mow tomorrow if it's as wet as the weather man predicts. Seen a big ol smart tom in the same 30 acre field around 9am the past two mornings. Problem is he's been on opposite sides. 

Might try to ambush him. 

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Can't belive it took you this long !!!!

Congrats !!

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Passed on 3 Jake's Sunday morning, Monday passed 3 Jake's a bearded hen and a satellite 2yr old waiting on this bird that was 100 yards out until a guy in a truck stopped on the road and spooked him intentionally.

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