Live From The Woods 2022 Turkey Edition

[Kmartinson]

2 minutes ago, Versatile_Hunter said:

I’m hoping to get out one last time this week before our trip. What’s the thinking on where we are along the breeding timeline? Are folks reporting no gobbling because all the hens are bred and the breeding season is coming to an end? Are Toms henned up towards the end of May? When does the 2nd turkey rut begin?

My buddy called one in on a string this morning. I dont think it ever stops. Wet years it lasts longer but biggest birds are still breeding. They can gobble less and come in silent but not necessarily 

[LET EM GROW]

Turkey gods shined down again yesterday..

Got setup on a known roost location.. and all was silent.. I waited until 6am since most birds lately have been very quiet. Got to a spot on a woods corner where if birds are in the fields they typically always pass this spot on their way through the property.. I get to that corner after crawling on my knees and there's a big Tom and three jakes strutting with two hens out eating in the fresh planted oat sprouts 100 yards out.. I setup into a down tree and made one soft yelp series to see if he would pay any attention and of course he didn't seem to.. So I sat watched them to see what their plan was before making my mind up, I'm in a good spot as most birds pass this corner.. well a few moments later 6 more jakes come out of the next corner and run across this field at the tom all full and half strut.. they get to him and the 9 total jakes start beating the snot out of this Tom, literally just whooping his a$$.. The Tom returning fight but is clearly out numbered.. I've seen these jakes several times now and they do seem like some territorial young punks.. They fought back and forth for 30 minutes drifting away and then back much closer.. Had them in range several times but I could never take a shot and only take 1 bird safely.. Finally they start drifting right around my corner.. the Jakes pushing the Tom right away from the hens, into my lap.. But I couldn't shoot.. These birds were on him like stink on chit.. after one last flog from a couple jakes, the tom took out away from them and quite a bit further from me, I hit him with a quick cut on a batwing diaphragm my buddy made me and he stopped and went to full strut then popped his head out .. and with it being my 2nd day out and probably last day in the woods.. I knew my pattern would wreak havoc.. at 57 steps the 20 gauge single shot with a handload  of    1-5/8oz of 8s.. tipped him over like a tea kettle.. beak straight to the plowed dirt.. no flop.. the Jake punks immediately started stomping his butt again.. they let me walk up to about 5 yards in he plowed field before they started to slowly walk away. pretty neat.   I'm Not a fan of long range shots but i knew what would happen.. Brand new shell i just put together late last week. 

Then around 730 we hit another property and got on another Tom with a hen.. made one call and they went the other direction silently.. found them about 600 yards to the south.. go around on them where we thought they were headed.. put my brother ahead and i stayed back.. Bird came in gobbling hot without his hen but i believe him and my brother made eye contact at the same time (within gun range) and the bird putted away.. OH well we can give him a break and go back after him next weekend..   I think at one point when he was silent and he was within range on our first setup, just couldn't hear or see him. as it was thick.. 

[Five Seasons]

don't forget your time when you're factoring in cost. Time isn't free and you could be earning money elsewhere vs sitting in a tree.

[Five Seasons]

On 5/22/2022 at 9:46 AM, turkeyfeathers said:

Way to mislabel the cam name of "Pines" to throw us off on location. Not a "pine" in sight

Next up algorithm on dates and times like growalot used to do?

And yes i know a few people seeing newborn fawns around

haha this property is old farm land. It's either orchard or very thick shit. There is a stand of pines on one section just south of this camera. The cam is setup near a field, but has some old growth and is one of the only places where it's a little open, which makes it a nice place for a blind where You can actually get some shots without having to cut shooting lanes. 

[turkeyfeathers]

Could have hunted this morning but still waiting on getting daughter out there which appears is tomorrow. Instead I’m putting this Blackstone together. 

[Robhuntandfish]

37 minutes ago, turkeyfeathers said:

Could have hunted this morning but still waiting on getting daughter out there which appears is tomorrow. Instead I’m putting this Blackstone together. 

so what are we having for brunch?  What hits the griddle first?  And did you trade in the air fryer on this deal?  

Im voting for Venison trucker burgers !

Edited May 24, 2022 by Robhuntandfish

[blackbeltbill]

   Quick Hunt for me in the " Blackdirt" of Orange County.

  Only 1 Gobbler close and he Gobbled 3 times while moving away.  I heard multiple  " Real" Hens. They are still active this late!

  Hear 3 shots a 1/4 mile away. 2 quick shots and a 3rd shot about 30 seconds later.

 Probably  a miss- a hit-- and a 3rd " finish him off"" shot.

   I have mowing to do. The Sewer Line Grass Woodsroad that,I have been mowing for 20+ years every 2 weeks or so from late April to September.  Going to take me a good 1 hour. I also have 2 large circular areas that the Turkeys like. I keep them cropped. 

 

[SportsmanNH]

Tools Required For Assembly : 

Screwdriver set , Socket set , Pliers , Adjustable wrench , A sixpack of IPA

 

Edited May 24, 2022 by SportsmanNH

[LET EM GROW]

3 hours ago, turkeyfeathers said:

Could have hunted this morning but still waiting on getting daughter out there which appears is tomorrow. Instead I’m putting this Blackstone together. 

I need some of that in my life!

[kpkot]

3 hours ago, Robhuntandfish said:

so what are we having for brunch?  What hits the griddle first?  And did you trade in the air fryer on this deal?  

Im voting for Venison trucker burgers !

It has a built in air fryer 

[Five Seasons]

I'm going out tomorrow morning i dont care if i get to bed late or sleep poorly, i'm making it happen. Might be the 4th and final of the year, which would put me at the lowest number of sits since I started chasing birds 10 or so years ago. 

[The_Real_TCIII]

30 minutes ago, Belo said:

I'm going out tomorrow morning i dont care if i get to bed late or sleep poorly, i'm making it happen. Might be the 4th and final of the year, which would put me at the lowest number of sits since I started chasing birds 10 or so years ago. 

Ill call your home phone at 3:50AM

[Five Seasons]

36 minutes ago, The_Real_TCIII said:

Ill call your home phone at 3:50AM

home phone? what are you 50?

[Kmartinson]

25 minutes ago, Belo said:

home phone? what are you 50?

 

1 hour ago, The_Real_TCIII said:

Ill call your home phone at 3:50AM

Whoever wakes up at 350 to turkey hunt is definitely 50 and must hunt in your backyard. I'm up at 3 in the beginning of season and last time out it was 245. No wonder your not having a killer season if walk out to the roost after fly down.

[The_Real_TCIII]

home phone? what are you 50?

Cant risk the cell being on silent


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[The_Real_TCIII]

Whoever wakes up at 350 to turkey hunt is definitely 50 and must hunt in your backyard. I'm up at 3 in the beginning of season and last time out it was 245. No wonder your not having a killer season if walk out to the roost after fly down.

Are you hunting the land of the midnight sun?


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[Kmartinson]

32 minutes ago, The_Real_TCIII said:

Are you hunting the land of the midnight sun?


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Lol

[The_Real_TCIII]

I need to be in the woods at 4:50 here. So if I head to my lease thats a 3:00am wakeup. Which sucks hence I only went once. 4:30 if I hunt local but Ive only heard one bird in five hunts. Im not trying to sound whiny, I did no scouting

[blackbeltbill]

1 hour ago, Kmartinson said:

 

Whoever wakes up at 350 to turkey hunt is definitely 50 and must hunt in your backyard. I'm up at 3 in the beginning of season and last time out it was 245. No wonder your not having a killer season if walk out to the roost after fly down.

Same here. I usually  get to a public parking area by 3.30am. This last week though- it could be 4am because they probably  won't  gobble until Sunrise this late.

[Robhuntandfish]

Just now, blackbeltbill said:

Same here. I usually  get to a public parking area by 3.30am. This last week though- it could be 4am because they probably  won't  gobble until Sunrise this late.

you gotta be loving retirement though Bill. Can do those ealry morns and take a nap and know you dont have to go to work as well.  

[Buckmaster7600]

If I had to wake up at 3 to kill a Turkey I wouldn’t hunt, they’ll be there when I get there…


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[blackbeltbill]

Just now, Robhuntandfish said:

you gotta be loving retirement though Bill. Can do those ealry morns and take a nap and know you dont have to go to work as well.  

Hell - Sometimes before my 7am Warehouse Job,I would hunt Local for 45 minutes - change and punch in on time. And sometimes,I bagged a Gobbler.

[blackbeltbill]

4 minutes ago, Buckmaster7600 said:

If I had to wake up at 3 to kill a Turkey I wouldn’t hunt, they’ll be there when I get there…


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 We are definitely  all different.  To each - their own..

[The_Real_TCIII]

I used to put on a camo rainsuit over my khakis and hunt before work. One time I went to the restroom and noticed in the mirror I was completely covered in blood down the back. I carried out a bird and it ran down between the rainsuit and my clothes lol. I walked right out the back door and called my boss to tell him Id be back after I changed

[Five Seasons]

2 hours ago, Kmartinson said:

 

Whoever wakes up at 350 to turkey hunt is definitely 50 and must hunt in your backyard. I'm up at 3 in the beginning of season and last time out it was 245. No wonder your not having a killer season if walk out to the roost after fly down.

I've had birds fly down as late as 7. Of the few birds I've killed off the roost in my neck of the woods they all flew down shortly after 5. Not everyone has an hour drive an hour hike. Get up, drink some coffee and head out.

 

PS there's no reason to throw shade at hunters who aren't having a killer season. We all hunt for different reasons. 

Edited May 24, 2022 by Belo