2013 Turkey

[littlecanoe]

As of youth weekend turkey are still bunched up in larger groups with multiple hens and a few large toms.
Last year the hens had been largely bred at this time and many were on the nest already.

Was able to take my 8yo out for his first hunt.  He got a shot on a dominant tom but missed.  I think adrenaline and holding position on shooting sticks for too long.   We were out fairly open in the woods having gotten into position along the path that the birds were feeding.   There was a bearded hen within easy distance for him just after we got set up.  In hind sight I should have had him take her but I saw those fans waddling closer and had him wait!  Great experience for him.  Awesome for me to get him out.

I know that biologists say that breeding all depends on length of day but last year to this year comparison leads me to think otherwise.

lc

[JonnyReb]

 Sounds like a great hunt no matter if a bird was taken or not. Good to get kids involved young and it'll become part of their lives i believe.

 Our season here in N.C. starts tomorrow. Way late and on purpose i'm sure. Like you said, the hens are already bred and on eggs for the most part. Will be out tomorrow and am trying a decoy for the first time, i feel dumb carrying it around in the woods . Have heard they help though, and i need help.   j

[littlecanoe]

Sounds like a great hunt no matter if a bird was taken or not. Good to get kids involved young and it'll become part of their lives i believe.

 Our season here in N.C. starts tomorrow. Way late and on purpose i'm sure. Like you said, the hens are already bred and on eggs for the most part. Will be out tomorrow and am trying a decoy for the first time, i feel dumb carrying it around in the woods . Have heard they help though, and i need help.   j

Brother, keep that decoy low and covered when easing through the woods!   Hope to hear a good hunting story.

We got skunked today.  Had littleman about 100 yards too far from where two toms came out of the woods.  They hung up on two hens and followed them all over the farm until afternoon.
Different strategy tomorrow morning.  Mortars!

lc

[JonnyReb]

 LC i hear ya .

  Had not worked up the spirit to post about my opening day..or this morning but your post made me feel better about it all , plus this is outta my state, noone knows me here , so here goes

 Opening morning i'm on the far end of my little 11 acre plot. It ajoins a county owned "preserve" and no hunting is allowed. I always have been aware of one hunter who has hunted this county land illegally for many years. 15+. He does not come onto my side and i don't go onto the county land. He parks his truck at the end of my road to gain access and doesn't bother me..i don't bother him. This saturday morning i'm waiting when the first of 3 gobblers started crowing. I do little calling and lots of watching until i actually see one of the gobblers coming my direction through the lightly wooded area, approx 100 yards out. I call lightly and get in position to shoot. The bird is on county land about 50 yards away from my property line where i can shoot. All the sudden the bird turns and goes uphill finally disappearing. 30 seconds later i almost come out of my skin when a single shotgun blast roars from that direction. All went still and i'm assuming that bird is in the trespassing fellows freezer. I feel robbed. I'm not over it quite yet.

 This morning i'm back to the same spot and unlike saturday, i dragged the stupid decoy with me. I sat against an oak 100 yards in from where i thought the gobbler was roosting and drank coffee in the dark considering my plans as well as wonder if the trkey stealing guy would shoot my decoy?. I guess i sat too long as one of the resident Toms started gobbling in the early light. He was CLOSE. I started worrying about the darned decoy and decided to put it out in a clearing 15 yards ahead of me when the next plane took off from a nearby airport. The noise would hide my sound. It was getting light but i figured i'd stay low. When the next jet went up i quickly moved to place the decoy. Over the sound of the jet i heard massive heavy wingbeats and looked up to see my gobbler flying fast out of a big pine just 20 or so yards ahead of me. I misjudged and made a poor decision, shoulda just stayed where i was and i'd be smoking turkey this week on the smoker. My two hunts;)  Truely i was blessed with interesting hunts any way you look at it. Not perfect hunts but darned memorable. . Look forward to hearing of your next outing,    J

[littlecanoe]

I got skunked on opening day of spring season Saturday.  Sat up on the turkeys.  Had my son with  me.  Birds are still henned up and they (two toms) followed two hens and strutted along the back side of the yard about a hundred yards from my back porch and a hundred yards from the blind.  No way to stalk or belly crawl close enough.  Those two boys followed those hens all day long.

Got back out on Tue evening and this evening.  On birds tuesday stalking and calling in the woods.  Talked with a hen but the Tom was having none of it.  Not a sound today.

Good time in the woods though!  Thanks for the story of your hunts.  Enjoyed that.  Hope you smack a good one this weekend.  I'll miss this weekend as we will  be in TN visiting the in-laws.

lc

[JonnyReb]

  Well, from watching this thread i'll guess your seasons gone like mine Still a week left in our season but the woods are so greened up that visability is nil. I'm more or less giving up although i may go just one more time. I hunted 4 or 5 times since my last post and did hear a bird or two but the only turkey i've seen since opening weekend was in my neighbors garden last week.   Hey theres always next year .    J

[littlecanoe]

  Well, from watching this thread i'll guess your seasons gone like mine Still a week left in our season but the woods are so greened up that visability is nil. I'm more or less giving up although i may go just one more time. I hunted 4 or 5 times since my last post and did hear a bird or two but the only turkey i've seen since opening weekend was in my neighbors garden last week.   Hey theres always next year .    J

It was a hard year here for most.  I'm limited with time also.  10 years ago I could get out in the field 2-3 times longer than I've been able to over the last 4 years.  I'll keep at it as I can.  I'm able to hunt on my own land so at least I'm not out a license fee! 

Here's to next year.  Or this fall.

lc

[KYBOY]

Sounds like a great hunt either way..