Spring 2020 Gobbler Season

[flinginairos]

Took me six days of hard hunting in WV to make it happen yesterday. Heck of a hunt too! I had setup on a different ridge on a well used roosting tree but come daylight I realized there were no birds in there. About that time a crow fired off and a bird gobbled in the bottom a good ways off. Luckily I had used the ebike to climb the ridge and took off running to the bike to hopefully get to the bird before fly down. I took off about as fast as I could go and looped around to where I thought would be a good starting point. As soon as I got off the bike the bird fired off and wasn’t 100 yards away! I knew exactly where he was and closed the distance to 60 yards and set up. He gobbled again and was on the ground and was over the hill to my left so I called lightly and waited with the safety off and camera rolling, five minutes goes by and total silence then he about blows my doors off and is 180 degrees to my right! I quickly swung around as he was behind a tree and when he stepped out I laid the hammer down! My second biggest bird at 21lbs, 11” beard and spurs just shy of 1.5”!

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[elk yinzer]

My assessment of Turkey hunting being a first timer in WI, WAY HARDER than killing deer on public!

When i deer hunt i find those out of the way spots, cross water and swamps, etc to get away from pressure and into deer. The problem i found the last week is the Turkey seem to prefer the accessible, wide open fields, scrub brush and hardwood ridges hunters also prefer to hunt in so I had a ton of trouble getting into turkeys as well as avoiding other hunters.

Case in point, heard gobbling right at sun up along the border between private land field and public. I moved towards the gobbles in the morning gloom and set up. Was thrilled to see not one but 6 gobblers about 200 yards out in the private field and had hopes of calling them onto the public. Well, shortly after i called i heard more calling about 150 yards to my right towards the other corner of the field. Another 15 minutes it seemed that first call was closer, maybe only 50 yards to my right but then i heard them BOTH call.

As you may have guessed i wasnt the only guy to hear those gobbles and two other hunters moved in in the dark and we all were calling to these 6 toms who proceeded to ignore all of us and stay out in that field eventually heading off towards the other side and deeper into the private land.

I saw turkeys EVERY day but also saw other hunters EVERY day in the same spots i was seeing turkey, which was mostly out in fields on private abutting public.

As i watched those hard hunted gobblers i got the distinct impression they were pretty wise to hunters and calling as they barely gave any attention at all to the calling and just turned and headed the other way.

Any tips for hard hunted turkeys or outside the box ways to get away from other hunting pressure but where you would still possibly find turkeys? I have that process down for deer but find it hard with turkeys as i have never seen any in knee deep swamps!

Interesting to see that's your experience in WI also. That's been my experience all my life in PA on public land. I go out once or twice a year, some years not at all. When I'm into turkeys I'm almost always into other hunters, on Saturdays usually an army of them. I try to get away from the pressure and get myself away from the turkeys. Just not into that kinda hunting. Despite lots of opportunities I've actually never killed a bird in the spring. Killed a few in the fall.

I've had opportunities to kill gimme birds on private, but I'm just not into that shindig either.

I watch these THP videos and I'm like how in the F are these guys killing all these birds on public, I guess the pressure is totally different down South.

We'll see, I have some renewed vigor this year because I can't do my usual fishing in OH that I usually do in May. I would imagine with the way the woods and waters have been it will be even more a clusterfest than usual. I've actually done some scouting and I think if I can fend off other hunters and get in early I can finally pop my spring cherry.

 

[Miboy86]

Still ain't connected yet, went out yesterday morning and had 1 hen come from behind me at 5 feet then walk right in front of me. Pretty cool to happen just sitting on the ground in grass wearing a ghille good. Won't be getting back out till Friday morning.

 

[Bigterp]

Took me six days of hard hunting in WV to make it happen yesterday. Heck of a hunt too! I had setup on a different ridge on a well used roosting tree but come daylight I realized there were no birds in there. About that time a crow fired off and a bird gobbled in the bottom a good ways off. Luckily I had used the ebike to climb the ridge and took off running to the bike to hopefully get to the bird before fly down. I took off about as fast as I could go and looped around to where I thought would be a good starting point. As soon as I got off the bike the bird fired off and wasn’t 100 yards away! I knew exactly where he was and closed the distance to 60 yards and set up. He gobbled again and was on the ground and was over the hill to my left so I called lightly and waited with the safety off and camera rolling, five minutes goes by and total silence then he about blows my doors off and is 180 degrees to my right! I quickly swung around as he was behind a tree and when he stepped out I laid the hammer down! My second biggest bird at 21lbs, 11” beard and spurs just shy of 1.5”!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That’s one heck of a mountain bird!!!!! Nice hooks..

 

[swampdonkey]

Interesting to see that's your experience in WI also. That's been my experience all my life in PA on public land. I go out once or twice a year, some years not at all. When I'm into turkeys I'm almost always into other hunters, on Saturdays usually an army of them. I try to get away from the pressure and get myself away from the turkeys. Just not into that kinda hunting. Despite lots of opportunities I've actually never killed a bird in the spring. Killed a few in the fall.

I've had opportunities to kill gimme birds on private, but I'm just not into that shindig either.

I watch these THP videos and I'm like how in the F are these guys killing all these birds on public, I guess the pressure is totally different down South.

We'll see, I have some renewed vigor this year because I can't do my usual fishing in OH that I usually do in May. I would imagine with the way the woods and waters have been it will be even more a clusterfest than usual. I've actually done some scouting and I think if I can fend off other hunters and get in early I can finally pop my spring cherry.

Good Luck if you go!

I can see how turkey hunting can be a ton of fun with the Toms being so vocal and visible in the Spring and the fact you can interact with them via calling but unless i find some private not sure id see myself getting all that into it just because of the pressure on WI public, even with the staggered seasons. Im a solo hunter and have been known to completely abandon bowhunting spots if another hunter starts intruding on it too much, similar to a smart old Buck id imagine. If the Buck wont tolerate the pressure and vacates the spot why would i keep hunting there right?

I prefer to hunt the unmolested animals one on one and for the most part have that figured out with deer but man that was definitely not what i experienced Turkey hunting though. Ill give her a shot again but see myself as being pretty casual about it like i am with small game hunting. But if i can find a way to get away from the crowds i could see that changing too.

But best of luck to ya I hope you finally kill that Spring Tom this year!

 

[bj139]

With all the workers home, I imagine everyday will be crowded not just weekends.

 

[A.Mas]

With all the workers home, I imagine everyday will be crowded not just weekends.

Being retired used to only hunt during the week to avoid people on public now good luck. That being said did see enough turkey decoys in one field today to be a awesome diver duck spread. Think they were a bit to ambitious for how I hunt turkeys but to each their own

 

[bj139]

Never hunted turkey before. I imagine if I try this year I will have to practice social distancing for hunters. About 50 feet?

 

[d_rek]

Slow season for me in SE Michigan. Seems like activity only picked up in the last few days with the warmer weather. Heard my first gobble yesterday afternoon, and called in a group of 4 jakes. Came in and pecked around my set for a few minutes. Briefly considered taking one but knew there are bigger birds around. Still fun to watch. Went out this morning in the rain and only one spooky hen for my troubles.

 

[Jeff F.]

Not one mention of Tom Kelly's "10th Legion" when books came up???? for shame!

This is a must read for all turkey hunters (especially new ones). It's quick, funny, informative, and well written.

“He also knows that when he comes back home empty-handed, as he will do regularly, he will have no satisfactory explanation. He is well aware, for he has met dozens of them, of the numbers of people that will approach him on street corners and in bars and at parties, who will open each conversation with, “Well, did you get him yet?” When he answers no, they will be off and running. They will tell him in delighted tones and in the clearest detail the story of a friend of theirs who has a feeble-minded nephew. Of how this nephew is occasionally allowed home on leave from the state funny farm. How that the last time this poor defective creature was home, week before last, he went out in the woods just behind the house, sat on a log, and with a turkey yelper that was given away as a souvenir by a typewriter company in 1937, yelped twice, and killed a turkey that weighed twenty-three pounds—picked.”
― Tom Kelly, Tenth Legion

 

[sojourner]

PA starts Saturday. My buddy texted me yesterday and told me that he has spotted gobblers on his back fourty and that his deep fryer is ready and waiting to be filled.

I used to be really into turkey hunting, but the spring allergies and ticks put a damper on it for me.

I’ll be out Saturday though.