Turkey Huntin is gonna be tough

[OTHERN]

Turkey season opens on sat. Gonna be tough this year. Snow is still very deep in the hills and the turkeys are still down low on private land where no hunting is allowed. Snowing out right now again. Was over in the black hills on tus and wed hunting horns and scouting turkeys. Saw 300+ turkeys, but they are still bunched up in the winter herds of 50+ and are still down on private. None were talking either, nor were any of the toms strutting. Guess I will miss the opening weekend and go later with my flinter.

Othern

 

[Blizzard of '93]

good luck I've always wanted to see that area - but there's plenty turkeys here my deer stand was over-run by a flock of 18 that bugged me incessantaly.

 

[29caliber]

Monday opened Illinois' first of five turkey seasons. The birds I were hunting never roosted in the same place twice and always moved away from me after they flew down. (I'm blaming that on the hens and not my calling!) I finally got a nice 18# jake yesterday morning during the rain by sneaking and crawling through the woods to the field in which they were gathered. I waited until they went over small rise and then eased up to a big oak at the wood's edge, yelped, and here came three jakes in to about 10 yards, but the mature gobbler would not leave the hens and stayed about 60 yards away in a draw. After a few minutes of not seeing the hen they had heard, the jakes began to move away. While I wanted the older bird, today's ending of the first season and the difficulty of working the birds prompted me to pull the trigger on the biggest jake and return for the big boy in a couple of weeks during season #3. He will make fine eating at this Sunday's dinner! Tom

 

[roundball]

My opener was today...I never heard a gobble this morning but there was a lot of wind noise so it may be I just couldn’t hear.

At 9:00am at the extreme right edge of the photo below, 6 hens came into the field 75yds away, followed by a huge Tom. As soon as the hens began foraging along towards my decoys he immediately got in front of them and strutted back and forth as if to cut them off and turn them and sure enough, they turned and headed down through those tall dead brown/gray weeds...pretty sight watching him strut and spin and strut back, etc...hunted until noon never saw anything else.

Pic 1 = View from the blind”¦Jake in the middle is at 25yds.
Pic 2 = Bored”¦lining up on the Jake decoy.

 

[bucktales]

Roundball, At least your season started. Here in Ct., we have to wait till May. :cursing:
Looks like the same blind my wife an I use. Ain't they great?
We use them for Turkey, Coyotes and deer, and they roll up compact and fit in my game vest pocket.

 

[dallas10c]

Here in PA my son gets the woods to himself next Saturday for the Juniors Only Turkey Day. Went to the range yesterday and while I was blasting away with my .50, jakes were gobbling and walked right through the range. I know where I am taking him next Saturday...if the jakes were that oblivious to the noise, he should have no trouble getting his first turkey! I got my chance starting the 26th.

 

[longrifle78]

Hey Tom, glad ya got a bird,I only got one permit this year,1st season, only heard one all week and he was about a quarter mile away headin away from me. oh well maybe this fall i'll get one.Good luck to all yall with upcoming hunts.

 

[kwildey]

I have to wait until may also. Since michigan doesn't let me use my .32, i borrowed a 12 ga. barrel from my uncle that fits my t/c hawken. I haven't tried the muzzleloader for turkeys yet so it's an experiment.