Turkey season has only been open up here in the Northern zone for 3 days, but with the south zone well under way and youth having been at it, there has to be some turkey season updates out there! Lets hear what’s going on out there? I know I sound like the DNR, but the weather has sucked up here so far, but that is about to change quick in the next few days. I don’t have a permit till this weekend, cant wait!
I went Monday and Tuesday and it was real slow. I saw around 10 birds and heard only a handful of gobbles. Never even drew my bow. Hopefully it picks up this weekend.
I saw my first three birds today (northern zone). I’ve been hearing a few, but not like most years. I didn’t get to hunt last year because of emergency surgery . I don’t know where they’ve gone, as I saw over 80 in two fields on two different occasions, in late February and mid March.
Two big Toms came out together, called one or twice when entering the hay field. They totally ignored my hen and jake decoy, skirting them and staying well out of range. They never even looked in the direction of the decoys. Talking to other hunters in the area, they are experiencing similar events…quiet birds and totally ignoring decoys.
I had a first season permit in the northern zone and waited until Wednesday morning to hunt. Very cold but sunny with little wind. Had three different birds roosted and called in a nice Tom and killed him at 45 yards with the new “Heavy Shot” heavier than lead loads…5, 6 and 7 shot….just flattened him. Using a Winchester Super X3 with a “Pattern Master” turkey tube designed for heavy shot. Called him in and the hunt was over at 6:20. Inch spurs and a ten inch beard. It was so beautiful out that I sat there for 1 1/2 hours taking it all in…had two other Toms and a Jake come in looking for the hen they heard. The woods were on fire…I have never experienced a better hunt. Last year the place was dead. With the winter being so tough I was worried that I would strike out again. I almost did not go. You never know what the next year…let alone the next day can bring.
Getting ready to end the first season now. Never heard a Gobble cluck putt purr or cutt all week. think the Turkey numbers are worse than the Deer numbers. First time I have hunted a full week and not heard a gobble.
I heard numerous hens and toms every day, with today’s warmth being the best. Not as many as I’ve heard in past years…but I know they are there, as I saw 80+ birds in the field adjacent to my area, less than 3 weeks ago. I just couldn’t call them in and when I tried to go to them, I either bumped them or they had already moved on…or henned up.
Freak, that’s been my experience, too. Not to mention every hunter I’ve talked to. There are some birds that are vocalizing, but many are not, and those that do gobble are get a case of lockjaw when they go looking for the call.
I went out on Friday morning in JoDaviess County. Temps were a chilly 30 degrees. I did see 5 birds total. I had a hen at 28 yds cutting and yelping like crazy. I thought she would help the situation?
I didn’t hear a single gobble all day. It seemed like the birds were afraid of my pretty boy decoy after they got a look at him??? They just wouldn’t come in and they didn’t seem interested in my hen decoys???
Well it was a great day to enjoy the outdoors!!!
Happy Easter everyone!
Yea the birds were acting strange for me this weekend too. I usually have pretty good luck with a jake and hen decoy, but the gobblers weren’t having it. I even called a hen into the decs and she was yelping for 20 mins while there were 13 tom/jakes in the field and they couldn’t have cared less. The big groups of toms/jakes makes me think the turkeys in these woods haven’t quite got into the spring routine. Hopefully another week loosens things up a bit. The birds weren’t gobbling much after they got off the limb either. We need some more warm weather and some vegetation growth in the woods. Oh well, it was still a blast sharing the turkey woods with my dad, just wish I could have figured these birds out to get him a bird.
Sat out Saturday and Sunday, the only gobble I heard was around 9:00 Sat. morning. We went back and forth for about 15 minutes and then nothing. Never saw a bird not even when driving around checking out some of the fields that always have some activity going on.
