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Going to suck...

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
Turkey season that is. Saw lilies in bloom on the way to check traps this morning and had a long beard with my usual flock of hens behind the house. It's going to be green and leafed out by the opener and at the rate, all the fun will be all but over. Got to love that late April opener!
 

Bigslam51

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
25,778
127
Stark County
It's just a stupid bird...go to Walmart and get you 10 for the cost of a tag.
They're fun to hunt Giles, and store bought turk has nothing on wild turkey breasts! I was out yesterday and saw 2 longbeards, and a Jake with several hens. uploadfromtaptalk1456756705392.jpg
 

Carpn

*Supporting Member*
2,234
87
Wooster
Hell , I was looking forward to leaves and the birds being broke up more after the last 2 crappy springs
 

Carpn

*Supporting Member*
2,234
87
Wooster
I hear ya . Its nice having somewhere between a barren woods and full on leaf up . Weather is so unpredictable yr to yr . I like being able to move on birds , and not get pinned down . When they are still flocked its great if your on where all the birds are , but crappy if your across the rd on a neighboring property.
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
That was my issue last year. They had "flock thinking". Roosted damn near in the same 3-4 trees every night and pitched to the same field every morning. Neither of which are on us. The couple days I stayed all morning, they never budged from that field. It was a secluded cut corn field that the farmer spread manure on. Don't matter how good a caller you are, hard to call them off that and through 200 yards of thicket, and through a fence to your lap.
 

aaronc

Junior Member
17
13
dayton
Historically we have had our easiest years when it was a late spring. But I know every area and even every flock can be different. 2014 the woods literally looked like February. Not so much as a bud on the trees. WE absolutely hammered them opening week. they were hen free and suicidal.
 

Carpn

*Supporting Member*
2,234
87
Wooster
That was my issue last year. They had "flock thinking". Roosted damn near in the same 3-4 trees every night and pitched to the same field every morning. Neither of which are on us. The couple days I stayed all morning, they never budged from that field. It was a secluded cut corn field that the farmer spread manure on. Don't matter how good a caller you are, hard to call them off that and through 200 yards of thicket, and through a fence to your lap.
Did ya try asking the landowner to hunt there?
 

Carpn

*Supporting Member*
2,234
87
Wooster
For deer? Do the leasers turkey hunt? I've gotten permission to turkey hunt , and goose hunt from leasers of property who only deer hunt it. Worth a try anyway.
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
For deer? Do the leasers turkey hunt? I've gotten permission to turkey hunt , and goose hunt from leasers of property who only deer hunt it. Worth a try anyway.
Turkey only of all things. It's an automatic spot and some local guys pays him $500 a year for sole access to the field. He must like turkey meat...
 

bigten05

*Supporting Member*
3,675
151
knox county ohio
I've seen a few by my house recently gonna have to kill them right off the tree most likely. I won't be making my usual trio to Tennessee the first week of April my wife will prolly be in labor. But I picked up 150 Acres in West Virginia I might try to get there for the opening weekend is only 2 and a half hours away so she might let me slide on that for a weekend or 2.
 
Few guys at work said they have been hearing them pretty hard on the roost and I have heard a few reports that they have seen lone strutters with hens (word of mouth so take it for what it is).....Not expecting a whole lot as these early breaks in the weather in my experience lead to awful seasons. The best parts is that near the end of season when all the guys quit you will get a pick up in the action again where as the years when season is right on que it seems like you never get that second swing...

Oh well still excited as ever will be out in a few weeks doing the recon :D
 

Schu72

Well-Known Member
3,864
113
Streetsboro
Have you every seen turkeys stop traffic. I did yesterday an my way home from work. Mind you this is about 9 miles north of Akron in a fairly populated are. At least 40 turkeys were cutting through an industrial park and cut across the road, stopping traffic in both directions. Probably close to 10 gobblers in the flock, a couple with beards dragging the ground. Wish I could have got my phone out in time to snap a pic.