Wisconsin Turkey hunters, how are the birds responding?

Kyler · 04-19-2003, 04:58 PM

I have heard a lot of success stories so far this season. My friends (who are hunting throughout the state,) have had great success. So far they are 4-5 on gobblers with so-so weather. My tag is in Zone 18 for the 2nd period next week. I' m looking for info on the how active the birds have been that you have hunted. I lucked out and got an additional tag for 5th period. Thanks and good luck.

cheese-head · 04-19-2003, 08:48 PM

Kyler as you stated the weather has been so so or just about poor! Opening day it was really windy, I had three hens and a nice tom at about 100 yards right off the roost but they would not come any closer. It really didnt help that I had a racoon trying to molest my decoy at the time. Latter on about mid-morning I tagged out on a 20.5# jake with a 5inch beard( this is the largest jake Ive ever heard of. Had to run and gun him) I decided not to chance the weather for the rest of the week because it didnt sound good. I hope that bye the time 5th season rolls around all the hens will be setting on a clutch of eggs, since i just happen to have a second tag.

nub · 04-20-2003, 07:59 AM

Everyone that I know personally, that has first period, is tagged out. Lots of strutting going on around here. I have to wait till May 7th.

Tim-WI hunter · 04-20-2003, 11:07 AM

Like nub, I too must wait until May 7. Never hunted 4th season before and don' t know what to expect. I prefer 1st or 2nd season but I' ll take any tag they give me.
A friend of mine called for his friend on Wed. and his season was over in 15 minutes.
cheese-head, Sorry to report that I got a 21 1/4 lb. jake last year. Either way, a jake over 20 lbs. is amazing. Some states that' s a huge tom. Nice going!

Tim

logs · 04-20-2003, 03:06 PM

Im not the greatest Turkey hunter and I did not fair well.
I hunted Wednesday and Thursday in unit 28. Windy and a mix of rain. Never saw much of the sun.
Weds I had Toms gobbling and two come in but hung up out of bow range.
Thurs the wind was really bad and I only had one gobble off the roost. Saw some birds with the glasses but could not get into position to call.
I was unable to get out the other days.
My nieghbor who hunt centeral state with his buddy each got mature Toms. They had them in full strut and were gun hunting.

Good luck to the rest of you hunters.
Im heading to Ohio the 27th to hunt there with VC, the 29th thru May 1st. Maybe I" ll learn something about Turkey hunting from him.

Deerslayer_37 · 04-20-2003, 06:24 PM

the gobblers arent gobbling much, except on the roost. hunting the fields. down here, our group has taken a 14#,26#,19#,and 23#.

slayer

Jacko · 04-21-2003, 11:59 AM

Going this week in zone 34. Didn' t here any gobbling Easter morning. Was out looking to see if any birds were around. I' m taking my six year old along. We use a pop up blind and I shoot the bow. He calls!. If all goes well I have pictures. The guys that I know who went last week saw birds but the weather was bad. Wind and rain. Looks like we' ll have good weather this week!

Kyler · 04-21-2003, 06:16 PM

Thanks for the info guys. I leave tomorrow and can' t wait. The weather will be clear but a little cool. I hope the woods will be hopping. Cheesehead and Tim WI-Hunter, next time you weigh your birds you should quit leaning on the scale.

Those are whoppers. Congrats to all of you who got your birds. I will be calling for my dad and concentrating more on getting him a gobbler than myself. He has shot some Jakes, but never a Tom. I' ll have many more years to hunt, plus another tag this year. I' ll be filming which is just as much fun. Take care and shoot straight!!!!

Jacko · 04-23-2003, 06:51 AM

Responding great today. Also took a jake at 6:20 this morning with my little guy. Shot him at 15 yards with the bow. We had 3 different birds gobbling this morning! This was our first turkey ever and what fun. My son was all pumped up until he realized he has to go back to school tommorrow. The birds started answering our calls at opening this morning. They were all around us.

St. Croix · 04-23-2003, 07:34 AM

Birds are gobbling extremely well, but the mature one have been getting with the hens about 7:00 which makes things extremely difficult untill late morning. Setting up close to the roost trees worked well for me the 1st season, hopefully it will work well for my partner in crime tomorrow. Today only seen 2 toms, all with hens, but had about 8-10 birds gobbling at 6:15.

The fighting tom call on the slate has been doing wonders.