RE: PA hunters, whats going on?
This has been one of the worst starters in PA in a number of years. The birds have been tight lipped for the better part of last week, which was the opener. Pre-season scouting had way more tree talking going on. I didn't miss a morning all week, being on vacation, and only had two days that yielded birds that would play.
Those birds who did come to the call were right of the roost... a brace of jakes and another group mid week. The first group came to the call on Junior day, and things went downhill from there. We hunted hard in a number of different places and find now that the birds are just not talking. Only one bird responded mid morning, Monday, at about 1100 AM, gobbling to my calls, but never did come in.
I was out again this morning in a new part of the woods 25 + miles from the last, and even though it held good sign, never once heard a gobble. The ridge allowed for great bird locating, but no birds were talking. Personally, I think the birds are about a week + behind on the breeding schedule. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that things will improve in the weeks ahead. Failing that, I'm going fishing.