Team 5* ~The Turkey Killers
05-08-2014, 11:24 AM
#371
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Maine
Posts: 12,612
Nice spoonbill kellyquinn! They look to be a pretty decent fish to catch! I bet it put up a pretty decent fight as well when I look at the size of it.. Congrats!
Jepcho that is a nice video! Whether they are jakes or not! Here I have not seen any jakes once hunting season started.. I am not sure if our long winter this year had cut down on our turkey population or if it is still early for them. Our green grass is just now coming up out there.
Well guys I blew it this morning. I had a big tom coming in and it busted me.. It never came in close enough for a shot so it got away as well. Hopefully it will not be long before I get to connect again with one. I will be heading out after work in the morning again so hopefully I will be able to have some better luck then..
Jepcho that is a nice video! Whether they are jakes or not! Here I have not seen any jakes once hunting season started.. I am not sure if our long winter this year had cut down on our turkey population or if it is still early for them. Our green grass is just now coming up out there.
Well guys I blew it this morning. I had a big tom coming in and it busted me.. It never came in close enough for a shot so it got away as well. Hopefully it will not be long before I get to connect again with one. I will be heading out after work in the morning again so hopefully I will be able to have some better luck then..
05-08-2014, 08:36 PM
#372
Spike
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 84
Phil got your PM I was signing in tonight to see how everyone is doing and give an update on my hunting so far.
Well my season ends this Sunday and with bad weather tomorrow I figure I will do my best this weekend and try to get out there both days.
The past week or so I will hear several birds on roast gobbling but once they hit the ground they are done.
But this year is the first year I have seen multiple hens just roaming around and feeding from good daylight up until about 10am or so. I have probably seen 30+ hens doing this in the past week. Which leads me to believe they are done breeding and the hens are leaving there nest to feed and when they are done feeding they go back to there nest.
I had 2 longbeards do the same thing the other day. One gobbled right next to me, I set up the decoys and gave him 3 very light yelps and used a small limb to rustle the leaves and he came up to a ditch seen my decoys and just strutted back and forth and would not cross the 6 foot wide water shed. I tried to call at him when he would go behind some thick stuff and he started to leave so I started to make rackit with the leave and he came back to the water shed and would not come in and he just left.
So I just went and setup for the morning and I seen a turkey coming down the hill and he got to the same water shed and would not cross it. It wasn't the same bird he was smaller than the first.
I am beginning to think I should try a different spot but I know there are several gobblers in there and I hate to leave it. I know the area where about 6 gobblers are roasting but they may be on one ridge one morning and another the next but close.
So if it where any of you guys would stick and stay or try another spot?
If you suggest I stay then give me some advice on what setup you think I should use when they stop gobbling and I go to hunt them from a set spot for 2-3 hours. Where I have been setting up there is an unreal amount of turkey scratch.
This has been one of the most frustrating years for me will all the near misses but on the other hand it has been the funnest years turkey hunting for me and I haven't even bagged a bird. I have really enjoyed myself.
I hope everyone has had a great season!!
Phil, Did you bag one yet?
Well my season ends this Sunday and with bad weather tomorrow I figure I will do my best this weekend and try to get out there both days.
The past week or so I will hear several birds on roast gobbling but once they hit the ground they are done.
But this year is the first year I have seen multiple hens just roaming around and feeding from good daylight up until about 10am or so. I have probably seen 30+ hens doing this in the past week. Which leads me to believe they are done breeding and the hens are leaving there nest to feed and when they are done feeding they go back to there nest.
I had 2 longbeards do the same thing the other day. One gobbled right next to me, I set up the decoys and gave him 3 very light yelps and used a small limb to rustle the leaves and he came up to a ditch seen my decoys and just strutted back and forth and would not cross the 6 foot wide water shed. I tried to call at him when he would go behind some thick stuff and he started to leave so I started to make rackit with the leave and he came back to the water shed and would not come in and he just left.
So I just went and setup for the morning and I seen a turkey coming down the hill and he got to the same water shed and would not cross it. It wasn't the same bird he was smaller than the first.
I am beginning to think I should try a different spot but I know there are several gobblers in there and I hate to leave it. I know the area where about 6 gobblers are roasting but they may be on one ridge one morning and another the next but close.
So if it where any of you guys would stick and stay or try another spot?
If you suggest I stay then give me some advice on what setup you think I should use when they stop gobbling and I go to hunt them from a set spot for 2-3 hours. Where I have been setting up there is an unreal amount of turkey scratch.
This has been one of the most frustrating years for me will all the near misses but on the other hand it has been the funnest years turkey hunting for me and I haven't even bagged a bird. I have really enjoyed myself.
I hope everyone has had a great season!!
Phil, Did you bag one yet?
05-09-2014, 01:28 AM
#373
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Maine
Posts: 12,612
Yes I got a decent Tom opening day and then missed a big tome the following day. It took 2 and 1/2 hours for him to come in and then froze up at 40 yards... How I missed him I have no idea.. I am going back out in just a few minutes.. ( working nights) The toms have been quite here as well. I am thinking they are henned up or because it is so cold here in the mornings? I did find out that some people were trying their calls on them 2 weeks before the season started and that does not help us none up here..
If they are not crossing the water is there any way you can set up on the other side? Water acts like a boundary for them at times.. It appears they are unwilling to cross it.. Are you using just hen decoys? If not try with just a hen or 2.. Then he may take a chance and fly over to you.. keep the tom and jake decoys out of it. The toms may not want to go into an area to fight as they already have what they want? If not you may want to try a new location? That is a tough one to call seeing how they are stopping up at the waters edge. Good Luck with getting one..
If they are not crossing the water is there any way you can set up on the other side? Water acts like a boundary for them at times.. It appears they are unwilling to cross it.. Are you using just hen decoys? If not try with just a hen or 2.. Then he may take a chance and fly over to you.. keep the tom and jake decoys out of it. The toms may not want to go into an area to fight as they already have what they want? If not you may want to try a new location? That is a tough one to call seeing how they are stopping up at the waters edge. Good Luck with getting one..
Last edited by Phil from Maine; 05-09-2014 at 11:37 AM.
05-09-2014, 08:11 AM
#377
Fork Horn
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: SW Iowa
Posts: 479
Congrates jepcho, I also shot one this morning and am tagged out in Iowa. I set up about 150 yards from him on the roost but he was across the river from me. I've called them across rivers and creeks before so wasn't afraid of my set up. Took him forever to fly down but when he did he was still across the river so I just picked up my calling a little and he flew across. Strutted and gobbled to 20 yards then pulled the trigger. Just had one hen decoy out. He is a good one.
24 lbs. 10 1/2" beard. L&R spur 1 1/2". Eastern
Will send pics to captain Phil to upload and post as I still can't get it done on my phone.
Off to neb now to start filling those tags.
24 lbs. 10 1/2" beard. L&R spur 1 1/2". Eastern
Will send pics to captain Phil to upload and post as I still can't get it done on my phone.
Off to neb now to start filling those tags.
05-09-2014, 11:30 AM
#378
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Maine
Posts: 12,612
Congrats jepcho!
Congrats camokenny!
Sure thing camokenny and we will get that updated.. It sounds like it will be your best bird as well! That should help both of the team scores as well!
I never saw anything this morning except for a few hens. I will be out again in the morning to give them another try! This is my last night shift coming right up so I most likely will update the scores in the morning before I head out..
Any one else have any ideas on helping bigc870 out with bring those birds over? About the only other thing I can suggest is to try calling them just before roosting time to try and get them to roost closer..
Talondale.. I have not heard hardly a peep for the past 2 weeks.. But, I have been seeing a few.. The weather has been a mixed bag of things and those birds are not being talkative at all hardly. But I have been finding out that they are there.. So I will keep at them and hopefully be able to connect again..
Congrats camokenny!
Sure thing camokenny and we will get that updated.. It sounds like it will be your best bird as well! That should help both of the team scores as well!
I never saw anything this morning except for a few hens. I will be out again in the morning to give them another try! This is my last night shift coming right up so I most likely will update the scores in the morning before I head out..
Any one else have any ideas on helping bigc870 out with bring those birds over? About the only other thing I can suggest is to try calling them just before roosting time to try and get them to roost closer..
Talondale.. I have not heard hardly a peep for the past 2 weeks.. But, I have been seeing a few.. The weather has been a mixed bag of things and those birds are not being talkative at all hardly. But I have been finding out that they are there.. So I will keep at them and hopefully be able to connect again..
Last edited by Phil from Maine; 05-09-2014 at 11:45 AM.
