Phil from Maine

All right guys I am very confident we are going to win this years contest! We have a great team lined up that will equal to none of the others! We will be bringing home the Butterball award! So everyone stay safe out there once you get on the hunt! Lets not get to excited when that first gobble cracks the quite morning air..We are going to enjoy hearing all the stories while I am waiting for my season to come rolling in!!

While I am not sure, I believe that SS56 season has opened up.. If so and you are out there hunting good luck to you.. The team is routing for you to bring one on in and get us up on the board!!

We are curious as to how it is going for you mmorgan9812.. When does your season open up??

Also Talondale when will your season open up?

We are hoping to hear about all the success stories when they start rolling in.. Even if you do not have any success stories we all love to hear about your close calls and the like.. Stay safe out there while enjoying your day trying to get that wise old gobbler.. If one keeps hanging up on you someone here on the team maybe able to offer a couple of new ideas that maybe of help.. So share your stories with us so we can all get excited about our planned hunting adventures..

camokenny

I agree Phil if anyone on our team needs some helpful advice please ask. It sure can't hurt to get another point of view on things. I'm not bragging at all but this spring make my 35th year hunting gobblers and two grand slam that were not paid hunts. I have just a little experience however as most of you know you learn each time you go out.

SouthernStrut56

We had opportunities to bring home birds but made some poor decisions and didn't score. Should've done this, shouldn't have done that, etc. These birds looked easy to kill last weekend so I went in with a cocky attitude and they schooled me. It happens I reckon, but I'll get us on the board soon.

Phil from Maine

They always appear to have a way of doing that.. I scout a few days before my hunting starts and then have them do the opposite of what I am expecting them to do.. They are smart birds that is for sure.. As the saying goes if they could smell like a deer no one would be able to get one.. Keep at em and you will get us on the board.. Good luck on your next outing..

camokenny

I never try to pattern the birds in my hunting areas I just make sure they are still there in the preseason. A lot of things can cause them to change their pattern that we can't control. Woodsmanship will kill more turkeys then anything else. Its like working hunt smarter not harder.

bigc870

I for one am open to advise. For the last 3 years I have been having issues with either not getting close enough when I set up or like last year being to aggressive bumping the birds.

I have always been the type of turkey hunter that is very cautious when approaching gobblers. I hit a 2 year slump only taking 1 turkey during that time and I thought it was due to me not getting close enough when sitting up.

Well last year I decided to try and get into there kitchen and was very aggressive and I bumped more birds last year than I ever had, but last year was a strange year, I would hear one gobble and think his is he was on the ridge top 300 yards away only to have him be 150 yards or so. It was like the sound didn't carry last year and I wasn't the only one that was talking about the sound not carrying.

I most cases how do you feel about when to setup on a bird?

Do you play it safe and setup at a farther distance?

Or, do you go after him very aggressive and try to get as close as possible?

I hunt public land it has some pressure but not alot, with more woods than open areas.

camokenny

I almost always try to set up within 100 yards of a roosted gobbler if foliage and terrain allow it. I do not get aggressive me my calling unless he has flown down and is going away from me. Very little calling and softly till he flies down. Then I might pick it up only if I don't think he is going to come in. Hope this helps.

Phil from Maine

bigc, I hunt a lot of wooded areas here.. Yes we have some fields as well but I concentrate on an area where it is heavily traveled and the birds get spooked quick.. This is all private land that is open to the public as it owned by woods companies that supply the paper mills and the like here.. I like to find where a skidder trail or grown up logging road that will lead back to the field or fairly large opening. I set up in these around 60 to 70 yards back. I find the turkeys will travel these while trying to avoid the traffic or other hunters. It also allows them access to the fields and allows you a place to set up and try to coax them out into range. While I am not real sure about but I think they feel less nervous in cases like this..

I am just now starting my 7 year of spring hunting with my first 3 years getting nothing for birds and now I have been 2 for 2 the last 3 years.. It has been working for me so far but this year maybe different.. Who knows until my time is up if I can pull it off again.. So I am just offering something a little different to think about that is all..

swampbuster

Hang in there ss56 it will come together. Big C it took me several years to bag my first turkey. Learn from your mistakes and hang in there

Phil from Maine

I agee with this statement.. My hunting became easier because they opened it up for the first time on my 4th year of hunting them.. I did manage to get one with my bow on the 3 year but not until the fall hunt down state.. That may have been what broke some of the ice for me as well. Understanding how they will regroup when bothered..