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ORIGINAL: hillbillyhunter1

This is the first spring gobbler season I have got to hunt in WV for a while as I just moved back from spending several years in MT. I've got to say that so far I have been very disappointed with the amount of birds I've heard ( I know, it's only been a couple of days). I hunted on about600 acres of private ground on Monday and Tuesday. There were only two of us hunting and it is prime turkey country (we saw birds every day). We did not however hear ONE SINGLE GOBBLE.

Now I know you can turkey hunt even if they aren't calling very well but I mean these did not call one time that we heard and that sure detracts from the excitement. The last time I hunted these places (about 4 years ago) there were at least 4-6 gobblers raising hell every day. They were still tough as heck and wouldn't come in too easily but they made a lot of noise.
I was wondering what other WV hunters are experiencing as far as "noise level"?????
Thanks and good luck
hb

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ORIGINAL: Rem1100


well...I dunno,Bro.... a guy I know has already killed his 2.... 1 monday & 1 yesterday... says they are talking alot !! could it be you're not up on your Eastern turkey game? turkeys out west are MUCH easier to kill, from what I've read..I don't know myself, just what I've read,Bro... Easterns are the toughest to hunt, according to Dick Kirby.... I haven't been out yet, as I wait til the last week usually... no hunters to mess with, and the Gobblers can be ferocious in their gobbling!!!

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ORIGINAL: hillbillyhunter1

Ah heck, Rem1100, I've been hunting and killing Easterns all my life and I agree they are tougherand I think the WV birds in the places I hunt are some of the toughest of all.:D:D It's not there toughness though that is making me say "WTH" right now. It is THE TOTAL LACK OF CALLING--none--nada--zip--zero--zilch. I could not even get them to shock gobble on the roost. I've never heard it dead silent on opening day before. It was a little windy but Tuesday was perfect and still nothing. The birds are there---just not talking--even among themselves. I can try to ambush them without all the calling but it's not near as much fun as hearing them shake the ground.

Somebody said that the proliferation of coyotes might cause the turkeys to call much less in general or like livbucks said they're just done with their business. That sounds reasonable. Has anyone else heard that about the coyote thing??

DougMD,
We heard 4 different shots as well around. I just haven't seen it this quiet ever.

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ORIGINAL: jondaggett

Very weird here in Wirt County as well. One morning last week I heard only one bird, then 2 days later I heard at least 8 or 9 different birds. Then the next day, back to only 1 or 2. I've yet to go out and not hear a single bird, though. I agree that the season may be hitting too late with the mild stretch of winter we had. It was pretty cold at night a couple nights last week, and those were the mornings I heard almost nothing. This could have had some effect, maybe? Although some guys had no problems hearing them on those days. And my buddy's dad killed, well, let's just say at least the season limit, last week in 4 days in the St. Marys area. If you look at the past several years, the kill number has been lacking compared to I think 2001 when there was a record kill. I don't think there's quite as many birds as there once was.

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