Awful quiet in the WV turkey woods
04-26-2006, 12:01 PM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: WV
Posts: 4,485
Awful quiet in the WV turkey woods
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
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
04-26-2006, 12:17 PM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,236
RE: Awful quiet in the WV turkey woods
With the very warm end of winter the birds have bred already. The last few years where I live have been terrible for calling. When we have a bad winter that lasts into spring the gobbler season is usually great due to later breeding. I have heard alot of gobbling in late Feb and all of March when the winters are mild.
04-26-2006, 12:36 PM
#3
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: May 2004
Location:
Posts: 1,190
RE: Awful quiet in the WV turkey woods
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
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
04-26-2006, 12:51 PM
#5
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Gambrills Md US
Posts: 6,080
RE: Awful quiet in the WV turkey woods
I didn't hear a single turkey either listening as it got dark on Sunday night, or hunting on opening day. Last year I heard at least threegobbling in the morning several days into the season. We did hear two shots, but no sounds of gobblers or hens.
04-26-2006, 01:07 PM
#6
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: WV
Posts: 4,485
RE: Awful quiet in the WV turkey woods
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!!!
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!!!
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.
04-26-2006, 02:12 PM
#7
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 246
RE: Awful quiet in the WV turkey woods
yep, i agree with DOUGMD, i listened for a whileee on SUnday night and heard nothing. And monday morning again heard nothing, it was really surprising. Saw tons of deer running through, but not one turkey. I might have seen one running through the brush, but it was too much of a glance to be certain it was a turkey. but as for gobbling, heard absolutely nothing. Its weird you posted this, i was thinking the same thing about the amount of gobbling, it was awkward. I know there around, i dont know why they so quiet.
04-27-2006, 05:49 AM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: May 2004
Location:
Posts: 1,190
RE: Awful quiet in the WV turkey woods
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. 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.
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!!!
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!!!
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.
they are becoming less vocal overall, but the boys are hammering 'em up here...
05-04-2006, 06:32 PM
#9
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 1
RE: Awful quiet in the WV turkey woods
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.
05-07-2006, 02:47 PM
#10
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: May 2004
Location:
Posts: 1,190
RE: Awful quiet in the WV turkey woods
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.
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.