i need help
 

this years turkey season seems to be a complete waste of my time, i havnt hear a gobble in the last week and i have to wonder, have the turkeys stopped breeding here in upstate new york? anyone have any advise??

RE: i need help
 

Looks like we are in the same boat in NY. Birds are completey shut down in my neck of the woods. I called in a few Jakes Saturday, but they came in silent. Early season they were gobbling on the roost, but shut up as soon as they hit the ground, now No birds gobbling on the roost even...

My advice is now that it is getting green and thick, try hunting logging roads a little more or places that are more open than others...

RE: i need help
 

I heard from a buddy that the birds are still gobbling pretty good around the allegany state forest. I don't know if your hunting private or public, so maybe your location could be why you're not hearding gobbles. I know from experience that on one side of the county the birds can be vocal and on the other side you wouldn't hear anything. It's all about the crazy turkeys and what they feel like doing. The buddy I'm referring to killed a nice longbeard sunday and went back out yesterday and heard them gobbling pretty well. I know that this weekend is going to be the best of the year when it comes to weather. If your in the area of limestone, ny...PM me and we'll get together. I'll be up there thursday night.

David ellis

RE: i need help
 

Are the birds completely silent, or are you just not close enough?

I ask, because I've heard my brother complain the same way, and for the past 10 years I've gone home to central NY over Memorial Day weekend, and have always found birds.

I know that here in CT, as well as central NY, once the Ash & Oak trees leaf (typically the last to do so), you need to be within 200 yards of most birds to hear a gobble. Going to the highest ridge is usually not enough, simply because the sound is muffled by all the vegetation.

For example: At this one property, there is a 500 yard long field, which goes from the river to the base of a wooded ridge, which goes for another 400 yards at a 20 degree slope to the summit's plateau. At the wood's edge, I heard no gobbling. However, halfway up the ridge (200 yards), I heard birds at the top of the ridge. Because of daylight, I could not get up the ridge undetected, and know that the bird's typically work up the hill.

I decided to see if birds were gobbling down by the river. After hiking the 200 yards down the hill, and another 250 yards into the field, I indeed heard birds gobbling at the river's edge.

Fact: This time of year, it's most often about getting close enough to hear the gobbling, and not deciding that the bird's are not gobbling. They do oftentimes stop once they hit the ground, but if you can fire them up on the roost, they will gobble and commit...

Good luck.

RE: i need help
 

I wouldn't think turkeys would be done breeding that far north...lack of birds maybe?