In need of a few pointers...
 

Hi all I am wondering what has happened to the turkeys up here.. The first couple of days they were great to call. They would gobble back and I would have a few show themselves. Then all of a sudden they just stopped gobbling back for a few days because of rain and wind. Yesterday one did gobble back at me but just went farther and father away. I know where I went yesterday has not been hunted as of yet because the road has been gated. There was a lot of turkey tracks on the dirt road as I walked it for 2 and a half hours one way. I even walked beside a black bear. That one had me nervous as it was only about 15 feet away when I saw it. I hollered at it so it would see me and then it run off.
I am just wondering what went wrong with the turkeys that they have pretty well clammed up and in the case of yesterday just went father away. What can be done to help get them to come to my calling or even my decoys. Also any ideas on how to hunt them when they are in the woods? Any help would be very usefull.

Phil
I suspect the phase you are witnessing is the Toms once on the ground are in strut the whole time following hens. When this happens it gets tough and later day hunts seem to do better.
I sit areas for long waits where I see a few hens consistently along with alot os sign, scat tracks, dust bowls, etc. That has helped my success but it can get boring.
Also if you ever get a hen to talk back at you - concentrate on her as most times if she comes so will any Tom following her!

Another thnig that comes to mind is watch the weather. Temperature drops of even a degree or 2 will help shut them up. However I do seem to do better on cloudy days with a slight temp increase from the day bef


JW

Late in the season in areas that have had heavy hunting pressure, soft putts and purrs work best.

................and leave your decoys at home and get in the woods by 10 yards or so.

I think its just the time. I have always found the last couple weeks is always the best. The weather will play on them so keep working on them, they'll start again...

Your prolly right JW as I did see signs of a strutting tom. There were wing tracks in the soft sand in places where he had been strutting. I will be giving them a try early in the morning as our hunting ends at noon each day. They will be opening the gate all up tomorrow morning to allow traffic in there. Also the whole area where I had walked had turkey tracks going up and down the road. I will try and locate which direction they are going in and try to set up up above them. Thanks for the help.

I am calling it a night so I can get on the road in the morning. I will check this before I head out. Again thanks for the help..

Thanks for the helpfull ideas! Our season had just opened up last Monday and some ares haven't had any presure as of yet. Also there is not all that many in this area turkey hunting. The idea of turkey hunting here is realatifly new to most of us.

Go fishing:happy0157:

I should take the fishing rod with me as a lot of brook trout up here are starting to bite good now..LOL

Thank you all for the pointers! I nailed my first spring turkey this morning....Yahooo!
I will be posting it later today in the turkey contest thread..

Atta boy!

Congratulations!

JW