HuntingNet.com Forums - Central IL Scouting Report

Got out to the timber for a while early Sunday morning. Rain began just as I parked the truck. I sure was not excited about sitting in the rain, so I thought I would just walk down the road listening. I had not gone far, when I heard them. The boys were absolutely hammering on the roost. I figured I would get in the timber a sit for a while to see where they were heading after fly down. I saw 4 at about 100 yards, heading through the woods. About 10 minutes after that, I had a hen walk past me at about 15 yards. After she was gone, I figured I would head to town for some breakfast. As I exited the timber, I saw some black shapes out by the road. I put the glasses on them, and there were 16 birds out there. 3 of them were in full strut. What an amazing sight. I had been looking around my property for a strut zone, with little success. Guess I found one. Right out in the middle of the gravel road. It will be tough to set up on these guys.:D. This is only my second year of hunting turkeys, so it feels pretty good to be finding them. Some birds seem to roost on the same ridge most all the time. I have heard them fly down from the same area while fall deer hunting. I have seen a gobbler a couple of times that is bigger than the one I killed last year. I saw him again Sunday morning. My 11 year old son has turkey tags for the first time this year. I'd love to get that big boy in front of him on April 23. Good luck to you all this season.
Bill