For prolly 15-20 minutes last night (around 4pm) I watched this gobbler on the hill south of my house...



This morning I had the pleasure of witnessing this nice gobbler no more than 1/4 mile away (Just down the road actually). Should be a good season if i can get into these areas!

I too have been seeng some good toms out strutting in past wk. My son has been hearing several gobbling while out waiting for the bus. I'll be taking him out next wknd for the NY youth hunt. I hope I can call one in for him. I have noticed in the past wk though I'm not seeing them in the fields as much. So it appears they've moved back into the woods more. I'll have to get out early dawn this wk to figure out our setup spots for Sat. I went out last night for a roost, and jumped a hen in a weedy wet area just inside a field. She came out of the weeds like was nested. I didn't go down in there to check, becasue I didn't want to take a chance on ruining a nest if she was. So I can't be sure she was nesting yet, but it was the impression I got, by the way she popped out of there. If they are nesting alreadly thats a good sign!

whereabouts in central new york?

Buckalley...I have seen probably 10 different toms since 4/8. before that, nothing. Each time ive had a chance to stop and listen to em, they arent gobbling with the hens, but rather, gobbling at crows, dogs, and most importantly, other gobblers. The second tom on there (the one with 3 pics) had a fight with a jake, it was intense for about 5 seconds, wasn't fast enough to get em on camera though. Overall, heard probably 5 toms sounding off (including that jake with the tom...at one point they sounded off together, that was cool), but i will admit, i did do a few yelps, and they did respond to me, but not thier hens...wierd!

tj_cubin, Im about 15min WNW of Rome in Oneida County (by car). But, These pics were less than a mile away from the town line.

The past week I haven't seen too many. But I did see some and got out the car(out of site of course) and crawled up bye a fence to call and make them gobble. I couldn't get a responce because he was with a hen and jake. I watched the tom run the jake off every time he got near the hen. After about 10 minutes I walked back to the car. I had two different toms right near my car. I figured they must have heard me and were comin in. The car never alerted them at all. They were two mature toms so my confidence is up on my callin now. Hope it stays true on May 1st. Everyone Good Luck.

I went back to the spot i went yesterday morning and there were probably 20 hens and 3 Visible toms...I say visible because I could hear 3 or 4 more in the background.

What was neet was that this one tom was on the other end of the field, next thing i know he's strutting his way towards my end with the other two...gets there and the other two were completely submissive, i thought that was cool. heh

anyone want to see pictures? they are like the ones above, i cant get good detail on my camera.

Well I just got back from a dawn scouting effort at my favorite spot. Last year my son almost got a shot here on the youth wknd. Then later in season I scored on a decent longbeard here. Its a old family farm thats been sold to a friend. Anyways its my 3rd trip there. The first two were evening dusk scouts where I heard only 1 gobble way off. This morning not a peep, and no birds seen. I sit on the edge of the field on a rock pile. I can see all the way across the field like 300yards. Plus being up a hill I can hear for a long ways. Nothing. I'm pretty disappointed. I've only seen 1 tom down the road about 1/2 mile back in march in this area. On the bright side I have been seeing several deer, so this years bow & muzzleloader season looks promising anyways. I got out of there after 30mins of nothing, drove around past my other areas. I saw a few lone hens. Only toms I saw were 3 jakes down the road from my dads land. Where I've had action before. I walked the woods there yesterday, and found several tracks on a power line. One track was good size w/ a near 3" front toe. So I guess so far this looks to be the 1st spot I'll take my boy this coming Sat. But its very limited on hunting area. Can't cross onto any neighboring properties. So if the birds are across the road like were today(3 jakes) we could be out of luck! To say the least I'm pretty disappointed right now!
Oh I also wanted to add. I only use locator calls on my scouting efforts. Crow & owl. I often get responses with both. I'm not for using hen calls until I'm hunting. Just my preference.