Toms are starting to Gobble !
 

The last two mornings, there have been Toms gobbling across the field from our house. Seems about 2 to 3 weeks earlier than normal... Might just be a dandy good Spring Turkey season.

RE: Toms are starting to Gobble !
 

Doc,
You gotta stop 'em. I don't want them to be gobbled out by the time I get over there for opening weekend.:D

RE: Toms are starting to Gobble !
 

slee,

You gonna hunt with or around Wayne? ----------- If so, TOO BAD ---- he's gonna be too busy with his new pup :D

RE: Toms are starting to Gobble !
 

LOL...Doc....Trust me....I'll find time for bird's...:D

RE: Toms are starting to Gobble !
 

Now Doc, have you ever known Wayne to miss a turkey hunt? He'll be around, for moral support if nothing else. Besides, he's our main most field tester, and we've got some new stuff to throw at those birds this year. Combine our new calls and a little Southernese striker action, and there won't be a tom within earshot that'll be safe.;)

RE: Toms are starting to Gobble !
 

Here's a pic that I just took out of our front window (6:45 AM). None of these birds will be "shootable", 'cause they are just a flock of Hens and Juveniles, but the birds are thick.

RE: Toms are starting to Gobble !
 

Man, with the unseasonablly warm weather we've been having in Washington State, I've been concerned about the season coming before it even starts!

DocE and Wayne...are the Toms gobbling hard?

RE: Toms are starting to Gobble !
 

They are just beginning to gobble -- nuthin hard yet.

RE: Toms are starting to Gobble !
 

Bldhound and I are coming that way Friday morning to meet with Tim at Clark's All-sport about getting calls in the store. Maybe we will get to hear some turkey talk before we go. I'd love to hear one or two sound off just to get my juices flowing. I just hope they don't heat up early and play out before season comes. Nothing like hunting hush-mouthed toms after the peak of breeding. Tough doesn't begin to describe it.

RE: Toms are starting to Gobble !
 

Ain't seen a bird on my place....Guess I'll have to get NWTF to plant some....or....buy the land next to Doc..[8D]

RE: Toms are starting to Gobble !
 

That's great that you guys are hearing some birds over there. But like Slee said we don't wanna be hunting silent toms after the peak breeding. I was gonna head out today or tomorrow but decided to hold off till next weekend to listen for any gobbling. Last year I don't think they started gobbling around here until April. So I better not get my hopes up. I probably won't hunt this side of the state too hard. My dad, cousin, and I will probably head over to the east side near Hunters anyways. Always more fun with more birds to hunt for.

RE: Toms are starting to Gobble !
 

I don't know if I'm gonna be able to stand it much longer....then seeing that nice pic from doc , bout sent me through the roof.....:D Like everyone else my only fear is that opening day is going to be the lull of the season....

RE: Toms are starting to Gobble !
 

There gobblin here in Montana. Caught these hens and little tom in the driveway this morning as they approched the gobbler wasn't to happy. He charged me at 20 feet, hissed, fanned out and gobbled. They walked off into the woods with Tom mad as hell gobbling away.

RE: Toms are starting to Gobble !
 

Wayne the way you use your Backwoods Turkey Call im sure them toms will be running to you from 100 yards away!!!! Gobble Gobble Gobble!!!

RE: Toms are starting to Gobble !
 

I heard my first gobble on this side of the mountains Friday morning. Only one tom but better than nothing. I hope this rain fades away and they really got hot. Season is just 5 days away.

RE: Toms are starting to Gobble !
 

Now that the season is going on (since the 15th) is there still gobbling activity in the middle and eastern areas of WA and OR? I travel down for 2 weeks of chasing toms in OR starting next week and just curious about how the weather has affected the breeding cycle?

RE: Toms are starting to Gobble !
 

I was hunting in the Chewelah, Collville area from the 15th to the 17th and they seemed to me that they gobbled like crazy the 15th but slowed down dramaticly the next couple days probably due to hunting pressure and the cool down in the weather. I am no expert on turkeys though. I did manage to get my first one opening day though. It's better to be lucky than good.;)

RE: Toms are starting to Gobble !
 

Phish On, I'd say it is a mixed bag. The birds were gobbling on the roost and at fly-down, but then tightlipped after that. Most are with hens, but I think the hens are starting to sit on the nest. If this weather stabilizes, it should be good. Mid-morning should be better in the next week or two. If you can stay with a flock long enough for the hens to nest, he should come in on a rope. I wish I was heading back over this weekend, but I'm probably done for the season. Can't get another weekend off to drive to Colville, and the birds are too hard to chase around here for just a half-day hunt(which is all the wife would agree to if I stay around here).:(

RE: Toms are starting to Gobble !
 

I got mine at about 5:45 on Saturday, 9" ..in Idaho.

RE: Toms are starting to Gobble !
 

Thanks for the responses H2H and slee.

I've got a little time to check things out. I was hoping for some mid-morning action - maybe I will luck out afterall!

Best of luck to everyone with the remainder of the NW seasons - its been a long wait. ;)

RE: Toms are starting to Gobble !
 

They seem to be in the nesting phase, this past weekend the central WA birds I hunt were gobbling til about 9am, one gobbled that night on the roost and again in the morning. He was by himslef by 8:30, but as he came in silent I think I ran him off with a little too loud yelp from a box call...I seen him at about 70 yards and nothing would turn him around. By the looks of him he's seen a few jokers leaned up against a tree before....by far the largest Merriams I've seen in 8 years.

My Dad was hunting the westside and they too were gobbling all day til 1 or 2. Could only bring him into 100 yards and no farther.I think we'll be Eastern hunting this weekend:D gonna take a hen and a bubba Jake deke and put them in a breeding position....maybe that'll do it! Man with any luck Mother's day we'll be on a midnight run to the Tucannon;)...first things first though.

RE: Toms are starting to Gobble !
 

After 5 days of hunting I found one gobbler without hens. It was some hard huntin'. A lot of Spot and Stalk and Ambsuh tactics were used. I killed a Rio and a Merriam and my dad killed a Merriam. How is everyone else doing over there? Didn't see a lot of hunters but I could tell the birds were pressured. A lot of turkeys were pushed farther backed into the woods then previous years and a lot of a toms we knew were there weren't gobbling. Seems we seen a lot of lone hens as well. I definitely believe they are starting to wind down the breeding. I hope next year we have a normal winter and it goes back to the usual hunting. The toms I hunted only gobbled on the roost then when they were with hens you could barely get them to make a peep.