Social Distancing, who told the turkeys to stay away?

[jmr40]

Well at least I did my part. My wife gave me permission to leave the house today to turkey hunt, (it's opening day here) since I wouldn't be around any others. Sure enough, I hunt a nearby public area and there are normally several hunters parked in the predictable spots on opening day. Not today. I only saw 2 other vehicles, none anywhere near me.

I had a long conversation with Tom this morning, but couldn't seduce him close enough for a shot. I keep trying to get my wife to learn how to call. I've always thought a woman could do a better job of coaxing a Tom into range than I ever could. It worked for her on me.

At any rate it was a great morning. I enjoyed the conversation with Tom even if he didn't cooperate. Keep your heads up boys, it's going to be a rocky road for a while, but life is still good. Find a way to enjoy it.

 

[buck460XVR]

Lucky you. I have another three weeks to wait till opening day. I've found over the years, that those seasons when the first Tom that answers, flies down and walks within gun range in front of me, the amount of knowledge I acquire and the memories made are very few and far between. It's those years where I duel with multiple toms during my season and may even have screwed up a setup or two, are the ones I remember best.

Good luck with the rest of your season.

 

[Duster340]

I've gotta wait until first week of May. But I'll keep busy fiddling with my gear and living vicariously through you fellas that get out before me.

Be safe, aim small and be well folks

 

[jmr40]

I've gotta wait until first week of May.

Season ends here May 15. In the past I've had more birds come to me nearer the end of the season after most of the hens are nesting. Right now most of them, especially older birds are with hens and are less likely to leave them looking for something else.

 

[troy fairweather]

Think are season opens may first, hope to get a bird two if I am lucky. I do wonder how many will come out for opening day trout April 1st.

 

[buck460XVR]

Problem we have here early in the season, is depending on the weather, the flocks may not have busted up from their winter flock/behaviors. Flocks of 50 60 birds are in one field where there is manure being spread or there is unpicked corn. Till fresh greens start growing, hens don't really start laying heavy. Those early days when there ain't enough eggs to sit on yet and the nighttime temps get below freezing, the hens don;t even go to their nests, they just drop their eggs randomly and thus stay with the toms and other hens. During these times the toms themselves, while aggressive, are not really intimidated by other toms and stay with the flock consisting of hens, jakes and toms. What you have is 40 -50 birds in one spot and very few birds anywhere else. Can be an area as small as one 120 acre farm. If you hunting area is not that spot, you're screwed. Later on in the season, hens spread out to nest, food supplies(like greens and bugs) are found everywhere. The hens spreading out make so toms are more used to hearing hens in the distance and are themselves more likely to spread out and go farther and farther to find their own individual strut areas. Traveling toms are some of the easiest to call. Later in the season, while there are fewer toms(from hunters) and those left have been educated, nesting hens no longer go to them once a day. This is why the later seasons here, if you can get a Tom to answer you, at some point, odds are he will come.

 

[Chevelle SS]

No shortage of turkeys here in SE Michigan. Just had about 30 in my backyard an hour ago.

 

[22250Rem]

Turkeys have been pretty scarce around me the last few years. Been wondering if the expanding fox population is the reason. Last couple years I hunted out of a year round blind on a friends property. Walking in before dawn I have driven turkeys off the roost in trees in the woods right behind his house. Then they vacate the area not to be seen or heard from again that day. This year the plan is to ask the owner of the neighboring land if I could cut across part of his land to get to the blind without scaring any turkeys. Gonna see how that works out come May.

 

[1942bull]

"Social Distancing, who told the turkeys to stay away?"

The turkeys are confused. They think the social distancing orders are because of Bird Flu.

 

[Patocazador]

I've got a place with plenty of turkeys but I got spoiled turkey hunting by getting one the first time I ever went out for them. I thought that, "this is too easy" so I just don't have the fire to fight the ticks and mosquitoes for a turkey.

Here are a few from my game camera. These are also posted in another thread.

 

[Aim1]

We start in 2 weeks but have seen quite a few on cam.

 

[redneck2]

I’m sitting in my kitchen drinking coffee. Watched a HUGE gobbler in the field behind my house just after sunrise. They roost in a fence row about 150 yards away from my back deck. He’s 25# if he is an ounce. My friend that lives a couple miles away has taken at least two off his property that were over 30#

My next door neighbor is an avid hunter and lives for Turkey season, and has permission to hunt that property. Thing is, he thinks getting set up in the dark and waiting for them to fly down is cheating. He would rather hear them gobble, then stalk them over a large area.

Me? I’d shoot them from my kitchen if I could. I could shoot him from my back property line, but there a ditch with a lot of trees and there’s no way he’s going to come over here. He would still be on the other property

Our season opens the last Wednesday of this month

 

[22250Rem]

Finally starting to see turkeys. Out for a social distancing walk in the woods yesterday I pushed a flock out of a brushy section as I walked by. About an hour before sundown what was probably the same flock flock came out of the woods next to me and were strolling around in the open. There were also 2 Canada geese and a very scarce woodchuck (for this area) right out there. Grabbed the Canon Rebel which luckily already had the telephoto lens on it and got 'em about 120 yards behind me. Sure is nice to see turkeys around. I was wondering what happened to them. They weren't practicing social distancing with the 'chuck and the geese because they were all less than six ft. apart at times. Was hoping the chuck would face the camera for a better shot but he went underground a few seconds after this was taken. May 1st is the opener around here.... .