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Post by colts1888 on May 6, 2017 10:53:17 GMT -5
Well guys today was my 2nd ever turkey hunt and it was similar to the first. Had a gobbler sounding off as soon as i got in blind this morning. I worked him for an hour as it was obvious he was coming though the woods on the neighboring property but headed my direction. Finally about 730 or so he steps out into a grass field about 80 yards straight east of me. He was headed south away from me though so i did a couple soft yelps and he sounded off imediately but kept going south and never stopped. What am i doing wrong here? This is the 2nd time i have been able to get them into my general area but then they show no interest and just walk off. I had a hen decoy out but its possible he did not see it from where he entered the field. Had one do the same thing last weekend but that one should have seen the decoy. You might try adding a Jake decoy behind the hen. I've had a Tom ignore a single hen decoy but the next day went back with a Jake decoy and had him come running over when he saw that. And if he's entering the field from same spot I'd set up as close as possible to that area. Thanks. I had a jake and hen decoy out last week. Went with a single hen this time around but like i said im not sure he even seen it with where he entered the field. I'll try both again tomorrow morning. The bird this morning came out in a different field then the one last weekend. I'm set up just inside the woods in a corner with fields all around me. I cant hunt the fields as it's the neighbors property but do have a nice open area back there that joins it that i can shoot in if i am ever able to lure one in there. Seen a nice tom strutting in a field on the way home today as well.
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Post by Jamie Brooks 1John5:13 on May 6, 2017 11:12:20 GMT -5
Well guys today was my 2nd ever turkey hunt and it was similar to the first. Had a gobbler sounding off as soon as i got in blind this morning. I worked him for an hour as it was obvious he was coming though the woods on the neighboring property but headed my direction. Finally about 730 or so he steps out into a grass field about 80 yards straight east of me. He was headed south away from me though so i did a couple soft yelps and he sounded off imediately but kept going south and never stopped. What am i doing wrong here? This is the 2nd time i have been able to get them into my general area but then they show no interest and just walk off. I had a hen decoy out but its possible he did not see it from where he entered the field. Had one do the same thing last weekend but that one should have seen the decoy. I don't know how well you know me, but Jon Snow knows nothing, so take this lightly. For me, I had a bird coming in running towards my decoys. He never took his eyes off them as he was running. Suddenly he stopped. He could have been a jake. He was closer to the end of a long field, and it was my first season. Anyway, I had a big dominate tom decoy and a hen out. It is my belief from the way he acted that he did not want to challenge this big decoy. I put him in the closet and never took him out again. The running bird stopped in his tracks continued to stare at the decoys for a few seconds, and then went back to pecking around. Around this time, a hen directly behind me, started making a very aggressive box call noise. A noise that we are told not to make. It made me jump as I didn't know she was there. It was like making 25 very aggressive strokes on a box call. About 5 minutes later, she does it again, but about like 15 times on a box call, and ~20yds in the direction of the other bird. Somehow she knew he she was there. He had gone back into the woods too. About 5 minutes later, she is clucking. I truly believe that she and the other bird hooked up. Even after he was too afraid to come in to fight the big bird, he still was drawn in to the aggressive female. So the morale of the story "for me" was that when it looks like he's moving away, or when all else fails give an aggressive call or two. Maybe all the stars were lined up at that moment, and this will never happen again for anyone in the universe, but I saw and heard it that special time. I have also seen a fella draw in two toms that just wouldn't commit after a lengthy encounter between hunter and bird. It appeared the two toms were moving away, so he also gave some very aggressive calls, and they came in. This obviously not the first option, but when all else fails, why not try it?
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Post by Jamie Brooks 1John5:13 on May 6, 2017 11:46:59 GMT -5
On another hand, the jake my daughter got this season was not inclined to fight at all, even a skinny funky chicken. He just wanted to hang out with the group. Had we been aggressive with our calls, she probably would have missed an opportunity at this fella, and a memory of a lifetime.
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Post by lawrencecountyhunter on May 6, 2017 15:51:55 GMT -5
Finally had one come in gobbling.. he came pretty close and hung out for a couple hours gobbling. Never did come out where I could see him though, and eventually left.
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Post by freedomhunter on May 6, 2017 17:03:15 GMT -5
Slow this afternoon. Moved my blind to better area so morning hopefully be good.
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Post by Genesis 27:3 on May 6, 2017 22:27:30 GMT -5
The young man who hunts across the street from me shot his first turkey this evening around 5:30 cst. 20lbs, 5/8" spur's, and a double beard. 9" each
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Post by dbd870 on May 7, 2017 6:08:32 GMT -5
Talked early and shut up quickly; heard 1 fly down. They just aren't moving.
Heard a few more sporadically. Some close some not so. Doesn't seem like they have moved from where they were since light
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Post by lawrencecountyhunter on May 7, 2017 6:36:42 GMT -5
I'm hearing some distant gobbles and some hens. Nothing close yet.
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Post by dbd870 on May 7, 2017 6:56:47 GMT -5
Finally saw birds; Toms but by the time they were in range they were not clear.
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Post by M4Madness on May 7, 2017 7:45:06 GMT -5
I tried to get to bed early last night so I could make my second attempt of the year this morning, but my phone started blowing up with texts as soon as I got in the bed. My alarm went off this morning, and I just rolled over. Lol!
All hope is not lost, since you guys say 12-4 is awesome. I've never pursued them during that time frame.
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Post by Genesis 27:3 on May 7, 2017 7:48:42 GMT -5
I tried to get to bed early last night so I could make my second attempt of the year this morning, but my phone started blowing up with texts as soon as I got in the bed. My alarm went off this morning, and I just rolled over. Lol! All hope is not lost, since you guys say 12-4 is awesome. I've never pursued them during that time frame. I hope you find that time frame eventful! Good luck!
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Post by MuzzleLoader on May 7, 2017 7:50:48 GMT -5
2nd day of if I am ⬇️ The birds are over ➡️ But I set up over ⬅️ And now they are over ⬇️ Geez. Frustrating. Trying to get one with bil.
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Post by M4Madness on May 7, 2017 8:04:25 GMT -5
I hope you find that time frame eventful! Good luck! Thanks! The first year that all-day hunting was allowed, I went out about 5:30 PM and had two toms come running down a large field hill to my decoys and I shot one at 6:00 PM. I've tried a few times late like that after work years ago, but never between noon and 4:00 PM. Instead of setting up and calling, should I be just call different woodlots until I get a gobble response then set up? During morning hunts, I just listen quietly for gobbles then scurry closer. Do they gobble on their own during midway (so that I can pinpoint them), or will I need to induce them? I've killed many a tom, but always just after daylight.
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Post by colts1888 on May 7, 2017 8:20:41 GMT -5
No gobbles at all this morning...first hunt out of the 3 i have had where its been quiet. Did see 5 hens. Had to leave earlier today and on the way home drove past the property directly in front of where i hunt as i seen a tom in full strut there yesterday morning with a hen. He was there again this morning only he had 2 hens today.
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Post by squirrelgravy on May 7, 2017 9:43:15 GMT -5
Making a loop on HNF. Had to wade a swollen creek twice by taking off socks and boots. That water was cold! Haven't heard a gobble, but called in another hunter.
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Post by freedomhunter on May 7, 2017 10:12:57 GMT -5
Ended up hearing a gobbler right after stepped out of jeep. Girlfriend got to hear her first gobbles really close. We got in blind after busting a bird unfortunately. Still had one gobbling I went after him but gone. So not bad morning but they are wrapping up gobbling I think. This spot has no pressure so they usually gobble well. Girlfriend found bunch of feathers looked like a hen got killed on nest so the predators are out. I may go kill that bird in the morning he wants it.
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Post by Jamie Brooks 1John5:13 on May 7, 2017 10:19:55 GMT -5
You fellas have me excited about turkeys, so I'm going out this afternoon. For my area, and this is all I can speak to, I've never seen them on camera in the early morning. My spot must be the afternoon spot. Sarah shot her bird at 4pm. I'll probably go cut the food plot and grass, then wait on a bird.
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Post by butlerj on May 7, 2017 13:43:35 GMT -5
Heard two gobbling all morning got with in 30 yds of one, couldn't see, they were hiding down in the bottom of a ravines. Anyways got with in 30 yds of and called from fixed location a couple times... and he shut up. Hung up....
I think they need to confirm your calling is on the move. To think your another bird
Don't just sit and try to coax but eventully set down your decoy and back away from the gobbling and then do a call further back, it may just bring him in to your decoy and set. In the big woods...
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Post by Genesis 27:3 on May 7, 2017 13:43:56 GMT -5
I hope you find that time frame eventful! Good luck! Thanks! The first year that all-day hunting was allowed, I went out about 5:30 PM and had two toms come running down a large field hill to my decoys and I shot one at 6:00 PM. I've tried a few times late like that after work years ago, but never between noon and 4:00 PM. Instead of setting up and calling, should I be just call different woodlots until I get a gobble response then set up? During morning hunts, I just listen quietly for gobbles then scurry closer. Do they gobble on their own during midway (so that I can pinpoint them), or will I need to induce them? I've killed many a tom, but always just after daylight. I've experienced both but, mostly have to call to them to pin point. Sometimes I use my crow call in the woods to get a shock gobble.
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Post by firstwd on May 7, 2017 14:17:43 GMT -5
I've been trying to wrap up the wall and trim work on this bathroom so I didn't go today thinking hitting the woods on just the last day didn't feel right. I guess I was completely wrong since there is another week.
I guess I need to get at least a little bit serious about getting to the woods.
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