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Post by jman46151 on May 1, 2018 14:25:21 GMT -5
For two seasons around my area non of the hens hatched any eggs. The flock has been cut by 70% the last few years. I've taken a lot of raccoons out the past two seasons and hope that some of the remaining 12-15 hens are successful. I hope in a month or so I see some young Jake's and Jennies following their mother hen. I have one hen and tom that I see occasionally hanging around my house for a couple of years. Last summer the hen went from 4 poults to 2 in a month. This spring they have been the only two birds that I've seen. I've taken out quite a few raccoons and it seems like we have an endless supply of opossums. No matter how many I get two weeks later I see another.
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Post by Woody Williams on May 1, 2018 15:13:18 GMT -5
So I'm sitting in the woods on a hillside watching some hens feed in the field below me when suddenly I hear two gobbles in the other woods I hunt just on the other side of the field. Both hens immediately start yelping and one of them even flies to the gobbler. How am I supposed to compete with that haha Start yelping louder than they do and flying faster. Lol This... Challenge the boss hen..
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Post by schall53 on May 1, 2018 15:37:46 GMT -5
They are acting funny I think due to the late green-up. I put down some leather this morning just trying to find a turkey in the only area I have seen a bird. No gobbles, no turkeys, anywhere. I've also been driving from Indy to Illinois the last week and haven't seen a turkey in a field. I think numbers are down, maybe due to the severe cold we had. Worst hunting I have seen the first week of season. This past weekend I drove home from Port Clinton Ohio on the tollroad and never saw a turkey where as I normally see numerous turkeys. Today there was not one sound or sighting in my neighborhood. I think schall53 is to blame featherduster, that wasn't even nice, I snorted coffee all over my keyboard when I read that.
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Post by drfleck on May 1, 2018 15:40:07 GMT -5
Start yelping louder than they do and flying faster. Lol This... Challenge the boss hen.. So would I do this by cutting or yelping or both. I'm sure they were purring and clucking while they were feeding I just couldn't hear them. I really like the slate call for cuts and yelps but I'm comfortable with the mouth call as well and use that for purrs and clucks. I'm going back to that exact spot tomorrow at dark thirty and hopefully they show up. Is it ever a good idea to not call at all and just use dekes?
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Post by jimstc on May 2, 2018 5:59:33 GMT -5
Sun just came up here in SW KY. Beautiful morning. Crows are loud. That is it so far
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Post by HighCotton on May 2, 2018 6:29:25 GMT -5
Everything is dead in the turkey woods this morning, except a turkey! It’s just way too quiet! Hmmm, maybe schall53 has been here!
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Post by antiwheeze on May 2, 2018 7:13:20 GMT -5
3 year old bird lived about 60 seconds after flying down this morning. Too remote for pics.
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Post by dbd870 on May 2, 2018 7:17:32 GMT -5
Way to go!
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Post by jimstc on May 2, 2018 8:00:03 GMT -5
Saw four hens and a tom. Hens were grouped up. The tom was off by himself and showed no interest in the hens. Both were 150 yards away. They moved back to the woods.
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Post by tomthreetoes on May 2, 2018 8:31:32 GMT -5
Went out this morning trying to locate a bird for my son and didn't hear a peep. It's the first morning since opening day that I haven't heard a gobble. It was cloudy and a little warmer than it has been. I wonder if that was a the difference maker?
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Post by schall53 on May 2, 2018 8:46:44 GMT -5
Everything is dead in the turkey woods this morning, except a turkey! It’s just way too quiet! Hmmm, maybe schall53 has been here! Lol, Not unless you are hunting in St. Joseph co.
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Post by genesis273 on May 2, 2018 8:50:29 GMT -5
Hadn't been out the past 2 mornings. The couple birds are hened up and not responsive to calls or decoys. The farmers on both my properties are planting today so I'll get back after them tomorrow.
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Post by antiwheeze on May 2, 2018 9:17:50 GMT -5
Today's lesson relearned: If you bump one off the roost walking in, quietly take a seat and wait till daylight. There is a reasonable chance of others roosting nearby. It's a good when you can see it's beard on the roost.
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Post by hunthard4 on May 2, 2018 11:29:05 GMT -5
I got it done this morning! Switch was flipped yesterday on my grandpas place. Saw two gobblers pestering a hen last evening 3 huntdred yards away. Instead of trying to make a move then I figured I would wait till morning. Got in late but still early enough. The two I could hear were where I thought they roosted. I called to them but they had a hen with them at flydown. I let out some yelps sparingly and all the sudden a gobble let loose close behind me. Peeked around the tree to see him strutting staring my way. Called once more and then waited. I could hear his footsteps but couldn't see him coming untill he stepped out 5 paces from me and never saw me. He worked into the field and only made it 15 yards. 870 barked and my season was over! Breasted him out and made it to work a half hour early. Great morning in the turkey woods! Pics later in check in!
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Post by drfleck on May 2, 2018 13:08:38 GMT -5
Had a Tom working across a field towards me as he followed three hens. Already had half a dozen hens hanging around my blind. Have a Jake and hen decoy out. Im watching his red head sticking outta the grass like a periscope as he walks along...guns ready. Well he must've gotten a look at my dekes and hangs back...hens keep on going but he's frozen. After a couple of minutes I see movement in the woods and out pop three jakes charging into the field. Old Tom gave them a wide berth as he circled around and went back into the woods. Hunt over. Gobbler I shot last year came charging my Jake decoy...this Tom wanted nothing to do with it. Guess I'll be leaving the Jake deke at home. First time I've witnessed a group of Jakes run off a tom.
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Post by jimstc on May 2, 2018 14:04:08 GMT -5
Called it day. Going back in the morning. Pretty sure I have the roost located. I’ll see. Plan on getting there extra early. Thank goodness I am on Central time here. Makes the early mornings easy
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Post by genesis273 on May 2, 2018 18:57:51 GMT -5
I got it done this morning! Switch was flipped yesterday on my grandpas place. Saw two gobblers pestering a hen last evening 3 huntdred yards away. Instead of trying to make a move then I figured I would wait till morning. Got in late but still early enough. The two I could hear were where I thought they roosted. I called to them but they had a hen with them at flydown. I let out some yelps sparingly and all the sudden a gobble let loose close behind me. Peeked around the tree to see him strutting staring my way. Called once more and then waited. I could hear his footsteps but couldn't see him coming untill he stepped out 5 paces from me and never saw me. He worked into the field and only made it 15 yards. 870 barked and my season was over! Breasted him out and made it to work a half hour early. Great morning in the turkey woods! Pics later in check in! Good job! Congratulations!
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Post by genesis273 on May 2, 2018 18:58:11 GMT -5
Called it day. Going back in the morning. Pretty sure I have the roost located. I’ll see. Plan on getting there extra early. Thank goodness I am on Central time here. Makes the early mornings easy Rooting for you down there Jim!
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Post by butlerj on May 2, 2018 19:40:15 GMT -5
I been seeing some here and there then the next day nothing. Today I seen two lone hens browsing a freshly planted field. Was about 9:30am.
Anyone hunting afternoon evenings? I've always hunted mornings. Hoping to get out this weekend. Work has me spread thin between shelbyville and bloomfield, very tempting though to get up extra early to stop at morgan monroe on my way to bfield.
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Post by butlerj on May 2, 2018 19:52:57 GMT -5
imgur.com/gallery/C1XmqvtI wish I knew how to just post a pic instead of a link. The top two were taken this am today. The bottom pic was taken at least a month ago if not february. The farmer put his cattle out in that field and the turkeys hadn't been back. I watched them distant further and further from that pasture days after till gone.
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