Toughest Turkey Season in Memory

[NKYBOWHUNTER]

Well guys, yesterday morning I went out for what was probably my last chance of the year. I have gone ahead and chalk up my poor results to the poor weather (COLD). I have only had the oppurtunity to hunt until about 10am each of the 5 mornings I have been able to hunt. All have been sunny days, just cold. And I can't remember the last time I have seen the Tom's so henned up. Also, I can count on both hands the number of gobbles I have heard this year.

Now I know the property I hunt is quality land with excellent turkey population (maybe to many hens) so, I guess I'll chalk this up as a learning experience and if I get one more chance to hunt I'm going to make it mid-day or evening. Been reading and sounds like thats where alot of people are having their success.

Travis

[ril7572]

I think most areas had a real shortage of 2 year old birds. Due to the poor hatch of 2003. The 2 year olds do alot of gobbling and make for some good hunts. Hang in there, it looks like a great hatch in 2004, there will be alot of gobbling birds, ready to commit sucide next year:D

[lab]

I have called in/or seen several jakes this year which makes next year look very promising for the two year old population. Hang in there, and the main thing is, do not get down and out.

[Feedman]

I agree it has been tough. i missed a bird yesterday that slipped in silent behind me while I had a bird out in front of me gobblin and working in.
My brother and brother-in-law have both killed older birds and I called in a nice 3 year old for one of my customer's last week.

I am taking a 14 year old young man out this afternoon to try and get him a turkey.

I have had a lot of fun but it has been tough hunting.

[Hardcase]

This has been the worst year I've had too. I'm going to try another area tomorrow. It will be my last chance!

[Turtleky]

Been a bad year for me also, the first weekend was good but after that there just hasn't been much gobbling. Oh well, maybe it will be better next year.

[Grant]

For the ones with tags still to fill, the late season birds can be had right now. Had a TON of action over the weekend, just had a hard time getting my young hunter to pull the trigger on one. Probably the best weekend of hunting I have witnessed as far as having birds willing to respond.

[johnboy]

I'd have to say the worst year for us as well..
we only got to hunt 4 days out of this season (opening day-weekend) and yesterday
didnt go last weekend due to the weather.. and it was 20+mph winds yesterday on the ridge.. we dropped to the valleys.. but nothing.. saw 1 hen all day.. so that's it for us for this season.. hopefully next year will be better and WARMER...
on the bright side we did see a ton of deer :)

[Strutter]

Worst year I have ever had. Heard 3 gobbles in the past 4 days and they were a long way off. My son got his first on the second day of the season and my youngest missed his shot the second weekend. Since then, nothing. Have hunted nearly all day the past 3 days and saw one lone hen late in the day. Saw 3 jakes all season. Didn't have a single bird come in gobbling. Just looked up and there they were. Not real exciting. Been like that for just about everyone I know around here that hunts. Must be this area though cause I've been hearing that a record harvest is predicted.

[turk2di]

For the ones with tags still to fill, the late season birds can be had right now. Had a TON of action over the weekend, just had a hard time getting my young hunter to pull the trigger on one. Probably the best weekend of hunting I have witnessed as far as having birds willing to respond.
Must be nice. Guess there ain't many Tom's in my neck of the woods cause they don't seem very eager to me. Heard two this am, both were about 1/2 mile away. Guess it varys from area to area;)

[nutcase]

late season action? if it wasn't for gobbling on the roost, Id have to watch a hunting video just to remember what they are supose to sound like.

[kycurhunter]

personally even though i have killed one and called 2 in to what should have been kill situations i have had a rough season. have been hearing a little gobbling on roost but then notta. have hunted a few days ALL day. you guys say the will come off then hens and gobble...RIGHT.

[HappyHunter]

The late spring put everything behind. I think alot of hens are still going to the gobblers and keeping them quiet. I did find a lonely one on Sunday morning. 19lbs, 1 1/8th spurs, 10 1/4 beard.

Also, I know in my area there are few 2 year olds. Those older birds just don't gobble as much and are harder to call in.

Been a tough season for me as well.

[chadwimc]

Whew!

I guess everybody needs an excuse... This is the best time for turkey hunting in my life time! When I was a kid, we never even had a turkey season. The only people who ever hunted wild turkeys also fought on one side or the other in the civil war! I feel the same for deer. Not every hunter is going to see a 12 point record book buck. I can remember when seeing a doe was special...:)

[Grant]

Must be nice. Guess there ain't many Tom's in my neck of the woods cause they don't seem very eager to me. Heard two this am, both were about 1/2 mile away. Guess it varys from area to area;)
I talked to a couple others that had alot of action this weekend as well. Still seeing hens with toms, but not near as many as opening weekend.

I do know that we had one of the best opening weekends we have ever had in this part of the country...at least from the hunters I talked to. Birds gobbled good on the roost, and decent on the ground. I don't know if guys were willing to stick with the birds longer this year or what, but something worked for them. I killed both my birds after 10, put a couple hunters on birds mid afternoon hours, and had a boy miss one yesterday afternoon at 5.

[Chimpy]

I think there're plenty of birds, they're just getting smarter. I've read many posts about multiple numbers of misses, which naturally educates those birds (if they don't run off and die because they were actually hit). Also, coyotes are killing many birds, so they don't like to give their location away as easily by gobbling. I've had many days this season in 3 states where there was almost zero gobbling, only to see double digit numbers of toms strutting in fields. Personally, especially in the last few years, I've found the best way to kill a bird is to stick a decoy in the ground and shut up. Eventually, a tom will see the decoy and come in. However, I've found that when I do this as well as call, the tom will come close but then hang up. So the answer, to me, seems obvious --- don't call. I think they're used to everybody's calls. Of course there are still a few boner-boy toms out there that can't resist, and jakes are always vulnerable if you want to waste a tag. It's just not as exciting to sit and wait until a tom shows up --- but it works.

[jdixon]

Dittos on the tough season. Somebody knew where to go and what to do - just not me! Checked the KDF&W websight, the state is running about 22,300 birds checked in so far this season. This is a little less than 4,000 less than last year's end of season count. I don't believe another 4,000 birds will be put in the freezer by Friday evening. Safe bet will be around 24,500 birds taken this season, less than last year but not that much less.

[turk2di]

"and jakes are always vulnerable if you want to waste a tag. It's just not as exciting to sit and wait until a tom shows up --- but it works." Quote Chimpy
Im fixin to waste a tag as the last day draws near;)

[Lamberneese]

. Of course there are still a few boner-boy toms out there that can't resist, and jakes are always vulnerable if you want to waste a tag.

Not to start an argument, but I think that is part of the problem. I personally feel as though any legal bird is a trophy. I can't see it as wasting a tag, but if we can't get record birds or bucks every time out till our tags are filled it has been a bad season. For me and the boys that I know, it has been one of the best seasons to date. My first bird just had a measly 6" beard and the second was just a 9 3/4 but in the end, my freezer is full of turkey and I had one hell of a season.
Again, no offense to anyone, but I wonder if our "bad" seasons sometimes aren't because we inflict it on ourselves with somewhat unreasonable expectations.

[turk2di]

Not to start an argument, but I think that is part of the problem. I personally feel as though any legal bird is a trophy. I can't see it as wasting a tag, but if we can't get record birds or bucks every time out till our tags are filled it has been a bad season. For me and the boys that I know, it has been one of the best seasons to date. My first bird just had a measly 6" beard and the second was just a 9 3/4 but in the end, my freezer is full of turkey and I had one hell of a season.
Again, no offense to anyone, but I wonder if our "bad" seasons sometimes aren't because we inflict it on ourselves with somewhat unreasonable expectations.
Here...here;) Im sure he meant nuttin by it, but it sure read that way. Just puttin the bead on a turkey head and shootin is plain awesome. While i won't shoot a jasper on day one, i sure as hell will bust one on the last day;)

[Chimpy]

Wrong words to use, I guess. You're right, I didn't mean anything by my " waste a tag on a jake" comment. I've just had so many jakes within range when I knew there were a bunch of toms around; all I meant was I'd rather wait. My bad.

[turk2di]

Wrong words to use, I guess. You're right, I didn't mean anything by my " waste a tag on a jake" comment. I've just had so many jakes within range when I knew there were a bunch of toms around; all I meant was I'd rather wait. My bad.
No prob;) Best of luck!