Why?

[jnkself]

Do most of you think the early spring (JAN) before the week of sub freezing weather messed up this season or just the immediate weather n the weekends?

I think the warm January messed up the birds internal clock as far as it's related to our legal season, but I do think they will recover from it for a great fall and next spring.:rolleyes:

[RutNBuck]

i believe its caused by the fact that we as nation decided to move the clocks forward 2 weeks early to allow for more daylight ... them turkeys took advantage of it too...

Honestly:::
it all depends on where you hunted even within the same county i had fellas telling me that they had birds firing away and coming to calls while i and others saw the opposite..it was for sure an out of norm season...and that hard freeze/frost we had sure slowed up the greenery here

[The Beagler]

I heard from a biologist, through the grapevine, that the freeze we had on youth weekend froze the already laid eggs and busted them. As a result, the birds started breeding again which put our season off from where we normally see it. I don't know but something was definitely peculiar about this season. I never seen this bad.

Are there any biologists on the forum to substantiante this theory???

[glshubert]

I have never been skunked!

NEVER!

got it this year. they just wouldn't act right.

Next year I will hunt my season. not what is on paper buy some stuffed shirt. The morons never get it just right. Guess that is why they are in an office somewhere not out in the field.

[turk2di]

I have never been skunked!

NEVER!

got it this year. they just wouldn't act right.

Next year I will hunt my season. not what is on paper buy some stuffed shirt. The morons never get it just right. Guess that is why they are in an office somewhere not out in the field.

Ouch! Tho im not a biologist, count me among the "Morons"! If thats what a biologist said, then far be it from me to doubt them. Frankly, i agree with them.

[Gobblergetter2.1]

I was lucky enough to be able to watch the turkeys at least every afternoon from february until i tagged out, and there definatley a big change in the way the turkeys acted after the cold snap. The week before youth weekend, i watched turkeys all day long in my foodplots and the woods surrounding them. It looked like it was going to be another normal season where birds gobbled their heads off on the roost, flew down with hens and shut up, then around 9 came to the foodplots and strutted and gobbled. This was the case all the way up until the cold snap. It was nothing for me to see at least 7-8 gobblers every trip. The day before the cold hit, i saw 2 gobblers strutting in a field with 12 hens. Around noon, i watched 3 gobblers strut in a different field for a couple of hours. I came back at 0430 and saw 1 gobbler strutting with 5 hens. The next day when it was 30 degrees, i didnt see a single gobbler in the foodplot all day. It was like this for a while. The turkeys just didnt act right. I know the cold snap affected the turkeys feeding patterns around my area. And they didnt gobble as much either.

[The Beagler]

I was seeing alot of birds strutting with hens in March and early April. I didn't get out to hear any gobbling but my buddies and relatives were hearing a lot. After the cold snap everything went to hell in a hand basket.

Only two buddies and myself had any luck this year. Usually there are a lot more of us that kill multiple birds. I might go after them tomorrow, but I'm not much on the waiting game. I reserve that for deer hunting.

Alot of guys around western Ky went out of state. Kansas's season was very productive. I'm headed to Nebraska next year. Good luck to all that are hunting sunday.

[Tom Threetoes]

A good friend and turkey hunting mentor, who's been hunting turkeys since the '70s, told me the same thing about frozen turkey eggs. He thinks it threw the breeding cycle out of whack. All I know is the birds are sure acting strange. My wife and myself have hunted hard this season, here and Kentucky, and have one jake to show for it. We're trying to enjoy being outdoors and hoping maybe a gobbler or two will blunder by. Good luck tomorrow,
Tom

[turk2di]

A good friend and turkey hunting mentor, who's been hunting turkeys since the '70s, told me the same thing about frozen turkey eggs. He thinks it threw the breeding cycle out of whack. All I know is the birds are sure acting strange. My wife and myself have hunted hard this season, here and Kentucky, and have one jake to show for it. We're trying to enjoy being outdoors and hoping maybe a gobbler or two will blunder by. Good luck tomorrow,
Tom

Best of luck Dave. Tomorrows just another day to a turkey.

[big300mag]

I think it was a combination of things. The frozen eggs sounds like as good an explanation as anything else, but I also think there were fewer two year olds this year which would help explain the lack of gobbling. I also didn't see any toms out hunting that weren't henned up tighter than dicks hatband. It was definately a tough, weird year. I was fortunate enough to score on two birds, but coming into the third weekend, I was afraid I was going to be eating tag soup instead of turkey breast.:D Hopefully next year will be better for all of us!

[ril7572]

Next year I will hunt my season. not what is on paper buy some stuffed shirt. The morons never get it just right. Guess that is why they are in an office somewhere not out in the field.

What a stupid post.

Your not a good enough turkey hunter to kill a bird this year, so you decide to start poaching next year:confused: We need more sportsmen like you.:(

BTW Over 21,000 turkeys were killed legally, sorry you weren't up to the task.

[bigpuddin43]

This by far has been a strange year!! i thought it was gonna be a great one by the way everything was goin then THE COLD SNAP and the gobblers shut up!! they werent even gobbling on the roost the first week here!! but i ended up with my limit and actually called in my first bird ever!!! Ive had them come to decoys but never trusted my call so i would set up where they were strutting at and wait for them like deer but a called in my first one ever the second week and he was gobbling his head off!!! It was definatly strange they went from no gobbling at all to gobbling hard then back to no gobbling the gobbling hard!! there was no telling it was changing day to day!! I dont know about the frozen egg thing but the ones i saw that were off nesting before the cold snap never left their nesting areas i dont think they were ever bred again!! I know one for a fact is still with the same nest not 150 yards from my house!! i hope those nests didnt freeze or she is wasting her time!!

[glshubert]

wil7572,

It isn't a stupid post...actually a pretty good one.

You are too dumb to see the shaft we et every year from the powers that be. In the 8-10 years that I have hunted woods chickens they have get close 1 or 2 times.

As for the not good enuff comment I have probably killed more longbeards than you have ever seen. Bet you live in a condo.

As or the poaching comment. GOD put them here to eat and the way I see it HE trumps anyone sitting behind a desk making calls like have been made in the last several years. Furthermore what happens on my farm stays on my farm. If you don't agree....don't look...

I am smart enough to know {contrary to the masses} when we have been taking the shaft on these seasons.

Even furthermore if I were u I would be a little more careful how I talk to people I don't know. That shows how slow you really are. Heck I might just be your neighbor. :eek: and little missy you might not like talking to me face to face.

[glshubert]

by the way I saw a nest this morning with 2 eggs in it. Wonder if something ate the rest or if she is still laying...was kinda strange.

Maybe they were some other kind of eggs .......?

ril7572
what do turkey eggs / nests look like????




:cool::cool::p:eek::eek:

[Tha' Hat]

It was the strangest, toughest season I've ever seen. It also had the strangest, most dramatic weather changes I've ever seen. I'd say there's a good correlation between the two. And I don't think the KDFWR had any thing to do with planning the weather when they set our seasons.

Though it was tough, I abide by the laws and managed to kill both my birds legally in the time frame I was given.

[Southpaw]

It was a strange beginning .But starting the 1st Tuesday I called 4 different longbeards to the gun by Thurs. We harvested all 4 and they were 10-11 inch beard birds with the smallest having 1 inch spurs. Turkeys are turkeys and if your a turkey hunter you have to adapt.All these birds were killed in a 3 county area and all acted like they were suppose to. Weird weather seems to affect all of gods creatures so instead of whining we just have to keep plugging along.After all they are just big chickens with brains the size of a pea.

[ril7572]

It isn't a stupid post...actually a pretty good one.



Wrong

You are too dumb to see the shaft we et every year from the powers that be. In the 8-10 years that I have hunted woods chickens they have get close 1 or 2 times.

I killed my first bird in 1988

As for the not good enuff comment I have probably killed more longbeards than you have ever seen. Bet you live in a condo.


I have killed 82 turkeys in 8 states. I killed 5 longbeards in Ky. and Tennessee, including 1 with a bow this year. How many have you killed???????? I have guided hunters on more kills than I have made myself.

As or the poaching comment. GOD put them here to eat and the way I see it HE trumps anyone sitting behind a desk making calls like have been made in the last several years. Furthermore what happens on my farm stays on my farm. If you don't agree....don't look...


Wrong again. God does not set the hunting season, KDFW does. If you hunt at any other time, you are a POACHER...

Even furthermore if I were u I would be a little more careful how I talk to people I don't know. That shows how slow you really are. Heck I might just be your neighbor. :eek: and little missy you might not like talking to me face to face.

I usually don't enjoy talking to poachers.

[AteUp]

wil7572,

It isn't a stupid post...actually a pretty good one.

You are too dumb to see the shaft we et every year from the powers that be. In the 8-10 years that I have hunted woods chickens they have get close 1 or 2 times.

As for the not good enuff comment I have probably killed more longbeards than you have ever seen. Bet you live in a condo.

As or the poaching comment. GOD put them here to eat and the way I see it HE trumps anyone sitting behind a desk making calls like have been made in the last several years. Furthermore what happens on my farm stays on my farm. If you don't agree....don't look...

I am smart enough to know {contrary to the masses} when we have been taking the shaft on these seasons.

Even furthermore if I were u I would be a little more careful how I talk to people I don't know. That shows how slow you really are. Heck I might just be your neighbor. :eek: and little missy you might not like talking to me face to face.

Glshubert, this forum will not tolerate a membership made up of poachers. If you truly will not follow the seasons set out for us by the Dept of Fish and game, then you are not welcome here.

[jnkself]

Absolutle Awesome post!:D

[The Beagler]

I think we have to deal with the season we are given by the KDFWR. The weather was to blame--bottome line.

A good hunter learns to adapt. We are all in this together. A hunter that gives us all bad names does more damage than the anit-hunters, anti-gunners, and PETA ever could.

Post Script: Poaching and over hunting is how we almost wiped the damn birds off the face of the earth in the early 1900s.

[glshubert]

mr mod..If you want to kick me off then be a kickin...I personally don't care. There are other email addresses and ways in the back door. Do you make a habit of threatening people with banishment here just because of different views?

?

I am a leader not a lamb to slaughter...I don't follow what everyone else thinks is right. That is mostly what is wrong with our country today. I choose to lead my life as I see fit. Sometimes I have to pay the piper. I am aware of that. That is the price I pay to do as I want. I am aware and accept that.

Do what you need to do. But remember what country you are in and freedom of speech still rules if it doesn't hurt someone else...(have I hurt someone?} Didn't think so...

[AteUp]

You flaunt your nose at the department and their rules and regs. Did you ever stop to think that the department might read what is posted here? I'm not sure what your motivation is in repeatedly stating that you don't believe in following their rules? We are a hunting site that brings outdoorsmen from across the state together to share opinions, experiences and stories. I doubt many here want to share with an admitted and knowing game violator.

[turk2di]

mr mod..If you want to kick me off then be a kickin...I personally don't care. There are other email addresses and ways in the back door. Do you make a habit of threatening people with banishment here just because of different views?

?

I am a leader not a lamb to slaughter...I don't follow what everyone else thinks is right. That is mostly what is wrong with our country today. I choose to lead my life as I see fit. Sometimes I have to pay the piper. I am aware of that. That is the price I pay to do as I want. I am aware and accept that.

Do what you need to do. But remember what country you are in and freedom of speech still rules if it doesn't hurt someone else...(have I hurt someone?} Didn't think so...

Giving an opinion is one thing, that won't get u kicked off any board. Its when u get threatening that u run into a problem. Statements such as "Even furthermore if I were u I would be a little more careful how I talk to people I don't know. That shows how slow you really are. Heck I might just be your neighbor. and little missy you might not like talking to me face to face"
Is what is generally enuf to get kicked off.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Snareman2]

Talking big on a computer is one thing! I bet if you get checked my a CO with an illegal turkey, your not going to be talking so big. Rules are made by the ones elected to represent the people, if you are not going to follow the rules in society, then be prepared to pay for it.

[quackrstackr]

Wish granted.

[Gobblergetter2.1]

There arent that many things that piss me off... but poachers certainly are one of them! If you think about it, a poacher isnt much different than a drunk driver: they are violating the law, they could injure or kill someone, and they usually dont take other people into consideration, and only think about themselves. How hard is it to follow some simple guidlines? Football players do it, basketball players do it. Hell, you even do it when you follow the speed limit. If i have to follow the rules, so should you. If the other millions of hunters across the country can follow some rules, im sure anyone has the ability to. The excuse that some people have that "they need the meat" really is a bunch of crap in most cases. When you figure the cost of a gun, cost of shells, tags, camo, and everything else that goe's into killing one turkey "which doesnt give you a whole lot of meat; it would be a whole lot cheaper to eat at mcdonalds for a month. Maybe it isnt as healthy, but food is food. I can understand people poaching when the economy was down during the great depression or a little after then, but not now. It is simply wrong. :mad:

[The Beagler]

That's just it. Poachers do not think like you and me. They're disrespectful a$$holes that give all lawbiding sportsman a bad name.

I love to turkey hunt, but I've never needed one bad enough that I had to poach a bird out of season. But then again, I'm a TRUE SPORTSMAN and cherish my right to hunt and wouldn't risk the chance of losing it by breaking the law.

[cliner]

As for the post about screwing us on season dates, am I wrong or has season always started with the 2nd weekend in April, and ending the first in May?? I may be mistaken...

[Multidigits]

Weather played a small part in the decline in harvest. The main problem was lack of 2 year old birds in the flock. And lots of hens. There are poults on the ground now, which says that all the early eggs did not freeze out. And there's still some hens sitting, so the breeding season was not a one or two day deal. Some hens may have rehatched?

All in all, it was a challenging season. I felt more than greatful to harvest a nice triple bearded 3-4 year old bird. Also greatful to have been in position to pass on a bunch of jakes. The years to come will be better, and hunters will still not be guaranteed a harvest by the KYDFWR. It's called hunting for a reason.

[jnkself]

It's called hunting for a reason.

Exactly!:D