Let me define a couple parameters before I continue. I will be short posting some hunts with generalized statements, and the one you will see a lot is, "Turkey hunting sucked today". This short post includes all hunts that were either, weather impacted or some form of negative event (like no gobbling was heard or some butthead ruined a hunt). If I worked birds I will post a log, but it may be short and sweet.
So here Goes.
Kentucky 2022.
April 16,2022 Opener. Early birds only gobbled a few times and shut up none close and no set up. About 8:15 AM a gobbler opened up down the ridge, after we called. Next gobble was 1/2 the distance. So we rushed to set up. I inadvertently set up with a blow down mess 35 yards in front of me. Yup he came and strutted right behind it until a hen showed up and I watched them walk away. No shot.
At 10:15 a bird opened up across the valley and it was my buddies turn and I said, "go get him" a half hour later he came toting him back. One down.
April 18, 2022 - Hunting double sucked! Heavy rain and wind. We sat in the truck all morning. Around noon it quit and we ventured into the woods and Holy Cow, we struck a bird. After an hour we got him to break and he was coming and at 150 yards he stopped and beat it back up the hill. What the heck!. Walking out we were speculating how he busted us and then we saw it. Someone had parked at the gate right beside us and came in on the fire road. This is a big open bowl and the bird could easily see them walking the road. It's a very small area and suited best for one hunter or set of hunters. Oh well, it was public land and just part of it, move on. Both of us just agreed we'd not even go back to that spot as it was likely these locals were claiming there territory and it's not worth the hassle. We actually talked to someone who told us a couple locals were harassing out of state hunters. So we drove to another segment 40 miles away.
April 19, 2022 - Turkey hunting really sucked. We walked 1,000 miles made 10,000 calls and not one gobble. we even traveled 6 miles by boat. Finally at 4:00 Pm I had two long beards slip in silent and busted me at 50+ yards.
Yup that sucked more. The only comical part of the day was at one gate some one had set up a round of cut firewood and wrote on the end in marker, "F**K Turkeys. So I know it sucked for everyone.
April 20, 2022 - What the heck is that noise in the woods? I believe it's actually gobbling. Heard several birds and set up on three and each one had hens come to them and by 9:00 they shut up. We only heard an occasional gobble and no hot birds so came home at noon. Planning a return trip in a week.
Waiting for Ohio opener April 23, 2022
Opening day frustration. The old saying applies, one of those days. I heard probably 414 gobbles today and no one wanted to play dead turkey except a jake and he didn't meet minimum qualifications. Set up 4 times on gobblers and not one would respond well or budge an inch. I don't like to pressure them on the farm, so I just left them for another day. All morning I'd hear one random gobble here or there. So tomorrow will be a quick hitter then church and MOnday I will declare war
Today is the Lord's day. Sat on the porch and listened to a couple up on the ridge. They gobbled until fly down and shut up. Wife's cousin was up there on them, but no shots yet. Tomorrow we open a can of whoop arse
The turkeys took the can of whoop arse away from me and are kicking my arse. yesterday, was on an old bird that I had pegged. Was with 100 yards on the roost and he gobbled 300+ times until a hen showed up and then hopped down and took off for some morning delight with his girl. No more action.
This morning went to the far end of the farm and heard birds and set in good position on two and they wouldn't even answer. after an hour sitting and waiting on each I called it a day and went home with a wounded ego. Tomorrow morning I am going to try and get position on a bench they like, but if this same old game unfolds I'm headed home early again. No use educating them even more. So dang many hens.
On a side note: At least I am getting plenty of woods time, which I was afraid with one tag I wouldn't. So far this has been a brutal season. I will not use deer tactics to kill a gobbler, I want to call to birds and hear them answer, so if they ain't playing I'm moving on. Most of the birds I know have been killed have been using deer tactics. Blinds on fields, pattering and ambush.
I am predicting that your luck is going to change pretty darn soon, Dana! They can't keep eluding an old pro indefinitely! :icon_thumright:
This was a certified brain fart hunt. Knew the bench old Tom liked to set up on and got there early. decided I needed to push the envelope and move up the hill a bit. At Gobble time I owl hooted and the responding gobble about busted my ear drums. He was roosted 75 yards away and looking right down on me. He had seen me come in during gray light, but not sure what I was. I should of tried to video it. He'd study me and then gobble emphatically. This went on for 45 minutes and I was in a bad position after twisting around the tree. I knew if and when he flew off the roost it wouldn't be near me. Since I had never called I just moved so he could see me and fly off. That way I could move on to hunt another bird. I never heard any other birds, but walked up on a jake (pass). I had to get in early as I have a logging crew on my land today and tomorrow, cleaning up down trees from last winter's ice storm. So I helped log timber all day and I am beat. Not sure what I'll do tomorrow.
Well this is why turkey hunting is so addicting, it can be total frustration and then one morning one decides to be the biggest dumbarse in the world. This morning was misting rain and I decided it was time to play my ace and hunt the birds behind my house. I got to the bench and waited and bingo a bird gobbled below me, then one to the left and I knew the left bird would be the one to come. When I had decent light I soft called a couple tree calls and he cut me off. I waited and in about five minutes I heard wings beat and brush crunch below me. I gave a very soft whine and took my safety off and preaimed the gun. Bingo again, here came a black shape up over the bench lip. He stopped at 45 yards and blew up, then walked 10 more and started looking for his love connection. Instead he connected with a load of # 5s in the face. 21lb 6 oz, 1" spurs and 8" beardOhio season is filled, back to Ky and then SD in 12 days.
Congrats Dana!! It was only a matter of time for you!
Quote from: randy6471 on April 30, 2022, 09:15:58 AM
Congrats Dana!! It was only a matter of time for you!
Yup,...we all knew it was coming... :D
Congrats on a fun and successful hunt!
Thanks guys, I hear another GOATS member put one down today, too
congrats on a nice job
Today was a one day trip down into Kentucky. Hunting all private ground today and had high hopes. They soon got dashed as the birds had moved and we were grossly out of position when they opened up. By the time we got to them they were shutting up and we could only get one bird to work and he circled up into a field we did not have permission in. We packed it up at 11:00Am and drove home disappointed. Thinking of trying Wednesday and that will be most likely the last trip. Unnless something changes I never worked a single bird in KY.
Hang in there along as you are having fun. As you well know it can change in an instant. This is supposed to be a fun time of the year and sometimes we let our desire to kill a turkey overwhelm everything else. I know I do better when I just step back and enjoy the ride. The only person putting pressure on you is yourself. It's gonna be a long time till spring rolls around again.
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Happy really nailed some great points with his post. Just gotta try to relax and enjoy the moment, because the 2022 season will be over before you know it...and it's a long wait until the 2023 season.
SD coming up for you soon and maybe a change of scenery will be just ticket!
I'm in fishing mode now. Turkey season is all but done, I actually get into my fishing just as much. Here's this evenings catch:
I am going one lastr morning tomorrow in Ky and then done until May 15th in SD
Bring some of those babies to SD when you come! I see a fish fry on the horizon! :z-guntootsmiley: :happy0064:
Went back to Ky yesterday and found more of the same. My buddy and I split the farm. He heard 1 bird on his side that gobbled 4 times and shut up. I heard about three off property then moved to a new spot and soon as I got to my listening spot a utility crew moved in with heavy equipment at the head of the valley and you couldn't hear anything. We gave up at 10:00 and started cruising and talking to people looking for future permissions, but no go. So Kentucky 2022 is over and another year of disappointment. I am just about to give up on KY. as I have not killed a bird there in three years (one year was the covid lock out). It just went from a great place to a pit hole in a heartbeat. There are less birds, but wayyyyyy more idiots. I am not trying to start a new discussion or argument, but it all went south when we were confronted with a group of social media video producers three years ago in our public honey hole area. It went from moderate hunting pressure to Disney world in the woods in one year. There were idiots literally camping in the woods where turkeys roosted. Two years later they are all gone, but so are the turkeys. I think they literally harassed the birds into leaving. The locals even agree the birds are all moved off the public onto nearby private. The good news is they will someday be back. In the mean time we have found some new areas, but they just aren't as good. So I will keep tabs on when that happens and pray there are no more assaults. The new farm has turned out to be a hit and miss farm, but birds are in the area. In summary the only reason I am eating Ky tag soup is because, I blew the two opportunities I had with bad set ups. So in the end it's on me.
I am done in Ohio as well with my one tag filled. I may hunt a day or two with others, but not much. As I said, I am in fishing mode now in Ohio. I have one last turkey opportunity left next week in South Dakota and hooking up with the infamous Gobblenut and Happy. I am excited to sit down with these gentlemen and sharing war stories, if I find turkeys to hunt that will be a great bonus. It is also our annual trip to spend a week with our daughter, a SD resident, and that has a higher priority then the gobblers in reality. So it has been a spring of frustration, but still the best of times. Just being out in the woods is a gift it's self....
Gobbenut, not sure I can get the fish there in good shape with 4 days of travel before we could eat them. I will think on it. However, I can assure you I am bringing some sweet tree necter
:icon_thumright: :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright: Really looking forward to our upcoming get-together!
Won't be long gentlemen. Looking forward to it and hopefully we can show a few of them loudmouth, girly sounding merriams what's up in the process.
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Packing the car up today, hitting the road tomorrow for South Dakaota. Won't be on the forum for 10 days or more.
May 12-14, traveling to SD and visiting with our daughter. Saw several birds along the way including two road kill gobblers which in hind site I should have tagged one :)
May 15 - Arrived in the Black Hills and met up with Gobblenut at the hunt base. Got moved in and said our howdy dudies. Learned that birds were pretty hard to find and that Happy was in camp but hard at the hunt. (side note here, that youngun is hard core turkey chaser and we wondered what happened to him at times. He stayed in the woods before daylight to dark). We took a ride and looked at some areas and tried to roost some birds with no luck. Gobblenut confessed about his miss that morning and we all consoled him ( is laughing consoling?) Back at camp we settled in and planned for the next day.
May 16 - Everyone headed to predetermined spots. I had some private land that joined National forest and headed there. At the first stop it was silence. About 2 hrs after daylight I moved down the mountain and heard a gobble soon as I got out of the car. I set up withh high hopes and the first call got a response. The next response was from hens. Thay all met in front of me and took off for a party in other parts. I never heard another gobble and headed back to camp for lunch and to see what my wife and daughter were up to. That evening I went with the family for a steak dinner.
May 17 - At daylight I was sitting in what I thought was the gobblers bedroom but it was silence. However, across the road 3 gobblers were welcoming the day. So off the mountain and across the raod I go. I spent two hours playing a game of torment. Call and gobbler answers, set up and get two responses then the next gobble is farther away. Done this three times with two different gobblers. Then the original bird sounds off and is lighting it up. So back across the road and huff and puff up the Mt and get set up. He comes to 60 yards 5 times and stalls and each time moves up the mt and I move ahead. Finally I realize he's going over the peak and I know the road swing around, so down to the car and up the road to the gate I go. Soon as I get out he gobbles and dangit, he's literally 75 yards from the car and he walks right through the gap just above the car. and out into the open where he bust me...morning over. On the way back to camp I decide to cut across the area on a dirt forest road. As I come around a curve I see a recognizable shape of a strutting gobbler in the road. I pull up 30 yards from them (6 long beards and 1 hen) and watch. I get out to see what they do and they just walk off the road 30 yards and resume business. I could have legally shot one as I had walked well off the right of way, but I did not want a gobbler that way. That night I sit in his return path and all I see is 5 hens. In our planning I marked the 6 gobblers for Gobblenut and his buddy to chase and I returned to the old runner. I had heard 4 other birds in that area.
May18- I have high hopes but the mountain is silent and in 5 hrs I cannot strike a bird. So I go back to camp and change into tourist mode and take off with the wife and daughter for a day. That evening I rush out for the last two hrs and see if I can get on the old runner. Soon as I get to my spot I think they will be around. I look and there they are, two long beards. I can barely get set up but I do. Then here he is right in front of me, but he stops and I know he sees me. I am studying the distance and the possibility he is about to depart. I give in to temptation and lower the boom. I know it is the outside limit of my range but I feel it's a good shot. I squeeze off a round and he runs up the mounntain unharmed. What the "H" happened....I have contracted Gobblenut disease! I guess I flinched and combine that with a longer then usual shot and it spells MISS. I had pretty disapointed now.
May 19 - I only have about three hrs and I have to get back to help the family pack up and head back to my daughter's place in Pierre. Sure enough a couple birds open up, including the one I missed. I have one of them working and he's just across a swell from me and slowly strutting in when hens open up down the Mt. and away he goes. I follow, but all he'll do is answer and stay in his spot. the hens keep leading him away and finally I salute him and head back to camp...Black Hills 2022 is over. I had a great time and I encountered Elk, Deer and mountain lions on my hunt. It was awesome to meet Gobblennut (JIm) and Happy (Nick) and share stories and hunt time. Jim and I have been cyber-buddies for around 15 years on two forums and traded things, but never met. I thoroughly enjoyed sharing camp with him and Dick. We are indeed cut from the same cloth.
I will add this side note: I was greatly disappointed in my expectations for this hunt. We literally drove hundreds of miles of roads to find a hand full of gobblers to hunt. If I did not have local friends with private ground it would have been even worse. There simply does not seem to be a very good concentration of birds in the Areas we hunted. I woulld even say they are sparse. After all the stories and pictures over the years, I did expect more. Sure we found a few birds to hunt, but in all my turkey adventures this is one of the sparsest populations I have ever hunted. Maybe it was just a poor year, but I think we all expected more
Quote from: eggshell on May 23, 2022, 06:10:49 AM
I have contracted Gobblenut disease!
"GobbleNut Disease"... :TooFunny: I hope that term doesn't catch on here,...but somehow I think it might. ;D :TooFunny:
Quote from: eggshell on May 23, 2022, 06:10:49 AM
I will add this side note: I was greatly disappointed in my expectations for this hunt. We literally drove hundreds of miles of roads to find a hand full of gobblers to hunt. If I did not have local friends with private ground it would have been even worse. There simply does not seem to be a very good concentration of birds in the Areas we hunted. I woulld even say they are sparse. After all the stories and pictures over the years, I did expect more. Sure we found a few birds to hunt, but in all my turkey adventures this is one of the sparsest populations I have ever hunted. Maybe it was just a poor year, but I think we all expected more
Prefacing this comment with the recognition that each of the three of us had opportunities to tag a gobbler, I, too, was shocked at the apparent lack of turkeys we found on this hunt,..especially after all the hype we have heard over the years. There are likely places in the Hills that have concentrations of turkeys that are away from the private properties and huntable, but we covered a huge area of great looking turkey habitat without finding one of them. (Again, it should be noted for anybody that might be headed up that way that the locals seem to think the turkey population has dropped off considerably in the last couple of years)
My single word of advice,...take it or leave it,... for anybody headed up there "blind" is to seek as much information as you can from other sources before doing so. I did a little of that, but I also assumed there were enough turkeys scattered over the entire forest area that we would have no trouble finding birds to hunt. That was most definitely an erroneous assumption! There is a LOT of country in the Black Hills of South Dakota that appears by the evidence we found to not have turkeys in it,...and the ones we did find were invariably associated with private lands and close to residences (and there are a LOT of residences up there) such that it was difficult to hunt them,...especially for folks like us that do not like to push the limits in hunting in situations like that.