How many members here are devoted Fall Turkey Hunters or are thinking about trying it this upcoming Fall??
Love to fall hunt. Love all the vocalizations that the birds do at that time of year.
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Fall hunting is alot of fun, it does however require alot of scouting and woodsmanship especially if your not hunting behind a dog. Learn what the birds key in on in your area as far as hard mast, beech/acorns and soft mast, wild grapes/dogwood berries and you should be good. I've seen them in tough years scratch in stands of poplars pecking for the seeds they drop. Early in October they are still hitting fields going after grasshoppers, etc. I love hearing a gang flydown in the morning right after daylight, in my opinion the fall equivalent to a gobbler sounding off at daylight in the spring.
Quote from: turkeymanjim on June 05, 2018, 12:51:03 PM
Love to fall hunt. Love all the vocalizations that the birds do at that time of year.
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x2 :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright:
I hunt two states in the fall and it rivals spring for me. If you target mature fall gobblers you have a challenge......it's not like hearing one gobble from across a valley or two ridges away. However you might hear that too. One thing about fall gobblers if they are going to come they will be there quick, no screwing around in strut zones. However, they more often than not just ignore you. I will bust flocks some, but I prefer not to and call birds. I am way too old to get a good bust on a flock anymore. I have hunted with dogs and it's a lot of fun. Usually if I bust a flock I just call them for play.. If I get late season or am out of state I will hunt a hen and poult flock, but at home I concentrate on gobblers. Super jakes are a ball as they are real vocal and are constantly fighting....so fighting purrs, challenge clucks, yelp strings and gobbles get them pretty excited.
I have never fall hunted. This year I'm headed to Kentucky if possible.
Is it Oct yet can't wait
Some when spring season goes out saying can't wait till next year heck with that I'm ready to chase birds in early Oct no need to wait year
Love hunting the fall in PA....some of the most memorable hunts I've had was in the fall. Plus you get to sleep in.... doesn't get light until 7 :morning:
Fall is my favorite time to turkey hunt.
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Can't wait!
I'm thinking about it. Here in WV we only get like a week depending what county your in.
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My favorite :z-winnersmiley:
I use to hunt it. Was lot's of fun. Here in western NY region turkeys are in the decline. They shortened the fall season by two weeks which I pushed for and was in favor of. Hoping it rebounds. One DEC wildlife official said, and I quote, "the turkey population will never be again like it was back in the eighties ". I ask, why not ? Why make a statement like that ? The DEC sat back and watched the harvest rate drop like a rock and did nothing since 2002. They have two studies going on in NY, still, and every time I ask them "any results yet ?" I get shrugged shoulders at meetings.... If I did hunt the fall, gobblers only.
I like the challenge of calling in Tom's in the fall. Hens get a pass even where legal. May have to do a little traveling this fall to a couple new state's.
Love to Fall hunt here in WNY... As to turkey populations being down.... Predators are way up because no one hunts them anymore and therefore turkeys are down.... add in the loss of nesting habitat from production type farming... and there you have it.
I fall hunt here in Indiana and we are blessed with an obedience of hens. So I tend to thin the flock by one in the fall.
I will be hunting a few states this fall with my dog.
I'm skeptical that shooting a fall bird or two has a serious impact on populations. I believe it has more to do with increased predators, changing habitat, and population explosions that finally reach carrying capacities.
I agree 100% Uncle Nicky
I went fall hunting once and walked right up on a flock of about 30 bearded birds together they just kind of looked at me as they eased around me but stayed In shotgun range some roped up birds were mixed in with the younger one but it just wasn't much of a hunt so I left em all walk.
Maybe I gave up to soon on it deeming it "too easy" and just hunt in a less target rich environment I have a farm that I know attracts and holds upwards of 150 birds each fall and winter I'm sure it would be a lot more challenging if I just stayed off that property or went to some of my spring public spots.
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Taunto Hawk, I have seen similar situations. Farm with lots of food and farm activity and the birds get used to seeing you around and there is plenty of free food, so they feel safe. You bust that flock up a time or two and you'll see a big change. There's a place not far from me where a winter flock comes out behind a restaurant. The birds are totally conditioned to people and they just stand and look if someone walks towards them. The most they'll do is move off a ways. No one hunts them as all the local turkeys hunters like them having a safe place and enjoy seeing them. We have a pretty good group of guys around and I appreciate their good behavior. I bet you get those same birds in the woods away from those fields and they are totally different. I have birds that feed in my fields in the fall and I have never attempting shooting one in the fall. Now I do hunt spring gobblers on my farm and they are totally spooky.
Quote from: eggshell on June 07, 2018, 05:15:59 PM
Taunto Hawk, I have seen similar situations. Farm with lots of food and farm activity and the birds get used to seeing you around and there is plenty of free food, so they feel safe. You bust that flock up a time or two and you'll see a big change. There's a place not far from me where a winter flock comes out behind a restaurant. The birds are totally conditioned to people and they just stand and look if someone walks towards them. The most they'll do is move off a ways. No one hunts them as all the local turkeys hunters like them having a safe place and enjoy seeing them. We have a pretty good group of guys around and I appreciate their good behavior. I bet you get those same birds in the woods away from those fields and they are totally different. I have birds that feed in my fields in the fall and I have never attempting shooting one in the fall. Now I do hunt spring gobblers on my farm and they are totally spooky.
Oh yeah come spring break up some of those Tom's are the most Willey old mountain toms but when they descend on that farm in the fall out of the mountains they could careless about people.
I usually just stick to deer that provide a bit more table fair in the fall and assume the birds will be around 6months older in the spring.
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Problem with fall turkey season here in PA is that it coincides with the whitetail rut and I just REALLY like to bowhunt mature whitetail bucks. Not as much as I love spring gobbler hunting, though, and there's the rub........ The GOBBLE !!!
Breaking a flock of.hens and juveniles then calling one back for a shot, to me, is like shooting fish in a barrel. And I have done.it and probably will again. But the hardest part of that is locating the birds and getting a decent break. After that.........well......it's kinda sad. As far as fall toms go.........I won't shoot one. It's just my personal preference to leave them for the spring when they'll come in strutting and gobbling and putting on a show.
So, generally, I end up 25 feet up a tree during fall season with my bow in hand just watching the turkeys go by doing what turkeys do.
no offense to you deer hunters, but one of my favorite things about fall turkey hunting is that a whole lot of guys who are in the spring woods are in deer stands in the fall. A large part of those left just don't fall hunt, the most common reason I hear is exactly as yoder said, they like the gobble and spring scenario. That opens a ton of ground for me to fall hunt. I have had a lot of shows in the fall too. It has been several years since I busted a flock and called a poult in to shoot. I still think it is exciting to hear all the responses of those birds getting back together. I can think of two or three times it was almost like shooting fish in a barrel, but it rarely works that way for me. I find it extremely hard to get a good bust, most of the time the birds all go the same way and you sit and listen as they gather out of range. So I just hunt gobblers or call to flocks. I pass everything but gobblers until the last week to ten days of season. In Ohio our fall season last 6 weeks. I probably average seeing and calling in 50+ birds before I shoot one.....I have a lot of fun.
I am offended eggshell! Ok maybe not.
Honestly spring turkey is hands down my favorite hunting of all time. If I fall hunted it would be gobbler only. However I really like deer meat and fall is the time to get my deer meat. I don't get out often so when I do its in pursuit of deer meat. It's fun but not as fun as spring turkey and honestly I get a hoot watching pedro shoot them. He matched me deer for deer last year till the end and he wimped out on going out in a blizzard for the last day of doe season.
Used to hunt in the fall in NY and PA and loved it. No season here in NC so I won't be hunting in the fall too much anymore
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Definitely gonna try it this fall. Also going to try something else I've never done and that is to take one with a bow.
Yes! It's a ton of fun.
I've never tried fall turkey season, but this year I'm going to give it a try.
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I'm glad to hear that so many are interested in the fall season!
Love to hunt in the fall. That's how I learned how to turkey hunt
I work 10 hour days Monday thru Thursday and my youngest starts kindergarten this fall. I'll miss hanging out with him all day, but it'll give me a chance to try fall hunting on Fridays.
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Last Fall, I was LATE in 2 spots in NY and NJ. Both were opening Days. I will get out earlier this coming Fall. The spot in NY ALWAYS has a flock roosting there until that 1st bust. I got there late last year and saw a nervous Jake moving back and forth like a squirrel on a road in front of your car. Did not get a shot. And in NJ- I had Hikers come into the area where, I was close to a flock. Public Land-- it is what it is. I will get it right this Fall however. I hope to nail a hen in one state as, I want to make a few wingbones. And hopefully a Jake in the 2nd State.
I am trying to practice twice a week-- the Kee-Kee-Runs. I have a MAD ALUMINATOR that makes some really good whistles.
Kee kee runs and whistles are easier on single or double non spit reeds if you try a mouth call.
I hunted a Sadler McGraw ghost cut this spring, one of the best mouth calls I've tried for easy kee's
North Idaho Fall season--Aug. 30---Dec. 31. 3 tags available in some areas. Great scouting for Spring season, too.
Up here in New York, I have seen 2 Broods so far!! Good sign here as most of June has been dry. I think alot of poults will survive and plenty of Jakes and Jennies will be running around this late Oct for me to go after in NY and NOV in New Jersey.
Quote from: Uncle Nicky on June 07, 2018, 05:57:52 AM
I will be hunting a few states this fall with my dog.
I'm skeptical that shooting a fall bird or two has a serious impact on populations. I believe it has more to do with increased predators, changing habitat, and population explosions that finally reach carrying capacities.
I agree. With the fur market down,predators and egg eaters increase and impact turkey,grouse and pheasant populations.
I think this coming Fall in November when New Jersey opens, I will get to where, I always see wild turkeys in both Spring and Fall. Long walk as well , but I see more Hikers getting out extra early - even around Sunrise . Public Lands are getting tougher-LOL!