Update…

[anthonyjhallen]

Greetings,

It's took me a couple weeks to process my season. To say I got humbled would be an understatement.

I put almost 2k miles on my truck and never put a gobbler on the back. The only shot I had was in a bow area only and a mistake in my setup led to getting busted and a missed shot. I don't know if the turkeys have gotten smarter, if I just failed to evolve, if there are way less turkeys, if they have moved to private property where they don't get messed with or what.

At the end of the season I am grateful for having the opportunity and as an optimist I have to hope that next year will be better.

Those of y'all still hunting keep us informed.

It's been great getting to know y'all.  This winter we'll link back up and evaluate everyone's interest on continuing next year.

Stay in touch.

Anthony


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[GobbleNut]

Anthony, sorry to hear about your tough season.  I think your assessment that 1) turkeys are getting smarter, 2) there are fewer of them (more hunters killing them), and 3) that they are learning to stay where they are safe (private land) is right on target.  Although I managed to "eek out" a couple of gobblers this spring, all three of those points were glaringly apparent in my hunting.  Even out here in the west, public-land spring gobbler hunting is becoming tougher with each passing year.

In particular, the private land issue is becoming more and more of a problem for us,...for two reasons (you are familiar with our situation here).  There are those folks that are turkey hunters that are making improvements on their properties to attract and hold turkeys,...often drawing them off of the adjacent public lands.  Then there are those folks that are not hunters (and more and more of them that are against hunting) that are doing what they can to attract birds to their properties with the intention of keeping them safe FROM hunters. 

The results are that there are fewer gobblers on public land that are getting increasingly hammered by more hunters pursuing them.  It is an ever-increasing cycle that does not bode well for the future of public land turkey hunting,...and quite honestly, I see no end in sight.   
Jim

[Tom007]

Anthony, sorry to hear about your tough season.  I think your assessment that 1) turkeys are getting smarter, 2) there are fewer of them (more hunters killing them), and 3) that they are learning to stay where they are safe (private land) is right on target.  Although I managed to "eek out" a couple of gobblers this spring, all three of those points were glaringly apparent in my hunting.  Even out here in the west, public-land spring gobbler hunting is becoming tougher with each passing year.

In particular, the private land issue is becoming more and more of a problem for us,...for two reasons (you are familiar with our situation here).  There are those folks that are turkey hunters that are making improvements on their properties to attract and hold turkeys,...often drawing them off of the adjacent public lands.  Then there are those folks that are not hunters (and more and more of them that are against hunting) that are doing what they can to attract birds to their properties with the intention of keeping them safe FROM hunters. 

The results are that there are fewer gobblers on public land that are getting increasingly hammered by more hunters pursuing them.  It is an ever-increasing cycle that does not bode well for the future of public land turkey hunting,...and quite honestly, I see no end in sight.   
Jim

X10 here. I lost 12 pounds so far hunting almost everyday since 4-26-23. Heard only two gobblers that played the game, I got very lucky with success. They indeed are getting tougher, and yes I think there are less of them. Weather has only gotten good as of late. This sport is gonna get tougher and tougher before it gets better, at least that's what I see. Hang with us Anthony, we enjoy having you for sure.