For myself it was a strange year for gobbling. Didn't kill a bird in Fla, not a great deal of gobbling but to be honest it wasn't great weather. Had high hopes for WV my home state and have managed to all in birds here. But worst gobbling I have heard in years..Pa had good gobbling and killed a good bird there. But all in all I have heard much less gobbling, especially later in am...
What's your thoughts?
1 bird in the books. Not hearing much gobbling. Seem to be working hens no boyfriends in tow yet. But as the fat lady said. It ain't over till it's over!
Got the monkey off my back early. Was learning a new place to hunt, got a buddy a bird opening day, I took one on the next. Worked all season to get my SIL on one and came so close, but sheet water, creeks and thick areas worked against us. Passed on a couple of jakes with my 410. I blame a lot of it on not knowing the lay of the land yet, but as we were getting them dialed in the season went out. Already looking forward to next year. My single biggest difficulty is having to earn a living, work gets in the way of turkey hunting!
Shortest season EVER.
Didn't go out of state this year. Killed #1 at 6:50 AM on our opener. Killed #2 at 6:10 AM on the second day. Outta tags. Season over.
I've been hunting a lot of mornings since then with my bino's and my coffee cup.
Started off rough, lot of hunter interference! I had decent gobbling but the wind and weather was not conducive to gobbling or being able to hear it.
Only got to hunt 3 states, killed 4 and each one came to the call, so it turned out quite well! But I am wishing I was hunting right now as I usually am still.
Quote from: Dtrkyman on May 20, 2022, 09:11:37 PMBut I am wishing I was hunting right now......
You and me BOTH............
Lots of gobbling action during our youth season. Took the kids 13 and 11. However the youngest passed up shots that the 13 year old probably could have got but we were trying hard to get the youngest his first gobbler. No go. General season, different area than where we took the kids, my brother killed his opening day. I called in a pair 2nd day. Got a myself a fine gobbler. Rolled in next week and I called in a gobbler for my wife's first turkey. Same turkeys we were in 2 weeks before with the kids. Rest of the month hunted hard, different area, different counties, different state and had little gobbling on the roost or nothing. Weather didnt help a whole lot. Lots of rainy days or windy days. Overall, I had a great season though. I always enjoy it no matter what happens. It's the hunt not the kill for me.
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SC was slow with not much gobbling. Still managed to get one though.
Tennessee was on fire, at least on my property. Good gobbling and lots of turkeys. Since the season ended, lots of gobblers are hanging around.
SD and Wyoming were on fire as well. Lots of turkeys, and lots of gobbling.
I guess I had a good season.
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Average season for me. Turkeys being turkeys, me being me. Enjoyed it. Hope to get to do it again next year.
Hunted in insulated bibs for the biggest part of the season, I had to deal with lots of wind, cold, rain and bad storms ... but was still successful.... below the average season with very little gobbling... covered up with hens and Jake's coming to the call looking for gobblers ... was still seeing groups of hens way too late in the season, this was first also....
Normal season for me. With the exception of out west. Still I had an opportunity to kill one out there but held off of the trigger because of some safety concerns.
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here in southern WV "for me" the season was terrible. heard VERY little gobbling. saw more hens this spring than I have in several years but, I had a ton of fun. last year I was tagged out the second day but I sure put in the leg work this season. went to places I hadn't been in years and just sat back and enjoyed the memories. I'd almost forgot just how beautiful the gorges of the mighty New River are. it's nice to go to an area and know you can walk as much as you want to and never see a house or hard road. looking forward to getting back there this fall. I'm older and more worn down now and you can't use off road machines in that area now so it's shoe leather, game bags and a deer dolly. hope everyone has a super good summer.
They were tougher than normal. Weather was semi lousy, but had success and a fannnntastic time. One more week in NY. Never have a bad day in the Turkey woods......
Second season ever hunting turkeys and a second unsuccessful season on killing anything.
Successful in terms of continuing to learn.
Home state of WV also and I agree with the statement of "very little gobbling". Didn't hear much and didn't see much. Very little hens this year compared to last year for me also. Had several people state the same thing.
I got the bug and don't think I'll lose it anytime soon. So we'll see how next year goes.
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Uughh! That's my season in recap here in Southern Maryland. April was fun, as the gobblers were making noise every morning on the roost but would shut up once on the ground. At least you knew they were there. May hit and everything shut down. No gobbling on the roost or the ground. One day left for me, so I still have a glimmer of hope. At least I got lots of miles of exercise in!
Ended the season missing two gobblers in two different states a thousand miles from home. Need I say more?.... ;D ::) :newmascot:
My son and I just hunted local, we got our two each and I called in 2 for others. Very poor numbers scouting this year but we went 6:6 on hunts. Was the fastest year, time wise to kill birds on average (.83 hr). The shortest average kill distance ever (18.8 yds). Heard 52% less birds than last year but called in 33% more birds than average. All in woods, all scouted out day before, half shot over decoys, no blind and all using #6 lead loads. Hope next year is half as good.
Great season here. I'm pretty much a weekend warrior and for the most part the weather cooperated. Got to call a slammer of a bird in for my buddies little girl and watch her fold him up at 22 yards. Highlight of my year imo. Saw more hens this year than several prior years. Also worked birds on public and private ground and managed to fill my tags. Overall a fun season
Can't complain at all.
Shot one opening day at 6:10 AM weighing 20 lbs. 9.5" beard and 1" spurs with my son.
He followed up 50 minutes later shooting a 22 lb. bird 10 3/4" beard and 1 ΒΌ" and 1.5" spurs.
After that the birds got tight lipped and didn't gobble but I had fun playing the game. Still have 8 hunting days left, so who knows what might happen.
One in Florida nothing in Ohio however my kids and I passed on many Jakes. Heading to the Black Hills tomorrow.
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Terrible in TN. Way too many nonresidents! From everywhere! TWRA, give us a break!
Southern Illinois has five seasons and a hunter is permitted to purchase three tags. I had seasons 1, 3, and 5. The first two seasons were in my home county where I have several places to hunt, filling the first tag by irritating a hen on the second morning that pulled in four long beards, one of which I took. The third season was more difficult as the gobblers would not leave their hens. I finally noted where they were entering/leaving a 20-acre thicket and set my strutter nearby, taking one on the last day of the third season when a gobbler came in to challenge my decoy. My fifth season tag was for a nearby county and I only had one spot to hunt. There was only one gobbler on the place and he would not leave his hens. After three days of trying to outsmart him, I decided that two birds in the spring were good enough and I lost my enthusiasm after realizing that I was only hunting to fill my third tag, so I skipped the final three days of the season and worked around the house. I thought I'd mentally beat myself up for not filling my third tag, but I'm satisfied that I left a gobbler and some hens to hopefully build up the flock.
A little better than average season for me- was able to make a Texas trip early and killed 2 nice birds there - then I managed to kill 2 in my home state of Arkansas which is a major feat - and just got back from another out of state trip that resulted in a nice gobbler and a punched tag- gobblers we're still bunched with hens pretty good in two of the states I hunted in making it tough- the last state I returned from I counted 6 different turkey eggs at different places busted in the woods or roads I was walking- we need those all those hens in the woods to help offset those high nest predations!! I'm tired and have lost a lot of sleep but thankful for another good safe spring!!
Started out of state for the first time in 5 years, scouted day before opener there, and killed 4 minutes after legal shooting time in that state, textbook roost hunt. Buddy got his bird next day, we went to another state and he killed there first morning, that evening we roosted a few birds. Next morning I killed 8 minutes after legal time, on another quick roost hunt. Couldnt of asked for a better week! Came back to home state of AR, only got to hunt once first week, never heard a thing. Second week I heard one bird early, but never heard him after fly down, made some moves and covered ground, ended up striking one at 9:23 and at 9:31 I had him killed. I only hunted 1 more day in AR and worked one early but hens won. I wasn't upset tho, if I can kill one here I'm happy, one is hard to come by, much less two here!
Plan on going to one more, maybe 2 states next weekend to close it out, but this has already been an outstanding season.
My season is not over yet, I have 9 more days. I have not taken anything yet (by choice) but it has been the best season I have ever had by far. I have seen more turkey, especially male turkey, mostly toms and a jake. I have seen a turkey dust itself for the first time, then as it came closer realized it was another first as it was a bearded hen, something I had never seen in person before! I never realized how thick and long a hens beard could get. I have had an absolute paintbrush in front of me along with another with a very respectable beard and chose to take pictures instead which was a goal for me before the season started. I called in hens and a Jake the other day, twice and later called the Paintbrush and his friend in near the end of the day, though not into range. I have gotten to see "The Dance" up close for the first time in my life for a nice duration of time the first day I called in the Paintbrush and his friend as well as a few other times at a distance. I've had the chance to take several but decided to target the paintbrush this year, something I have never done. Tried sitting on the ground for the first time in many years in a new area, did not go well because of pain but at least I saw a new area. and the entire time other than on Friday I did it all using calls and strikers I put together. I did not think I was even going to be able to hunt this year because of my knees hurting so bad but the shots in the knees and the brace on the left knee made it possible. I will be trying that new place again on Monday, I will bring my chair blind and there I will take one if I can but I am not going to take one on the property with the paintbrush unless I get a shot at him, I want them to feel comfortable in that area. If I get a turkey or not this year I do not care, it has been the best season I have ever had with a few firsts and I am grateful to God for it. I hope to get some more pictures, I would have on Friday but it was supposed to rain (and did) so I did not bring in the camera, I would have loved to get some pictures of a that jake, it was another first for me because I got to see in person just how much of a difference there is in their tails as opposed to a toms there is in person and not just on video or in pictures. They may not be what I want to take but they sure are a pretty fan in their own right.
I'm still at it. I hunted out west in two states. Got one in each state. Lousy weather. WIND for two weeks. Cold, a foot of snow. Did I mention wind?
Came home to PA. Hunted two hours and got one. I did not buy a second tag for PA. Worked a few weeks now I'm up north for a week. Hope to fill a couple more tags.
The sad part is I'm afraid to even mention what states I've hunted on this forum anymore.
Killed one in Oklahoma and one in Texas.
Heard very little gobbling early in the season. They wouldn't even gobble on the roost very much. Gobbling picked up later in the season.
Got one in FL and one here at home. Got to go out a few times with my grandson but we couldn't get him one. All in all, a real fun season.