NY hunting henned up BAD! Just spent 8 days with 4 guys and no birds. First time in 30 years it has been this bad. Every morning birds would rip it up on the limb, fly down and clam up. At least there are still birds alive after the winter from hell. Walked 25 miles in 8 days and never worked one bird. The weather was unreal, summer like, screwed the birds up. Can't wait to get back and give them another shot. My home state of CT is a different game, birds coming in on a string. Got a nice tom 15 min hunt, go figure. Only 200 miles differance from NY spot to CT spot but very different stages in mating.
What county you hunting? We hunt Sullivan and managed 1 bird opening day but the rest of the weekend was deathly silent.
Hang in there it will get better.
They are almost silent on the ground.On the limb they have been hammering for sure.I do see some more gobbling come around 9-10 for just a little bit but then silent again.We have been on birds almost every day but that's because we have been really scouting them hard between a few of us and also talking to the locals.It pays off having the neighbors call in locations of birds for you on a daily basis!!LOL
Same report here gobbling off the limb hit the ground and either gobble for about 30 mins then shut up or completely shut up right off. Some days they start back up around 10. Today he started back up a little after 11. Some days no gobbling at all.
I'm experiencing the same thing too in Jefferson county. Our birds are on a strict pattern both morning and evening as well so we have been all over them, but no shots yet. We have resorted to almost hunting them like deer and just getting to where we think they are going. It has resulted in 2 close calls but we needed about 15-20 yards more for a good shot. They change their exit location from one field to another just enough to keep eluding us.
I'm hoping by this coming weekend they will be less henned up and more responsive to calling.
The group we are on actually gobbled quite a bit on the ground yesterday morning until about 8, but they were working away from us following the hens. My dad tried to sneak in front of them but to no avail. If they are still real henned up this weekend, I'm going to get closer to the roost than I normally like to and not make a sound. They are consistently coming into the field in the same spot, but they roost real close to it so it's a bit of a risk.
I am sure that things will pick up in time.
Same thing in Madison and Chenango county. 2 yesrs the same thing. We just hunted 9 days with 3-5 men. Almost never heard a gobble after fly down. And 3 or 4 mornings we had no gobbles at all.
Very nice going,congrats
I think this little cold snap we are getting tonight into Thursday will kick things into gear for us.I bet this weekend will be good for hunting.
wow, I`m in Dutchess, called in 8 so far. I killed opening day. Playing w/ a certain bird right now that I missed & called in twice w/ no shot. Mike
Quote from: MACHINIST on May 12, 2015, 06:37:39 AM
I think this little cold snap we are getting tonight into Thursday will kick things into gear for us.I bet this weekend will be good for hunting.
+1 on the cold snap -- I too think the birds will be fired up by the weekend... keep after them..
In tioga county they've been gobbling good on the limb and then clamming up...late morning gobbling picking up around 10ish..We killed one bird on the 2nd on a place we have in Chemung..I called him in and my son took the shot...My son and I have been chasing this same group for a week..I'm going back tomorrow for a 2 day hunt..Taking no prisoners..got to get it done!!!
Quote from: turkaholic on May 11, 2015, 06:24:20 AM
NY hunting henned up BAD! Just spent 8 days with 4 guys and no birds. First time in 30 years it has been this bad. Every morning birds would rip it up on the limb, fly down and clam up. At least there are still birds alive after the winter from hell. Walked 25 miles in 8 days and never worked one bird. The weather was unreal, summer like, screwed the birds up. Can't wait to get back and give them another shot. My home state of CT is a different game, birds coming in on a string. Got a nice tom 15 min hunt, go figure. Only 200 miles differance from NY spot to CT spot but very different stages in mating.
I hunt in Sullivan and ulster counties and this is definitely the worst and most disappointing year in turkey hunting in my past 25-years.
The heat of the last four days made for the toughest NY hunting I've encountered in the 8 years I've been hunting up there. I still tagged out in 5 days but usually on my trip I lay two over and call a few more for others before I leave. Wads of jakes though which is awesome for next year.
My dad and I have not seen one jake so far this year in 5 days of hunting and more days of scouting. It's odd and has me a bit worried for what next year will bring. I'm sure they have to be around somewhere, but we aren't seeing them yet.
Seen 3 jakes 2 toms and 6 hens, only heard one of the toms gobbling but none of the jakes are talking hens are noisy this year as well but the woods go silent after 6:30 am, maybe the tom is so henned up and isn't gobbling and none of the jakes will gobble cause of the more dominate bird, we'll see what the rest of the season holds.
Quote from: njdevilsb on May 12, 2015, 08:49:07 PM
My dad and I have not seen one jake so far this year in 5 days of hunting and more days of scouting. It's odd and has me a bit worried for what next year will bring. I'm sure they have to be around somewhere, but we aren't seeing them yet.
That's interesting in PA and NY Im not sure I've ever seen so many jakes and healthy big jakes at that. In NY I'm hunting Greene county, PA I've been around 3 counties and seen good jake number in all but really high up north in Susquehanna just south of the NY border.
Another 3 days without any good encounters. I hunt mostly in Schoharie county and this has been the strangest season ever. I thought this cool snap would shake things loose , not! Watched several birds strutting with hens but not playing the game. Maybe in a few more days. I need to work some birds or its going to be a long wait till next spring. I don't give up easy. Logged 32 miles mostly up or down, covered lots of ground with not much to go on.
Quote from: turkaholic on May 14, 2015, 07:29:02 PM
Another 3 days without any good encounters. I hunt mostly in Schoharie county and this has been the strangest season ever. I thought this cool snap would shake things loose , not! Watched several birds strutting with hens but not playing the game. Maybe in a few more days. I need to work some birds or its going to be a long wait till next spring. I don't give up easy. Logged 32 miles mostly up or down, covered lots of ground with not much to go on.
Same thing here in Oswego i've walked up and down miles of railroad tracks and power lines, i've tried 3 mucks and 2 corn fields only heard some gobbling in the morning for the first week but the last couple days been dead silent, i've yet to get a turkey as i've only been hunting turkey for 2 years and this season is killing me.
It's been the same story in northern Cayuga County. There is just a little gobbling at first light and almost none after flydown. The few gobblers that I have seen have been with one to three hens and have not been responsive to calling at all. Certainly turkey numbers are way down from past levels. Hopefully things will pick up over the next couple of weeks. Good luck all! jperch
You guys are my neighbors, I live in the city of Fulton and hunt all over Oswego and into Cayuga county. I have been seeing the same, lots of gobbling on the roost, then complete silence after 6am.
Terry, I hunt near Fair Haven on a private farm and another property which is all woods half way between Oswego and Fulton. These properties had tons of turkeys five years ago (and previous to that). This year I am seeing far fewer and smaller flocks. Lots of coyotes though. Last fall I saw a fair number of birds while deer hunting. It was a tough winter. jperch
Is the NY turkey population in trouble? I don't see a lot of scratching around but the birds that I've watched were eating a lot of bugs. It seems they fly down scratch a bit and then stop scratching and eat bugs. In about 12 days of hunting I've seen over 30 hens. Last years hatch was a really good one with dry nesting conditions. Why is there not many gobblers around? I see and hear way to many Yotes. Going back this week hoping things get better. Birds gobbling and working fine here in CT.
I don't know if the population has suffered or not, I have seen just as many if not more turkeys this year then in the last 3 years but I haven't heard single gobble past 7 am in the last week, it seems like the hens have broken off from the gobblers cause I've been seeing gobblers alone and I kicked up a Hen this morning sitting on her eggs in the nest, I think the rest of the season will get a little better at least henned up wise but still not much gobbling. the mating season must have started early, probably cause of the warm up in April when it got up to 60's and then with the summer like temps for May.
I can't say mature bird numbers are through the roof but last years great hatch means next year should be good.