In Lower Alabama I rate my season as pretty bad. Rain, wind, extra warm February all contributed but birds are not here guys. We prescribe burn , plant chufa, clover, wheat, but they are in a decline in my opinion.
More hogs, and not so many coyotes but they are present. It has been going down hill for the past three years.
If it keeps up I will be forced to slay bass, bream and crappie and drop the habit I have had since I was 14 in 1962.
Pretty tough season here... I managed to luck into a bird early on, but due to the drought, we have a pretty old population of birds (counting this season, I have not seen a jake in three seasons).
We have pretty optimal nesting conditions currently, and I would guess we will see a few jakes next year, with some nice 2 year-old toms the year after... If we have good spring conditions next year things will pick up pretty good (it seems to me that turkey populations can fluctuate fairly drastically in short order with good or bad conditions).
Water... Too much is not good, not enough is even worse.
I will say this, hunting tougher conditions has improved my hunting skills and the desire to improve them (hence joining this site).
Has been tough season here in Northeast Mississippi also. Managed to get 2 gobblers this season but it's been tough. Gobbling has been very sporadic.
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Last year it was very tough here. This year two birds in 12 hours. Amazing on how every year is so different.
Locally, my season has been great!
Many counties in my area have closed due to declining populations of birds. My area is booming, I almost always hear three or four gobblers from a single listening post. Last year I heard 11 from one spot on the same morning.
Only complaint I have is only going twice plus a youth day with my son. Two dead birds and a miss. Haven't hunted past eight. I kind of stumbled onto a sliver of overlooked public ground. But, a lot of folks have been crying the blues. Our population is declining. Hoping for dry and warm for the remainder of spring.
Mine has been a 5 star season.
Pretty good. Spot I got permission on and have been scouting I see about 8-14 toms in a field every day I scout. Hope i get to that spot this week for the first time! Only hunted one day. Struggled to kill one but we're on birds all day. Killed one in the eve. Population is about same as past few years. Maybe even up a little. In wisconsin btw
My only complaint is lack of opportunity to hunt.
Only have Saturday mornings. I've been 4 times killed 2 and blew my chance at #3 Saturday morning. I didn't set up where I should have and it cost me a bird. Got him to 60 yards and enjoyed the show. If I had set up where my gut said to I'd carried him out.
The first 2 weeks was great. Heard at least half a dozen gobbling daily. Killed one , missed one and let one walk. Last 3 weeks are the worst I have seen in the last several years. Heard a couple but nothing wanted to play. I think alot of it is due to a couple first year members on my lease. They hunted almost everyday and run and gun on our 1300 acres. They shot at a couple way farther than they should have , absolutely hammered them with aggressive calling , spooked them and busted many off their roost. I kill my limit there yearly , but this year I won't. Also the weather has been less than ideal the entire season. Only a handful of calm , mild sunny days. At least I got to hunt. I'm really trying to get these 2 clowns gone. We have a total of 6 turkey members max and we have all killed birds the last 8 years until this one.
My season on public opened 2 weeks after private lands. Heard a decent amount of gobbling, but lately they shut up when they fly down. This is my very first season so to be able to set up near them has been a learning experience. I missed a gobbler my first day out due to a couple poor decisions but I won't ever make those mistakes again. Seeing a gobbler strut and gobble at my decoys, missed shot or not, is a win in my book.
For the most part, Great. Called one for a friend's son. Called one a quarter mile to 60 steps for the father on what we both agreed was maybe our most exciting call even though no trigger was pulled. Called one for my son. Biggest disappointment was failing to get one for my grandson and pulling my thigh muscle in quicksand going to a gobbler on the first of the only two days I carried a gun. The next day I declined to go in the bottom to a gobbler as I doubted I could get out with an extra twenty pounds.
In the infamous words of Hoyt, "Not to goooood!"
Called two birds to within spitting distance of my niece on youth day. That's been the highlight. Had one rooster 45 yards in front of me. My fault for getting that close but didn't realize he was right there. Birds gobbled for a few minutes after fly down and then all was fairly quiet the rest of the day. Similar thing the next day. Birds flew down and not a peep afterwards. Totally disappointing. Set up in a field that's typically dynamite yesterday. Not a single bird on that side of the farm. Unfortunately, someone was hunting the other side of the farm and we couldn't go to the few we heard in the distance. Apparently, they flew across the line when they did eave the roost anyway so that was that. Finally got two birds to play but they never materialized. Had them coming then they went the other way. I'm guessing some hens got to them and led them off but they never did enter the field. Could be worse though. Could be stuck at work instead.
Managed to take a nice 2 year old the first week. 4 out of 7 days I never heard a gobble.
B- mostly because I've really only worked 2 birds the entire week.
3 weeks left but my hunting days will be limited.
My B- could drastically change.
Good luck, hope your season turns into A+
Edited: Took my second bird on the 27th. Caught him by himself in a field.
This bird is another 2 year old.
Change my rating to A+
This has been the worst season I've ever had here in South MS. Our #'s are as low as I've ever seen them and have NOT heard a single gobble in my home county. Called one up for my buddy on his lease the first morning I stepped in the woods. I missed my opportunity on doubling up with him, shot was too thick. It has gone downhill since. I traveled a good bit to some public land ~ 2 hrs. away but never was able to get one in gun range. I have until the 1st to get it done but think I'm done for this season honestly. I'm tired of driving so much and am pretty frustrated that I can't hear one on my old stomping grounds.
As far as killing my limit it was good, but for the overall season I'd say sub par. The weather and hunting pressure wasn't friendly this season.
Absolutely terrible.
Had a great opening week when I left my typical stomping grounds. Once I got back to S Arkansas....crickets.
Our problem is the AGFCs decision to open season later. Our turkey numbers were in decline, public property mismanaged, and over run (I blame that on other areas having permit hunting only).
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I hunt the midlands of SC and it's been ok. I killed two birds and called another to 60 yards but I have not heard much gobbling at all. Everybody I talk with that hunts this area tells the same store hear one or two birds of the roast but by 8am the gobbling is done.
really slow compared to last year. 1 average gobbler, 4 feral dogs and 1 coyote so far. our season ends May 14th here and I'm guessing the gobbler action will be better the next two weeks.
best afield
So far it's pretty normal. The noose seems to be tightening for me. Got to duel a great public land bird on sunday. A half seconds hesitation on my part saved his life. It still stings a little but I will give him another go in a week or so. Really hoping to have one in the bag by the end of this week. We will see.
I killed three here in central Mississippi. But it's been a tough season. Have hunted a ton haven't heard many. Killed my three in the past 13 days. Just couldn't find them early in the season. I know quite a few hunters who are way better turkey hunters than me who haven't heard birds this season. Now it's time to start fishing.
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My season hasn't even started yet. But to all those that say they had a bad season but still shot 2/3 birds, all I have to say is I'm jealous. If you think 2-3 birds is a bad season then come to my area where hearing 2-3 birds on hunt able ground is a blessing. Just consider yourselves lucky. I'm getting ready to start the season here and I don't really expect to hear more than 3-4 hunt able all season.
Best season ever for me!! Tagged out in sc and nc this year. I Killed my biggest bird yet and had my first crossbow kill.
I've got one word to describe my season and I gonna spell it out for ya "S A W F T!" Not sure of how many of you guys watch pro wresting but its a saying on there these days. Its been pretty rough for me after opening day where I was able to get a nice gobbler. With only hearing a gobble or two on the roost and no responses to calls from the roost since then its been tough.
Great! I have seen and heard more birds this year than ever before. I've tagged out and had two very close encounters with my son almost getting it done! Now two more Saturdays. The best way I could top it off is to have him bust one!!!
Poor- lost my 3 best spots when some land changed hands and others took theirs out of the forest crop program. Is it almost impossible to get access to decent property in my area.
I would be interested to know where everyone is located on this thread--Seems to me the folks who are having the hardest time are the Mississippi and Alabama folks. I have hunted both of states multiple times and I know the challenge of those pine woods and lower numbers than what we have in the Midwest.
I am originally from Louisiana, and numbers are very low in the Southeast part of the state according to my family. So far, my season has gone pretty good with Kansas and Missouri Youth Successes, Kansas Tagged out, Missouri regular season with pretty good action--until I had two consecutive hunters this weekend totally whiff on their birds.....Total birds killed in front of me so far this year is 9 along with those two misses.
Hoping to get my brother on some Missouri birds this weekend.
I'll get back to ya in about 17 days. So far not the best but not the worst either.
pitiful, pathetic are a few words that come to mind.
on a scale of 1-10 my season has been about a 1
First of season the weather wasn't great but i've managed 2 nice birds one with my 12 ga. and one with my 20 ga.
Just got underway here. Hunted 3/5 days of the first season. Good activity, just some bad luck. One real good opportunity squandered. I'm having fun and next week will be better. Scale of 1 to 10,I'd say a strong 7.