Central PA Gobbling Report

[catclr]

They were gobbling in Indiana this past Friday.

Of course! One of the nice days that I couldn't get out. Same thing today. I think I can give it a shot tomorrow and the weather looks good. Really wanted to try this morning, thinking after the rainy weekend, they might get stirred up to some early morning sunshine.

You didn't miss anything today, or at least in my area, no gobbling, did run into 2 hens out feeding and the last one was after 11 am., and she did some loud calling when I surprised her in the field, but no gobbling.

[HFultzjr]

05/24/2016
Got a chance to get out for a couple hours this morning between schedules.
In the woods 8-11:30am. Not prime time, but all I could do.
Nothing.....beautiful day, but silent.
Wish I could get out before daybreak, but schedule won't allow.
I usually get some action late morning this time of the year.
Not this year!

[compton30]

After going weeks without having heard a gobble, today was finally different. Got to my area around 7:20, started glassing an enormous reclaimed coal stripping field, and there's big boy putting on a show. Got him to give me a courtesy gobble until I noticed he had a single hen. Couldn't help myself and got into a bit of an argument with his lady, and man he just could not get enough of it. Hammering constantly. She led him away then eventually wandered off around 9:30 and he came probably 180-200 yards back to me only to hang up probably 60 yards away but also below me on a slight hill. He strutted for probably 10 minutes before losing interest. No way of getting around him without spooking him off. Best gobbling day of the year for me and a new plan of attack is already in place for tomorrow! 

[HFultzjr]

Glad to hear somebody got a little action!
Right now, if I heard a gobble I would consider it a good day.
Spent another great 4 hours practicing my calling in the woods where I hunt.
I must say, the calls....ALL OF THEM, were performing at their peak. At least to me, if not the gobblers.
About the only thing I haven't tried yet, is a deer grunt tube and my cell phone ring tone. They are next in my bag of tricks to try..........LOL.

[kobes31]

I've been out twice first time hunting for anything at all, both times with 2 others and none of us have heard a thing despite tons of turkey signs.  I made a racket last time out and called in a silent hen but nobody else has even seen anything.  Crazy!  I went out scouting the week before opening day and saw a good sized flock with 2 monsters in the area who are now ghosts.

[HFultzjr]

05/28/2016

Another quiet morning in Central PA. Except for some crows and tweety birds, I could have fallen asleep. Hot, buggy, and to top it off, my air conditioning in vehicle stopped working when I got back to it. Quit at 11:30, had enough. I'll give it one more try on Memorial Day, then that's my year. Sure glad I shot an "eating" bird on the 1st day.

[troutfisher13111]

I've hunted northern PA(Susquehanna county) a couple times with zero luck. I thought it might be just me. Any reason why things are so quiet in PA?

[HFultzjr]

I've hunted northern PA(Susquehanna county) a couple times with zero luck. I thought it might be just me. Any reason why things are so quiet in PA?

Wish I knew!

It is one of the quietest years in memory. Lots of activity middle to end of April, then it just seemed to dry up. Started out thinking this was going to be a banner year, then it turned into one of the quietest. Some guys seem to be scoring in some areas, but a lot are saying the same......"it's quiet". I think the crazy weather may have had some impact, but who knows. A few things I've observed this year:

There isn't any "magic calls". I've added new calls this year to no avail.
Turkeys move a lot........ more so this year than I can remember.
Late season birds are usually more co-operative......not this year.
Private land is better.......not this year, maybe less pressure, but not better. I have access to 800 acres.

If a Gobbler doesn't want to play, he isn't going to play......no way, no how. NADA

[crow]

hunted public in the poconos today, not a gobble cluck or yelp
did find a couple areas with fresh scratchings, and a couple of freshly used dusting bowls so they are there

[catclr]

5/26/16---Thurs.-----Heard my first hens talking in about 2 weeks. No gobbling on roost. Thought I would try heading to the area where the hen's were talking, and at 7:15 heard a gobble, in hollow along creek bottom. I was on top about 100 yds. away with a grain field above me.  I left him do all the gobbling he wanted till I knew he was on my side of the creek, then did some soft calling, but no gobble to my calling, but he would gobble when he felt like it, and the  he shut up. Stayed in the area for 2 1/2 hrs. and nothing, which made it around 10:30, so packed it up and went home.

That afternoon/evening went back into the same area as the morning, got set up at 4:30 pm., and did some calling every 1/2 hr. till I heard a gobble at 6:30 and he kept gobbling till 8. Nothing more.

5/27/16---Fri.---Went back same area, and nothing, stayed till  11, and then headed home.
5/28/16---Sat.---Slept in and worked around the house. To humid.  Sat. eve. sat in my yard and watched some turkeys, about 1/2 mile away feeding, and then saw a hen with a gobbler following, as every once in a while would do a half strut. They fed up through a hay field then into a bean field, then back to the hay field. By 8:15 pm, hen entered woods, but the gobbler kept feeding in the hay field, but kept headed east, and I ended up loosing sight of him, but he was at the end of the field, and all he had was woods in front of him, which would put him on the point of the woods. Even with the air blowing from him to me never heard him gobble.   

Like others I thought our season would be like last year, but seems as usual the turkey's will be turkey's, and do their own thing.

[HFultzjr]

catclr,

At least your are hearing an occasional gobble. I almost forget what they sound like. Unbelievable!

Here is the 1st gobble I've heard in a while:


LOL

[HFultzjr]

Not really a gobbler report, but I wanted to note something.
2 hens are hanging around the house.
1 has 6 chicks and the other has 8 I think.
Boy are they small for this time of year. The 6 are about 1-1/2 times my hand size and the 8 are only hand size. The 8 are still "peepies". I've never seen them this small in mid July. Can't be more than a couple weeks old. Must of been a really late hatch, or 2nd or 3rd try.