Let's talk turkey !

[BowBendr]

I'm trying to not get too ramped up way too early, but I can't help it...so i'll just talk about it.
I still have about 50 days before i'll get to hunt, but that hasn't stopped me from getting out and looking for birds. Conventional wisdom says to not count on birds being where they are now when spring time rolls around, but I had to get out of the house a little. This winter has been a cold one and we've had a lot of snow, the cabin fever has to go !

The first couple of places I went were here in the mountains of NC to just check-in with land owners that have allowed me to hunt their land for the past several seasons. I went to each, just to say howdy and gather info on what they had been seeing all winter. Most spots are several hundred acres and none less than 100. All land owners told me of seeing flocks numbering over 75 birds and that bird numbers appear to be on the rise, which is contradictory to what's going on in the rest of the state. We've suffered some really bad hatches the past 2 or 3 years in most parts of NC.

I did stop in one final spot to pick guitar with a fellow i'd been "working on" the past year or two to try and clinch another spot to hunt. I pulled up at his house and got out to find him sitting out on the back porch watching a flock of about 60 birds in his front pasture. I jokingly told him he needed to get rid of some of those pest that had been scratching around in all of his christmas tree fields and he said I was right and to come hunt them all I wanted !

I just don't know if i'll make it until April 9th.
How about you guys ? Do ya'll have all your spots lined up and have you been looking for birds yet ?
How do you feel your chances are for the season ? We only need to score 10 birds and I hope we all can kill a bird and then just play around with up-grading our own birds. I know roosted ain't roasted, but I sure do feel better about the season after getting all the good reports from my land owners.

Now it's your turn...let's talk turkey.

[DMP]

We had a GREAT hatch this past year and there are hens and jakes everywhere.  Saw some really good toms during deer season on our club lease and ill probably get out in about two more weeks and start trying to figure them out. 

Picked up another track that a buddy of mine leases but he doesn't turkey hunt so he told me to have at it.  He swears turkeys are there but I haven't seen it yet but hope to check it out next week.

Need to talk to one of my dads co workers who let me hunt his place last year to make sure we can again this year.  Im sure he want care but need to touch base anyway.  Killed two off that tract last year and let a bunch of jakes live to see another year so hopefully they have made it to see another April.

Im really not liking this warm weather and wish that it would get cold again quick like.   I hate early springs and what it does to the turkeys.  Don't care much for sweating like a hog while turkey hunting either.  I had rather it be good and cool every morning when those toms wake up and start ripping the woods up.

[misfire]

It just so happens that I sold a couple of calls to a gentleman who owns 360 prime acres in the middle of the state. He called me Friday to let me know that not only did he receive the calls I sent him, but that he got another 160 acres he was closing on the next Monday ( yesterday) and that he would be calling me during turkey season to come on down. He doesnt hunt turkeys, so I am feeling good about that place. All told, I am up to 22,060 acres of private land to hunt this year

[woodsman1977]

We can have some pretty bad winter here in MI. In the past I would hang my spin cast feeders and feed them (and the deer) all winter long but a couple years ago the DNR found a ranch deer with CWD and they shut down all now feeding that was accessible to deer. I got creative and built some feeders that the deer couldn't get at and have been feeding them since Dec 1.

I tried some "Beard Builder" supplement from HS Strut this winter and an anxious to get my trail cams out and get some pictures of the beards that I hope have been built up strong....and long. I have since dissected the mix and now make my own mix with supplies from the local feed and grain store.

I don't own land of my own but when I was younger I worked a couple summers on a dairy farm up North a bit and have had exclusive rights to it ever since. Although it is agricultural, I have talked to the farmer and plan to put in a small food plot in the spring to give the deer and turkeys some variety.

It is not easy to wait but it is starting to get warmer out and I catch myself thinking more and more about the turkeys.

[MDbowman]

The packages are showing up in the mail. Shells, new diaphragms, etc. The snow finally is pretty much gone and the wind is clocking a steady 40 today drying things out!! Might go for a walk in the woods on Monday. The place I spend a lot fo time hunting is an Army base that has daily draws for hunting areas, and no access except while you are hunting so no scouting. Been bowhunting it since 1983 so I know the lay of the land in a lot of the areas which is a big help. It is a pretty nice area to hunt. The other day I was entering an address in my wifes GPS for her and noticed a bunch of spots I didn't recognize. Then I remembered Derek had borrowed the GPS last Spring and these were driving directions to all his hotspots!! Sweet!   

[derek]

The other day I was entering an address in my wifes GPS for her and noticed a bunch of spots I didn't recognize. Then I remembered Derek had borrowed the GPS last Spring and these were driving directions to all his hotspots!! Sweet!   

Hey! Stay away from my turkeys!! 

[Fullfan]

Got to see my first strutter of the year today, and it was in the snow. Have not seen many birds out and about this winter. But have several on my trail cameras.

Just spent some time on google earth looking at the property my dad and I are going to hunt in Tn. Talked to the uncle ( property owner) last night. Said he counted 96 birds in one of his fields. Can't wait. My dad stopped at the uncles last fall on his way to Tx to fish. He called me and said there were 7 long berads in the yard.

I have been doing this since 1976, and I am just like a kid this year. Meaning I can not wait.