North East Tennessee/Southwest Virginia Birds

[Gmed]

Anyone else having problems gettin these Northeast Tennessee/Southwest Virginia birds fired up and gobbling once they are off the tree? Seems like the lower than average temps, wind and showers have slowed them down. Our weather has been about like opening weekend instead of late April. They gobble half a dozen times on the roost, then on the ground and nothing. Been this way for two weeks where we are. My son and I have been lucky enough to take a Tennessee bird each, and we know there are several more where we are hunting, just all goes quiet, including the hens, when they hit the ground....

[AppalachianHollers]

I hunt SE Tennessee, so not directly relevant. But Monday before opening day gobblers were fired up even at midday. Opening day they were gobbling on ridge strut zones, and we nearly called one down into range.
Since then, I've only heard maybe a gobble or two on the roost, hens cutting and yelping right after fly down, and then they go silent.


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[Gmed]

I hope this weather changes and maybe they will gobble a little more midday when the girls start to leave them. The two Tennessee birds we took were the second and third days of the season...birds here aren't even gobbling as they fly up so you can't even roost one....

[bbcoach]

I hope this weather changes and maybe they will gobble a little more midday when the girls start to leave them. The two Tennessee birds we took were the second and third days of the season...birds here aren't even gobbling as they fly up so you can't even roost one....

Good Luck with that.  Here in Eastern NC, the birds will gobble a little on the limb, hit the ground and gobble 1 or 2 times and that's it for the day.  Tried every call and nothing.  They won't come to a call or gobble at one either.  I did kill a bird Saturday morning only because I was in his travel route.  Tough season so far. 

[Snoodly]

I have been experiencing the same lack of gobbling here on the areas I hunt in north east Tennessee also.I have been fortunate enough to take one bird this year but it has been tough hunting this year for me. Hopefully things will improve before it's over.

[mtns2hunt]

SW Virginia birds are very quite. Strangly I have heard more gobbles during rainy periods then clear days. Overall they are hardly sounding off at all. Part of this may be due to the over abundance of hens roaming around. I think it will pick up over the next couple of weeks.

[bbcoach]

SW Virginia birds are very quite. Strangly I have heard more gobbles during rainy periods then clear days. Overall they are hardly sounding off at all. Part of this may be due to the over abundance of hens roaming around. I think it will pick up over the next couple of weeks.

I hope you are correct but it is my belief that the breeding is over.  A month ago when we were scouting, we were seeing birds everywhere.  Now very few sightings.  Last year we had poults with hens on the 8th of May.  I believe most of the breeding took place in March and with our season in full swing, the gobbling has tailed off dramatically and the hens are on their eggs.  Two weeks of VERY hard hunting left.

[turkey_slayer]

SW Virginia birds are very quite. Strangly I have heard more gobbles during rainy periods then clear days. Overall they are hardly sounding off at all. Part of this may be due to the over abundance of hens roaming around. I think it will pick up over the next couple of weeks.

This. What gobblers I've seen are with 1-6 hens. It'll get good in another week or so. I always prefer hunting in May

[Gmed]

We saw three long beards together yesterday....no hen anywhere....Way out in a field...they are just a little odd this year. I hope it does pick up a little.

[Gmed]

Seems to be getting worse....less gobbling on the tree. You are probably right there bbcoach....

[turkey_slayer]

Seems to be getting worse....less gobbling on the tree. You are probably right there bbcoach....

This is exactly why I love May. Lot of guys think it's over and we have the woods to ourselves. We also see poults here every may. Breeding is a bell curve. Some happens before the season, the bulk during the first part and then tapers off at the end of the season and even continues a bit longer. Don't hear as many cause a lot are dead but it's when we find the hottest birds and most of the time they're older. The young Jennies are usually the ones hanging around now

[Gmed]

I hope so. Not seeing a lot of hens. I guess everyone are nesting. Didn't seem like I saw as many hens wandering around by their lonesome this spring as I normally have in the past. Think I'll see if I can get an afternoon bird worked up here in the next few days if this rain will let up....