Tough row to hoe

[ChesterCopperpot]

Had some success and stayed on plenty of birds opening week in SC, but season's been open a week here at the house in the NC mountains and I ain't heard a gobble. I know of some birds being killed, but I've covered seven to ten miles per day and haven't heard one on the roost or struck one mid morning to early afternoon. Been in the woods every day. Worst part is I know I'm doing nothing wrong. I'm in prime locations well before first light, places I know gobblers frequent and where I can hear literally miles of country. I'm setting up and sitting on heavy sign. Most times I'd assume the sign could be old but we've had plenty of rain and I'm seeing new tracks made daily. It's fresh and the birds are there. I'm still-hunting the miles slow enough that I'm getting on hens so I know I'm not moving too fast. I've had hens coming into my set ups so I know I'm not calling too much or too aggressively. Just no gobbling and no gobblers.

Come home yesterday afternoon and one's strutting above the house. I don't hunt these birds for various reasons, but the ridgeline above my house I can typically here three to five birds every morning. In the process of building a listening tower up there just for sh*ts and giggles. Anyhow, I assumed they were still gobbling every morning here at the house. Sat up there this morning since we can't hunt Sundays and to my surprise I didn't hear a peep here either. Perfect morning. Shredded clouds and bluebird skies. Zero wind. Cold and crisp. Crows raising a ruckus. Not a gobble. Just turkeys being turkeys and I'm not going to change a thing in that I know I'm on birds and I know I'm hunting them right, but it sure has been a tough row to hoe thus far.


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[762hunter]

Tight lipped and difficult here in W Tn as well

Lots of jakes, seen about 20 different jakes at different properties so far. Look like we had a good hatch.


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[ChesterCopperpot]

Tight lipped and difficult here in W Tn as well

Lots of jakes, seen about 20 different jakes at different properties so far. Look like we had a good hatch.


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That's great news anyhow! We've had bad hatches here the past few years, largely on account of heavy cold relentless rains throughout nesting. This year hasn't been like that so far as far as weather so I'm hopeful they'll do well. That's one reason I refuse to hunt these birds at the house. I know for a fact that not a single hen has successfully reared a poult in two years. Not one.


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[Tom007]

Stick with it my friend, it will break for you.........

[Greg Massey]

Everyone will say patience's , but sometimes they wears a little thin. All of what you said can wear on you as a turkey hunter, if we killed one ever time we left the truck, we for sure wouldn't have any gobblers left. I agree with you it has happen to us all, we get to thinking am i doing something wrong, NO your not it's just turkeys being turkeys... it's like turkey's communicating to each other, we better shut up and stop gobbling, it happens pretty much in my area, just as soon as the tree's leaf out .. it's like they just stop gobbling.. but i know gobblers are still in my area, because i'm seeing hen's mostly ever trip out into the turkey woods. Could this be because most hen's have already been breed, Could is a big word in hunting these birds. IMO...

[ChesterCopperpot]

Stick with it my friend, it will break for you.........

I appreciate it, and, yeah, I'll be there whether they hammer or whether they go tight lipped as mobsters Sooner or later one will slip up.

Everyone will say patience's , but sometimes they wears a little thin. All of what you said can wear on you as a turkey hunter, if we killed one ever time we left the truck, we for sure wouldn't have any gobblers left. I agree with you it has happen to us all, we get to thinking am i doing something wrong, NO your not it's just turkeys being turkeys... it's like turkey's communicating to each other, we better shut up and stop gobbling, it happens pretty much in my area, just as soon as the tree's leaf out .. it's like they just stop gobbling.. but i know gobblers are still in my area, because i'm seeing hen's mostly ever trip out into the turkey woods. Could this be because most hen's have already been breed, Could is a big word in hunting these birds. IMO...

Anybody who's been at it awhile knows you can kill them when they're silent. Just ain't the fun way of doing it. And the unsuccessful silent days tend to wear you down more than the unsuccessful gobbling days. Patience definitely wears thin, my friend.


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[RutnNStrutn]

Early season often means henned up gobblers that don't want or need to talk to you. Stick with it. Things will change.

Sent from deep in the woods where the critters roam.

[Tail Feathers]

I feel your pain.  Seven days in FL and never heard a gobble this year.  Yikes!

[Tom007]

Early season often means henned up gobblers that don't want or need to talk to you. Stick with it. Things will change.

Sent from deep in the woods where the critters roam.

My scouting has revealed henned up gobblers. The good news in one of my spots, there's 2 Tom's courting one hen. Maybe I can get hm jealous. One week rom tomorrow Is our opener. Good luck to all...

[Fieldturkey]

Similar condition here where I hunt in eastern NC. Birds are here but being tough

[Gooserbat]

And tomorrow it could change.

[ChesterCopperpot]

And tomorrow it could change.

Absolutely! And I'll be there with bells on.


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[silvestris]

Not covering enough ground.

[deerbasshunter3]

It has been tough in the Low Country as well, at least for me. I had a bird gobbling today until noon, but I could not pull him out... He finally busted me trying to make a move.

[ChesterCopperpot]

Not covering enough ground.

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