How’s everyone’s season going?

[RiverBuck]

For me, opening morning was textbook. I went after several birds, things went sideways for all sorts of reasons until 10am when 2 birds committed and 1 left.
I've been hunting more than I thought I'd be able to since then and have mastered calling in stealthy hens. This has also led to me being busted more than a few times.
Right now on the 1000 acres I hunt the big boys are gobbling on the roost then silent when they get down. Either hanging w hens or they know there is a bullseye on their head.. they are weary.
I hunted a friends farm a few days ago and unknowingly set up to close to a roosting bird. He flew off before first light and the other birds were non responders to calls the rest of the morning.

I've basically been enjoying the sunrises and using mouth calls as my trick. Pretty much just bring my gun and a padded seat to try and stay mobile. I've been able to watch some cool strut and drumming shows but may have to blow the dust off a DSD hen this next week.

Hope everyone is having some type luck and enjoying being back in the woods again.

[GobbleNut]

"Sucks" pretty much sums up my spring thus far.  My first leg in OK can be summarized with "too many hunters, too few birds, and too high winds".  Unfortunately, the first few days here in NM can be summarized with the same comment, but add 8" of snow to the mix.   

Headed up again today to try to get back on track.  Expecting better weather, fewer hunters, and more cooperative gobblers this time around.  ....We'll see.....

[Happy]

I am gonna play it pretty close to the vest  till the end. Maybe throw out a teaser once in a while to keep y'all guessing. I haven't been out much but I have had fun!

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[avidnwoutdoorsman]

My opener was met sitting on a bird gobbling it's head off on the roost when two no bodies come waltzing down the road 15 min before fly down within 75 yds of the roost half huntched like that would make a difference. Don't worry it gets better. They set up right there. My buddy and I don't let our presents be know and pull some more birds in from up the cut. Next thing we know they are running and flying for their lives cuz the yahoo's thought they can sneak up on them in the cut! Had a few kind words. They are east-sisters that ain't ever hunted Easterns on Weyco.
Slept in day 2, family day 3, hunt day 4. Put all the eggs in my basket to hunt the bottom of the cut. Birds are up high this time. No wait got two across the creek ready to pitch over on que. WHAT THE XYZ!!!! Here's two new yahoo's walking on the road again!!!!
Day 5 move to see friends in the south central part of the state and put on dad duty. Perfect! Go scouting in the little turkey country there is and what do you know put a strutter and 9 hens to bed from over a half mile away across a river. This is open country now. Day 6 up and packing in the dark and set up decoys 75 from the roost I'm sitting 95. Can't see squat. I am set on roost pre-nautical twilight preferably astronomical. Get a gobble sounding weak. Two bird pitch opposite and into a field long ways out. Third way to my right, forth way to my left, forth one flys back up, then valla the rest pitch straight in my decoys including a the JAKE! Not shooting. Move spots play cat games with a 4 Jake's and a gobbler along a private fence line for 2 hours. Actually call there 3 hens past me.
Day 7 time to move to our property (stay at a friends as mine is bare land). Mind you I have my wife and twin girls but two cars doing the visit family and friend and turkey hunt combo. I low key every year try to pick up an instate slam and I know of a good spot I've killed an "Rio" the last two years like same roost but lots of other birds. 15 min south is a new piece of public I roosted birds youth weekend and 15min north is 1200acres a prime time private I just gained access to. I go with what I know. Leave at 2am drive 2 hrs set up in my spot where birds "always" roost. Coyotes start ripping and birds start gobbling. I counted 8 different roost within the mile. My roost... moved up the hill 100yds. I don't move. Birds fly down and then fly back up...coyote? Birds fly down and I admire Tom strutting. Plan to move ahead of them, too slow, go back to my spot. There were 2 more roost sub 400yds maybe they'll come. Calling bird fires off on direction of first bird. Glass he's perched on his cute rock ledge 100yds over the fence 400+ yds away. I move to him sub 150 yds. He moves to me 50 then bloop he's off the bluff and walking up the canyon gobbling his head off. I talk story with him he keeps moving up then hangs up. I'm back at my spot now debating life. I have a phone call at 10am, no service, it's 8:15. I pack up and convince myself if he's still there when I walk back to the truck I'm gonna go to him again. Grab my strutter and up the hill I go. Check my pins and think he's about 150 over the crest. I call he answers or someone else did. I move closer call again he answers where I think he should be. Start to move.... uh-oh red head peaking. I stop hold the strutter in front and call. He's strutting and getting closer. I inch forward to find some dirt amongst all the rocks. Range 40 yds. Struggling to stab decoy. Decoy down. Pulling gun back and up. Blouch! 20yds bird down.
At the friends and the birds are gobbling wife is napping and I'm itching to roost. Be here until Sunday have 1 new hunter coming for sure and like 6 open invites. Rain forecasted this weekend.
Good luck y'all.


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[Swamp]

I've been out twice got busted at 20 yards on my first hunt haven't heard a bird sense. Headed out in the morning for a little bit but work has limited my time out.

[notsure]

Can't complain. I managed to call in and kill a gobbler by 8AM on opening morning in MN. I'll be hunting WI starting on May 5th. Up here, cold weather's always a factor, but the long range forecast looks promising.

[Sir-diealot]

Has not started yet, going to set up two blinds tomorrow and test turkey vest and see if it will give me other options. Hoping I can get some pictures tomorrow anyway.

[RiverBuck]

Well.. Congrats to those who have scored and sending good vibes to the team for success the remainder of the season.

I understand the headaches of public land. Most of my life I was a public land only hunter from south Florida to Montana. My weapon of choice was a bow. It was a lifestyle.
For over 35 years I had a dream of owning a property where I could hunt out my back door. I would often daydream how nice it would be while walking miles on a WMA or be reminded of it when other hunters walked in on me.
Several years ago my land dream became reality.
Public land made me the hunter I am today.
Stay relentless in your goal of a longbeard... Hard work usually pays. Cheers to Success!

[GobbleNut]

Things improved dramatically over the last couple of days,....two mornings hunted, two gobblers down!  Details and stories later...

[notsure]

Beautiful Birds, and a spectacular background. I will hunt Merriams' in the mountains at some point, G_D willing.

[Happy]

Congrats gobblenut. How much damage to your truck?

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[Sir-diealot]

Congratulations GobbleNut and nice photos, really like the second one. I thought that was a Merriams' but am still learning, notsure let me know I was right by his comment.

[ManfromGreenSwamp]

Tagged out in Georgia and the first zero for my Florida birds in I don't know how many years...bitter sweet!


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[ManfromGreenSwamp]

Great job and congratulations to all!


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[outdoorsmen]

In a word....horrible.  13 days and nothing. The only saving grace is my son shot his first bird during youth season.  Closest I got was this morning.  Bird would only gobble to a crow. He never answered my calls.  I never saw him but he was close.