2025 Success? Or Skunked?

[lunghit]

Filled one tag opening day of the NY season. I am using the bow for the second bird but it's been quiet. Had a jake come in and put on a little show 2 days ago but I passed him up. Still have time in the season so at least i'm still in the woods.

[Old Timer]

I've been working them around the rain storms. Saw 4 longbeards giving me the silent treatment. Give it a go tomorrow. The blessing of today was I stopped  to pick ramps for soup for the family  and friends.  Good day.

[Cowboy]

Rain and wind diminished the gobbling some I believe. I had a few good days though. I probably hunted 30 to 35 days. 3 out of 4 of us in my family got a longbeard. Stepson got his first one that I called up for him, and I called up a pair of longbeards straight of the roost for the wife... She tagged one. Step daughter only hunted 1 day, so she didn't get one...I finally broke free and got to hunt for myself. Called up a longbeard 3 days before the end of the season, and I killed him at 32 steps. Came in gobbling hard and strutting like we all want them to do. My grandson was sitting right beside me on it...he's 8 and he's hooked now...lol I didn't travel out of my home state at all this year but had a great season. 

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[Meleagris gallopavo]

Had a pretty good season. I was kinda down the 2nd and 3rd weeks of the season, but that happens every year.  Things went really well after that. 

[Yoder409]

Skunked in Florida.
Skunked in Maryland.

At one point, I had hunted 6 1/2 days and never heard a gobble.  That has mever happened to me in 45 or 46 years of spring hunting !!

GREAT opening week in PA !!!  Made up (mostly) for the other 2 states.

Still have that pair of Maryland tags.  But, current intel suggests the birds are still not burning it up there, so.....

I'll trade MD pins for PA pins...

Yes boys, this is a joke. .............

 I avoid PA at all costs 

I would.......

But the property owner where I hunt in PA is a TOTAL S.O.B. !!!   

Very, VERY hard to get on this piece. 

[Clif Owen]

No luck here..tough season. Found a few but was unable to outrun the competition to the gate. I don't know if maybe they slept there or something. Found another and actually could have shot but I never could see his fan so am not sure if he was a legal bird or not. His beard was borderline..I think. And had a guy park on top of me after seeing me the last weekend. Since I saw 6 or 7 jakes; I have an idea where a few will be next spring if they make it through the winter

[Ondavirg]

Great season for me. One of the best I've had as far as opportunities for time spent afield. 

Florida was happening.  My son and I doubled opening morning (north zone).  I was able to call in a bird for a buddy and then another for my son.  Wish they could all be like this...

Mississippi was tough.  My neighbors and I killed 1/3 the birds we did last year.  Seemed like the population was reasonable, but conditions were tough and the birds tight-lipped.  Did kill one off my place but no luck for my son. Overall a down year but not a bust. 

Oklahoma was a trip with a buddy to a place loaded with birds, and we doubled on our first morning.  A really fun hunt on a new place.

Texas was a short trip on a buddy's place that ended with 2 good birds running down the gun barrel on the most exciting hunt of the year.  Also the last hunt of the year.  The one I picked out was my biggest bird of the year, but nowhere near the size of the other tom, which my buddy shot. His was several pounds heavier and spurs were 1/4" longer at 1 3/8" each.

Best news is each place I hunted had a healthy jake population, so hopefully next year will be just as good.  Great time spent with friends and family enjoying these birds and the different places they live!

[cracker4112]

Didn't get to hunt as much as usual, my oldest is graduating from HS and the activities have been endless.  Not going on any trips to hunt either.  That said, I managed to get my 2 in FL.  Had close calls with my boys when they were able to get out with me but no dice for them.

[Tom007]

Success for me, not because I was fortunate to tag some, but I thoroughly enjoyed everyday afield. Still have 8 days left. I usually hunt alone, but enjoyed my hunt with Zelmo in Florida and teamed up with a retired buddy this spring in my home state. We are on them, enjoying the comradery. I look forward to the Fall, but first a nice summer break will be welcome. Be safe, enjoy your summer!

[zelmo1]

Hard season here. Wife and I doubled and I got one in Maine and tagged out in NH. One more tag in Maine. 3/4 tags filled with 2 weeks to go and the wife is 1/2. Not bad for around here. Z

[CALLM2U]

I tagged out in my home state on the second day of the season.  Dumbest decision I made all year. 

[deerhunt1988]

Very successful in terms of filling tags. Was very discouraging in terms of the ever growing crowds and lack of hunter etiquette.

[Prospector]

Good season for me. However, gobblin esp after fly down was low to nonexistent. Did not even get on a bird by getting an answer at long range to a call and acting accordingly.Had a few "out patienting" type hunts. Did see quite a few jakes so that's a plus.

[Dtrkyman]

Technically had a great season, gobbling on the ground was really slow, killed two completely silent birds mid morning, only birds that gobbled coming in were called in for friends.

Broke a long streak of tags filled on my last hunt, what really stings is a made a few bone head mistakes that cost me that last bird!

Ignorant other hunter encounters are up again as well, I just don't understand these folks!


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[arkrem870]

My 9 year old daughter killed her first gobbler sitting right beside me.  That was the best part of season

I was able to hunt 5 states and going to make one more trip soon. Had action everywhere I went. Turkeys seem to be doing well in 2025. Better than I've seen in the last several years.