Suddenly Gone

[SouthernIAhunter]

Hey guys, I have a question. I took my son hunting this weekend for Iowa's youth season on my Aunt's farm that's around 80 acres. During winter, Spring,and all up until this weekend we have seen turkeys all over the farm. There are older turkey signs everywhere.  We hunted the whole farm this weekend and never seen a turkey, or heard a gobble on the farm. People on the neighboring farms were having luck, not us though. Usually, we hear around 13 gobbles and have a longbeard down during youth, but not this past weekend. Its just strange. It really hasn't been walked on but once last weekend. We caught tresspassers trompin all over the ground and shooting things with guns. would that be why they were like this? That's the only time someone has been on it since early March. So what do you guys think happened? Should we try somewhere else next weekend? Thanks.

[redleg06]

Trespassers and people pressure (just increased people traffic in the area) could have something to do with it but they could also just be in that stage of the breeding cycle that the hens are still hanging tight with gobblers and they arent having to gobble much.

I have a piece of land that's like this. I know there are turkey there from past experience but this past weekend, they were extremely quiet. It was tough off the roost but between 10-3pm, I got back on them and caught them without hens and managed to make them get fired up.

If you know they are in the area, I'd be out there.  More than likely, they havent just left all together.

[gunnerj]

Something spooked them off. It probably was the trespassers. They'll be back, but how long is the big question. Birds won't break there routine unless preditors become an issue. That is when they'll move off until they are pushed back. Let it cool off, settle down, and see what happens. It may take a bit though. 

[guesswho]

Neighbors might be feeding them. 

[larry9988]

very good answer quesswho. i was thinking the same thing.

[cahaba]

Neighbors might be feeding them. 

My thoughts exactly. My cousin has a lease in a great county for birds. I went down there last year and could hear birds everywhere on adjecent property but never even seen a track where I was hunting. My cousin said the property next door was owned by a doctor who fed deer and turkeys year round and he dont even hunt!

[SouthernIAhunter]

Thanks guys I greatly appreciate the advice. It's illegal to feed deer and turkeys then hunt them in Iowa I believe. But that doesn't mean he doesnt do it.