Worst season in many years

[RutnNStrutn]

Well gang, I'm done.  
This was without a doubt the worst season I've had in many years. I only got drawn for one hunt here in FLA. Fortunately that was a good hunt, and I got a nice bird. Other than that, the couple of times I went to open WMA's down here, there was no gobbling and the weather wasn't good either.
Then I made 3 trips to my lease in Carolina. I spent a total of 3 weeks hunting up there. About half of those days were crappy weather, and overall the birds weren't gobbling very much, and weren't coming to calls. I hate to use the old cliche term "henned up", but that's exactly what they were. Morning after morning, I'd hear a bird or two gobble only 5-10 times each (some days not even that much), then I'd see or hear him pitch down. On the days I had a visual on the roost area, once the gobbler hit the ground, the trees would start raining hens, and it was game over. This repeated itself to the last day when I worked in the same two gobblers I'd be working all season, only to find they still had a couple of hens with them. They would fly down, hook up with the hens, not make a sound again, and follow the hens in the opposite direction. To compound things, they always roosted in the same general area, but you'd have to wait until full light before they'd start shock gobbling to pinpoint the roost. Some days they wouldn't make a peep.
Very tough and frustrating hunting to say the least. And the exact opposite of last year. Last year they gobble their butts off on the roost, fly down and keep gobbling until 0830 or 9, and give the occasional courtesy gobble as late as 1000. I have no idea what changed from last year to this. The birds even switched sides of the property that they were hanging out in and roosting in. Very weird!!
Finally, my plans to go to Georgia and Virginia both fell through. The topper to a crappy season!
On the bright side, I found a good new spot on one of my favorite WMA's, and Turkeywhacker took me to another WMA that holds promise, which I've never been to before. And we found another property to lease for turkeys up in SC, giving us 2 places to go while we are up there. So adios 2013 season, and c'mon 2014 season, hurry up and get here!!!

[Hayudog]

It has been tough.  You did get a dandy though.  Fly north, those boys are just getting started.

[WildSpur]

That's a bummer.

Yes, come north!  This past week was ok in pa.  Imo the next 2 are best.

Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk 2

[TURKEYWHACKER]

I feel your pain Rut. Glad you could join us for a hunt and we will definitely do it again. 

[Twowithone]

You gave it hell and you harvested a fine gobbler, job well done my brother.

[Deputy 14]

It could always be worse. You did kill a stud of an Osceola though. Now you have next year to look forward to.

[RutnNStrutn]

Wildspur, I think I'm just gonna call it a season. As much as I hate to.
I think instead, I'll just hope to get drawn for something good down here in FLA, and then hook up with Turkeywhacker for a shot at a 2nd Osceola. Or I might try to horn in on one of Neckringer's S. FLA hunts out in the Big Cypress with him!
Then I'll have 2 spots to hunt in the Lowcountry of S. Carolina.
And I'm gonna start working on a good hunt(s) in another state or two. I've been saving up money just for that, so I think its time to spend it on a couple of out of state trips!!
Sorry guys, didn't mean to sound like a whiner. It's just that I've been doing pretty well the last several years. This departure from the norm took the wind out of my sails. Not so much for lack of trying, or even lack of success. But the lack of action or opportunity was really deflating. Oh well, such is life!! 10 months to go before I hit the woods again!!
Best of luck to all of those who are still hunting!!!