How's everyone feel about their 2011 hunt

[sugarray]

10-4 buddy.  Sure don't want you without a job.  Also, sure DO want you in the turkey woods.  Praying for your good fortune and new job.

[simpzenith]

10-4 buddy.  Sure don't want you without a job.  Also, sure DO want you in the turkey woods.  Praying for your good fortune and new job.

Thank you Raymond!

[chatterbox]

Last year I spent most of my time scouting in Kansas and Iowa. Prospects in Kansas much better this year, since I have 3 Public spots I like. I should fill both my tags there. Last year in Iowa found a great place for this year, that I ended up losing Really sucks. However, have permission to hunt land next to what I lost, and have hunted/scouted it. Has a decent amount of birds, but not near as good as the other spot. Should fill 1 bird there, but hoping I can fill the second there also. Don't have another option except Public, and I feel this is better than that. Nebraska is an outside shot, if everything goes well, however have nothing there that I feel is worth my time to hunt as of right now. Especially since I have to favor the Eastern part of the state being these will be 2 day hunts. Realisticly I should put 3 down, but I never take anything for granted with Turkeys. There's always a relief to put down that first one.

I hope you don't loose it and start working the freezer section at Walmart like you did a couple years ago..........

[socalturkeyman]

Well I was able to get out and do a lil scouting today,But it doesnt look to good boys.The birds are all over the place,100% on private land and not looking to move off those lands. And the private land I hunt IS EMPTY not a bird for miles. I'm getting really nervous.

[cuttinAR]

Hunting here at home is tough right now.  I'll count myself as lucky if I kill a bird here in AR.  In KS its a different story.  Although its not like it was 5 years ago on the farms I hunt, I have never had a problem filling my tags in short time.  I'll get one down the try and find one of those monster hybrids that lurk out there to boost our score.  And I will do my best in AR, I have gotten lucky the past couple of years and will give it my best go this year.  I'll be out every day that I can.

[Jay]

Brad, I'm the same way on Kansas vs my home state. I lost land I was planning on taking a Tom or 2 on in Iowa, and what I have is dueable, if the birds are there. They usually are, but not the numbers as on the land I lost.

[Jay]

As far as March, I think boomer is bow hunting Nebraska, JW is in Tennessee, and tnturkeyman in Tennessee is about it, unless I missed someone. Otherwise most of us are mid April hunters.

[socalturkeyman]

I start in late march on the 26th. Hopefully I just get plain lucky and shoot one.

[Jay]

I start in late march on the 26th. Hopefully I just get plain lucky and shoot one.

I've had years of limited hunting land, bought a state hunting Atlas, scouted my butt off, eventually leading to putting a Tom in the truck off of Public. If you aren't happy with your land, get aggressive and find better. It's a lot of work, and gas can be expensive, but usually land don't fall in your lap. I actually enjoyed going on 2 day scouting trips with aerial maps of Public, I wanted to scout. I slept many times in my SUV, which is why I bought it in the first place. If you can, call a DNR guy, and just ask him if he has any recommendations for Public Turkeys that isn't getting pounded. Some are real good with info, some aren't. ALL through the year I talk to people about being a Turkey hunter, and if they know anyone who has land that has Turkeys. I've had many recommendations of places to Turkey hunt from Deer hunters, because a lot don't Turkey hunt. Tell them you don't Deer hunt, and they are more apt to give out info. If you are comfortable talking to land owners, don't be afraid to pull up to a house, and chat, especially if you are seeing a lot of Turkeys in that area. Stress you hunt by yourself, be polite, and ask if they know anyone who might let a guy hunt Turkeys. Even though they might turn you down, part with a thank you for their time, and maybe a compliment about their place. A lot of times they are sizing you up, and if you make a good impression maybe even at the end they could change their mind.

[socalturkeyman]

I have worked my butt off in those woods that I hunt.I scouted for like 5 years in that area,but its just plain luck to get one out of the public. But I was gonna hit a farmer up that had some really nice gobblers coming out on to the road.But I was a chicken and got a lil scared to. But the next time I go down that was hopefully my dads with me. Alot of the farmers look at me as a Punk kid that wont respect there land. But when I roll up with pops they take a different tone. But we'll see,the other thing that worries me some is that they are more about the hand shake and their word. They always deny me the signed permission slip.

[Jay]

I have worked my butt off in those woods that I hunt.I scouted for like 5 years in that area,but its just plain luck to get one out of the public. But I was gonna hit a farmer up that had some really nice gobblers coming out on to the road.But I was a chicken and got a lil scared to. But the next time I go down that was hopefully my dads with me. Alot of the farmers look at me as a Punk kid that wont respect there land. But when I roll up with pops they take a different tone. But we'll see,the other thing that worries me some is that they are more about the hand shake and their word. They always deny me the signed permission slip.

For every Public I hunt, I've discarded 10 that I didn't like. Don't press the signed permission. A handshake to some people is worth more than a piece of paper. It is very hard to make cold calls for most of us, but the more you do it, the easier it gets. You are right about it being harder for younger people, but you got nothing to lose. Just use Yes Sir, Yes mam, and politeness helps a lot.

[socalturkeyman]

I'm going back down I think this weekend, And Im gonna try and ask a few of the ranchers.Thanks for the motto Jay,you just put some more pep in my step lol.But the public land that I do hunt seems to get birds on it till the last two weeks of the season.Ill keep checking up on the places I hunt and see if opening day would be worth a try. If not I'll just wait till the mid week and hunt close to private land,I've had some luck with that tactic. And Maybe I can make the RDR's proud.

The one thing I did notice was that the birds are spreading out and are getting closer to public land. But I never count my chickens cause they sure do have lots of ground to cover before getting to the small 5 acres of public land. lol keep your figers crossed for me! 

[Jay]

All you need is one in. Then you have someone's name to use in the conversation with other landowners. I've shot most of my birds on Public, and our Public sucks in Iowa. If it can be farmed, it is. I've got google maps of every piece of Public within a 100 miles of where I live, and I've scouted most. On each map is notations of what I've found, and if it's worth hunting. Once I pinpoint what I like, I scout those spots out in the Spring, before hunting season. After all that work I maybe have 3 pieces of Public I like enough to hunt.
What's funny is I was driving around a nice piece of Public from every road using binocs to try and locate Turkeys. It looked good, but couldn't even find a Hen. I'm sitting on a private road on the phone to trkyklr joking about if it's possible to have land of this size without a dang Turkey on it. I then notice a pickup pull out of a driveway, stop, and head my direction. I knew they were coming to check me out. They pull next to me, and ask if I was having trouble. With a smile,  I said yes I was, I've drove around that Public land for over an hour, and I haven't even seen 1 Turkey. Are there any there a guy could shoot? It was a couple, and she chuckled saying that she had almost hit a couple with the truck a couple of days ago, and they seem them in their bean fields all the time. She then pauses, and says they have land they own about 8 miles away they farm, that has a lot more Turkey. She then says I'm welcome to hunt that.  Guess where I'm hunting in April? I scouted it a couple of times, but the road is tough when wet, so I didn't want to tear it up, so missed out on all but a couple of days left in the hunting season. Did locate 1 roost, and so know where I want to set up.

[socalturkeyman]

lol It must be that Jay charm that got you that land lol. BUt Im gonna have to work a lil harder this next weekend. lol

[mnturkey]

I took a couple hike this weekend in the area I am hunting in MN, snow depth was a bit less then I thought (still had to use the snowshoes) and I talked to a local farmer and he said that the turkeys are still around.
I also checked on another area to hunt and might have to try it one morning.
I am gettinng pumpped and cannot with for Spring.