Powerline Company...

[Coop1082]

Just received some pretty crappy news from my dad about our lease. We were informed this Friday two poles on our powerline would be replaced. We only have a 422 acre lease and to get to where the powerline is they will be driving right slap dead through the middle of the lease. The powerline is where we plant and is pretty much the main hangout/feeding area for our birds. Anyone else have any experience with a situation like this and being as I've never hunted an area that's been affected by the entry and exit of large trucks right during the middle of the spring season. I'd love to hear on opinions on what I should/could expect as far as the reaction of the birds go? Hoping they just move to the backside of our lease at the worst but I can't help but think they are going to pack up shop and get out of dodge for a while after the ruckus that is coming Friday...

[Spitten and drummen]

I feel for you coop. At least no one came in and clear cut  3/4 of your place like they did mine. Wish I could give you some advice but I got nothing. If they are in and out it won't be too bad. After all how long will it take to set 2 poles. Hang tough brother.

[Coop1082]

I certainly hope not buddy and I would be SICK if a clearcut like that was to happen. The last time they came in was last year during deer season, peak rut, and they came in to fix their access road to get back there. The knack for imperfect timing is impeccable with them so far! We have two birds that I would love to get on and they have been loafing around out there lately. Went and pulled cards last night and saw where they had been visiting that side of the lease lately which is a much more huntable area. Pretty deperesssing to get those pictures yesterday only to get that news today.

[paboxcall]

Well tenders driving all over the public land we hunt. My experience is 50/50, sometime the truck passing by on gas well roads will shut them down for an hour or so, and sometimes only a couple minutes go by till they fire back up. In general it seems it doesn't really bother them all that much, they're out being turkeys and doing what turkeys do.

[SteelerFan]

Dang - that stinks. Like S&D said - hopefully replace poles and get out! We have a power line running on the lower stretch of the mountain ground. Almost separates big woods from small woods & fields. Last year we were treated to a contractor that was trimming trees along the lines... BY HELICOPTER!!

Although impressive to watch the pilot navigate that ship with a 100' extension and circular blade running full tilt along the tree tops - right beside the high power wires, I must say my amusement quickly turned to just p*#@!! off. Ruined the day, but the birds were back to normal the following week.

[dublelung]

It won't take them long to get the job done and the turkeys won't go very far. It could be much worse. I've been on the receiving end.

[WV Ridge Reaper]

You'll be fine,shouldn't last more then a week if it's a H structure wood pole change out..Then again depends if it's the power company or contracted..Power company make be 2 weeks.

Either way I'd push them to reclaim/seed the area they disturbed.

I'm a proud IBEW linehand,I wouldn't get to worked up over it..you'd be surprised the birds won't pay much attention to the work.


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[3bailey3]

Way better than a skidder moving in, they should be out soon, go hunt some nearby public until they move out, Coop when is it you take a road trip?

[Coop1082]

Thanks for replies guys. They came in a day early this morning on top of me while I was hunting. I know at the end of the day they have a job to do, it's just frustrating to a certain degree! I leave May 1st Bailey! Can't get here soon enough!

[Cut N Run]

I don't know what state you're in, but you should have a lot of season left.  If the turkeys like the area, I doubt they'll go far or stay gone for long.  I'd consider temporarily moving the focus of my hunting towards out of the way locations on your lease or hunt elsewhere for the time being.  Their timing absolutely sucks, but it shouldn't be the end of the world or your turkey season.  Hope for dry weather, so they can get in, get done faster, and do less damage to the property.  It usually only takes the birds a short time to fall back into a more normal routine after a disturbance like that. 

Turkey's gotta breed, turkey's gotta eat, I wish you good luck finding their alternative site.

Last year, I got screwed by a neighbor's crew throwing rocks out of the field next door into a metal sled bin being pulled behind the tractor.  They were shouting back & forth as they went.  I spent a valuable morning off work to hunt there too.  They didn't get started working until right when the birds came off the roost (of course).  Shut my morning down and since my next closest spot was 25 miles away, I couldn't hike out and get to the next place in time for a decent amount of time to hunt.  The turkeys were back to normal behavior a few days later, but that unusual activity absolutely wrecked the first day's hunt.

Jim

[THattaway]

I'd hunt it like normal. I work for a utility, have changed transmission poles and there is concern over damages to ROW. Two poles being replaced should be a short event, maybe a day unless abnormal switching is required. Those loud trucks may even have your toms gobbling more than normal. 422 acres is a darn good size piece of land. I'd be surprised if more than 10 acres is disturbed with the noise involved. Your turkeys might move over a little during the work but they ain't leaving. I've read studies where turkeys were harassed with dirt bikes and could not be driven off their normal range for more than a day or so. Consistent with what I've experienced all my life in SC.

[Snood Life]

Hate that for you.. I have had trouble with timber companies through the years. Had fertilizer dropped on me by air plane while deer hunting. Then another time had them drop pesticides on my truck from a helicopter. The plane happen to be the first day of bow season.

[Coop1082]

Well one of the fellas on the working crew knows my dad well and called him and informed him there was a strutter on the opposite powerline from us at the neighboring property. They border right next to us and it's a ongoing battle. They occasionally hunt but typically only on weekends so hopefully all isn't lost. When they are "bothered" it is typical for birds to be seen over at the neighboring property strutting mid-day/afternoon so I wouldn't call that's out of the ordinary. Thankfully they were apparently in and out by 4 this afternoon. Hopefully after a week or so of no pressure they will go right back to using our property as their main stomping grounds. Thank you all for the "good hope" replies. We've got a touch over 3 weeks left in the south Alabama season so hopefully good fortune will show itself soon!

[saverx]

I don't think it will take that long to settle down. As soon as they leave I would do some loud calling in the afternoon to pull them back. I happen to be an expert in getting screwed during turkey season. Clear cutting has been done in the middle of my property during turkey season for 3 years in a row now. Skidders dragging out log trucks  in the rain. Roads totally destroyed. It pushed the strutters off the power lines but that's about it. Still managed to tag out. I did learn that if you disconnect the battery of the equipment, it will buy you about 45 mins of listening time to locate that gobbler before the machines start up. Good luck.

[tha bugman]

turkeys adapt and you should be fine!   Good luck to you!