Well guys, sorry I couldn't make more of a contribution, but I am happy to have at least gotten one.
My Florida season was a bust. Got drawn for 2 hunts. FWC decided to have the 1st WMA I got drawn for logged starting a week before the season opened.
I scouted the place anyway and found absolutely zero turkey sign. I didn't even waste my time hunting it with skidders in the woods hacking down trees, and logging trucks roaring up and down the roads.
The 2nd WMA I got drawn
was previously my favorite place to hunt in FLA. I've been there many times over the years, killed a dozen gobblers there, and guided several friends to their birds there, including Hayudog last year. This year they hired a brand new biologist who changed everything up on the WMA. Very little controlled burns, and all the fields and food plots were planted with a mix of oats and other plants that grew anywhere from thigh to chest deep.
Needless to say, the turkeys didn't go into that stuff, and you couldn't see them if they were behind it. The biologist chick told me she planted that due to a shrinking turkey population so that the turkeys could feed and nest in the tall plants. I have no clue where this bimbo went to school at.
Hens aren't going to nest in that, it's way too accessible and there is predator scat everywhere. The turkeys aren't going to hang out eating in a field that can easily hide predators either. Plus, they are doing no predator or poacher control. Great management plan FWC!!
NOT!!! Enough of that rant.
I was fortunate to get my bird the 2nd day of the season in SC. The gobblers, as they often are, were henned up bad most of the season. SC doesn't allow any hen harvest, and there are hens everywhere. By the time I went up for my last hunt of the season, the hens were finally nesting, but the gobblers were mostly silent, and only sparsely gobbling on the roost when they did.
Georgia, Alabama and Kansas invites fell through yet again.
Then I had to cut my season short due to my upcoming total shoulder replacement surgery next week. I have doc appointments this week, and lots to do in preparation for becoming a temporary cripple.
So, if nothing else, I heard lots of gobbling, had some exciting hunts, and got a gobbler on a super exciting hunt. So I guess I can't complain. Definitely better than my last 2 seasons!!
Plus, I'll have plenty of time while I'm laid up to plan some good hunts for the next 2 years.
So best of luck to the rest of the team. I hope you guys score on some good ones!!
Surgery is on May 7th, so I'll be doped up for a few days. Once I'm feeling more alert and oriented
I'll check in on y'all, and hopefully have some adjustments to make to our team scores.
Schwack some gobblers, and above all else, be safe brothers!!
