0 for 3 ... slow season so far... how's it going for you?

Day 1 (Sunday April 27) - 2 toms appeared in field shortly after my mouth call yelps... one seemed to be chased off by the second appearing tom... second tom lingered for over 50 min on field edge 140 yards to the west of me. Shot a nice jake last year in exact same spot. This spot also has dusting bowls almost directly across from where I set up (80 yards away)

Day 2 (Sat May 3): didn't see/hear a bird at various different locations...

Day 3 (Wed May 7): spooked one bird (not sure of the sex but think it was male) - it ran off into woods from field I was walking on... saw/heard nothing rest of the day at various different locations...

I'm seeing some tracks and droppings here and there...


Not a great start. I'm not hearing birds like I have in previous years... the spot I hunt usually holds decent bird numbers..

What would you do differently? Would you try to set up near dusting bowls (since I know precisely where they are)?

Im in the same boat - at least you've seen some !

I've been out many times, sometimes all day. Had many toms, jakes and all kinds of hens right up till 2 days before the season opener. Now,,,,,, no morning gobbles, clucks or turkey sound of any sort. No droppings, tracks, sightings, trail cam pic or any sign that turkeys even exist. Even the farmers and property owners where I hunt haven't seen them around. I've been doing a bit of driving around and have not seen a turkey of any sort in any fields for over a week. Don't know where the birds are but I do know where they aren't.

outback

I have been turkey hunting about 12 years now and think that this season has definitely been different. I am not sure if weather is the major factor, but I have heard far less gobbling this year, even in areas where I have seen lots of birds so know they are there. Most of the birds I have seen have also stopped gobbling once they hit the ground. So the lack of gobbling may not be as much of a concern as you think.

If it were me, I would hunt where you saw the two toms. Call sparingly and hunt some non-typical times. I typically used to have my greatest success when they first came off the roost. This year they seem to be more active and receptive later in the morning, after 10 or even 11. The bird I shot and the others I have called in have all responded better later. I tend to believe we are still early in the breeding process, so they are with the real hens later than we are used to them being.

Lastly, I have seen a number of evening strutters on my way home from work. I do not get home in time to hunt evenings, but if you can, I would recommend it. At the least, you may be able to roost a bird or two for a follow-up morning hunt. And keep the faith, turkey hunting is very humbling. Like I say, for every guy or gal posting their successes, there are 10 people still slugging away trying to fill a tag.

gonna try another spot tomorrow morning...

perhaps hens are sitting on eggs? toms not strutting as a result?

keep ya posted!

I've been out plenty of times with the same result. I have been pretty close to hens, but the Toms are staying away. I have heard some daytime gobbling and did call a Tom into 70 yards but that is the most action my calls have provided. It's been a very quiet year meaning lots of gobbling on the roost, but nothing once they hit the ground. My brother and I are going out this weekend, so I hope our luck changes.

i was excited for the spring hunt in november as turkeys were the animals i saw the most. now i see hardly any turkeys other than a kill that a groundhog seemed to be finishing off and a winter die off... tempted to just go groundhog hunting instead...

wondering if this winter did in the population a little...

When the birds aren't coming to calls or decoys its better to sit and watch to see travel patterns. I had to do this last year. I would have birds fly down from the roost and walk the opposite direction almost every time. I found out later there was 3 guys hunting the other side of the bush that have taught these turkeys a few things. I would sit every morning until 10am then finally the 5th time doing it I just set up with my one hen decoy out and didn't make a call. A tom and 2 hens flew out of the tree about 300 yards away, The hens fed their way over right past my hen decoy and I shot the tom when he tried the same. Was a big old bird too, 10" beard and 1 1/4 hooks.

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Originally Posted by SongDog

When the birds aren't coming to calls or decoys its better to sit and watch to see travel patterns. I had to do this last year. I would have birds fly down from the roost and walk the opposite direction almost every time. I found out later there was 3 guys hunting the other side of the bush that have taught these turkeys a few things. I would sit every morning until 10am then finally the 5th time doing it I just set up with my one hen decoy out and didn't make a call. A tom and 2 hens flew out of the tree about 300 yards away, The hens fed their way over right past my hen decoy and I shot the tom when he tried the same. Was a big old bird too, 10" beard and 1 1/4 hooks.

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That is pretty much how I shot my Tom on Tuesday. I'd seen him a few times in the same spot. Morning and afternoon. I wasn't sure where he was going to come off the roost but I was pretty sure where he was going to end up. I set up there. He came off the roost with 3 hens. I did give a few soft calls to let them know I was there but it probably wasn't necessary and I didn't want to over do it. It took almost 2 hours but they eventually wandered over to my decoys and he got it.