Tag Soup

As I mentioned before it was tag soup for me this year. Actually it has been awhile since I've been skunked. I still had a great time hunting and it felt this year that birds were henned up for the hole season. One of the worst years for me in the areas I hunt. Lots of hens, Almost triple the amount compared to other years. For ever Male that I did see there was 5 to 7 hens. Gobbling activity in those areas were also down. Im guessing with all those hens know need to gobble LOL. As well landowners would also give me feed back on what they see during the week and not much going on for what they usually see. As for opportunities, I had in total 2. One bird I shot but couldn't find hunting with the crossbow and another bird in range again hunting with the crossbow but didn't take the shot because of obstacles. Other then that I saw maybe four males at different times within 100 yards that wouldn't commit because they all had a lot of hens. Who else got skunked? and what have you guys notice differently from this year compared to other years. Im just curious how everyone else did good or bad.

I got a bowl of the same soup. I wasn’t able to get out often (only went out 2x). Birds were everywhere but as you had mentioned they were very much henned up. I think the weather was warmer this year than last, I wonder if that played a factor. Unfortunately I never had a chance to put up my shotgun. Great exercise walking all kinds of fields and bush, and no ticks on me this year was a bonus. Ah well, there’s always next year.

I had taken out a first time hunter for the opener. Hunted on the edge of field from the blind. We took 2 jakes around 11am.. the guy was very happy for his first bird, but my own personal goal for the season was to get a adult gobbler without a blind..

After that the whole season, I tried to do just that, however no luck. A number times in various WMUs, I had gobblers come just outside if range but would never commit.. in some cases, some other hunter would roll in and spook it or move and spook it. Later in the season, they simply wouldnt approach at all.. just stay at about 100yrds, although I would try all basic feeding calls (purr, cluck etc..)...

In terms of comparison to last season, I had encounters where late in season gobblers would get fired up again, just like opener.. however this year was completely opposite



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For me this was a good as I tagged out early.
I didn't go out for the opener but went the next day with a new turkey hunter and all we saw was hens.
Went out on Saturday of the opening week and I harvested a nice tom and the newbie harvested a nice tom also for his first bird.
I have been hunting turkey's since Ontario opened turkey hunting and have had good years and bad years and I have heard the same from different hunters about good years and bad years but have always enjoyed going out hunting for them regardless if I had success or not. In comparison to last year I couldn't hunt because I had covid and was hospitalized but managed to get out 2 times at the end of the season with no success but still had a couple of close encounters and always a bonus to see them.
Just like hunting for any other species you are going to have good years and not so good years as long as you enjoy going out is all that matters and as OP mentioned looking forward to next year.

I think the silver lining in your post is the amount of hens you are seeing - that means youve got a very healthy turkey population around... I recall alot of your past turkey posts and know youve killed your fair share of turkeys and tag soup is just an anomaly for you...bottom line is you enjoyed your season and when you shoot a Tom next season it will just feel that much sweeter.
I had the exact OPPOSITE season as you.... I grinded my butt off and shot a tom on opener then in mid may, but I saw very few birds, heard very few gobbles... there are a 3-4 hens on all the farms I hunt that Id see regularly but I'd say the lowest amount of toms and jakes I have seen in years..
Ive shot 4 coyotes in May to try and help the poults (and fawns) and am really hoping we have a good hatch this year..also noticing a ton of raccoons this year which I hope doesnt hurt the hatch.. those are my observations from a TON of time in the field this spring in the south end of WMU 80

I always have fun hunting wild turkey. The day a gobble doesn’t turn my head is the day I quit. Im just curious on the science behind hatches and if there is any indications on what makes a good hatch vs a bad one. I once read somewhere that if a lot of jakes are seen or harvested the previous year was a good hatch and temperatures were ideal in generating more males. I’m not sure if there is truth to that but interesting to read

I thought if I cut and folded mine carefully I could use them as dumpling wrappers for a wonton soup or something similar.

I had a nice jake walking IN my yard in town, I had tracks that were very new (based on rain and track condition) but never saw an actual bird where I hunt. In nearby fields with lots of red dots around them (no trespassing) close by there were quite a few but no luck.

With those henned up gobblers you need to be spending more time hunting late morning and in the afternoon in order to try and catch those birds alone and without hens. Each year I shoot/call in for others 90% of my birds after 10am. Rarely do we kill birds at the first sit of the morning.

Had a good season where I hunt, but noticed the birds were quite henned up compared to previous years as well. Got my two Longbeards, one for Dad, one for my brother, two new hunters' first birds, and 4 other birds for friends I regularly hunt with. Had a lot of people miss this year, but that's all part of the deal! Happens to the best of us.

No complaints, except for the fact that the season's over!

-N.

I think they should start making tags eatable. This way we get a meal out of it lol

Didn't even buy a tag! too busy catching walleye and spring bear hunting... lol

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Originally Posted by Sprite

With those henned up gobblers you need to be spending more time hunting late morning and in the afternoon in order to try and catch those birds alone and without hens. Each year I shoot/call in for others 90% of my birds after 10am. Rarely do we kill birds at the first sit of the morning.

Had a good season where I hunt, but noticed the birds were quite henned up compared to previous years as well. Got my two Longbeards, one for Dad, one for my brother, two new hunters' first birds, and 4 other birds for friends I regularly hunt with. Had a lot of people miss this year, but that's all part of the deal! Happens to the best of us.

No complaints, except for the fact that the season's over!

-N.

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Do you mostly yelp excited/loud after 10am?
Or quite down and call soft contempt calls (purring, clucking, feeding etc..)



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Had first tom down by 8am of the opener. Glad I did as it got a tougher after that. Only could get jakes to come in after opening day. On one property called the same 2 jakes in on 4 separate occasions while watching 3 big toms in the background. I couldn't get away from them. If I moved to a different spot they'd eventually find me. I agree with Sprite. Sleep in and go out later in the morning. Most of the time that tom knows exactly where he's heading before coming off the roost and you're not likely to change his mind otherwise.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by newbiehunter

Do you mostly yelp excited/loud after 10am?
Or quite down and call soft contempt calls (purring, clucking, feeding etc..)



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It’s a real mix of everything. Most of my late morning/afternoon hunting is spent covering ground running and gunning. Get to a farm, walk and hit the box call loud every 100-150 yards until you get an answer or run out of room to move. If you get an answer great, set up shop and call him in but if nothing I head to the next farm.

I’ll be honest — I like calling. I like calling loud and aggressive. Maybe that hurts me sometimes, maybe it doesn’t. My second bird this year I got tired of walking and sat down in a likely looking woodlot. Called once, settled in and shot him 2 minutes later. Came in completely silent with 2 hens at 3pm, had to have sat down within 50 yards of him. There’s no hard and fast rules. I’m not big on decoys, so rarely run them. Too many people get caught up in what calls to make when. Sound like a hen, and follow your gut. If you want to call to him, do it. It all really comes down to your comfort level, and spending time with the birds. The more time in the woods calling turkeys the more you’ll have an idea of what to do when.

The way I hunt it’s very much a numbers game (in terms of farms to hunt) and putting miles on the boots. Walk and call long enough you’ll find one that wants to play ball. A normal day in the woods for me means 15+km of hiking, usually with multiple encounters with stubborn birds along the way.

-N.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaah Tag soup... the bittersweet appetizer before the main course of Roasted Failure ?

Different year for sure. Finally got a nice Tom the last week, never heard a gobble on the property till the day I shot him. Never gone that long waiting for something to set up and roost on the property.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaah Tag soup... the bittersweet appetizer before the main course of Roasted Failure ?
LOL pretty funny