Frustrating Year

This has to be the worst spring turkey hunt I have ever had since I started hunting turkeys almost 25 years ago!
I have only been able to get out to hunt my cousin’s farm 6 times so far, and all I have even seen is 2 hens total for the 6 hunts, and NO toms!!
The really frustrating thing is that 2 weeks before the season started I saw 6 gobblers just in one field on the farm, so I know there are lots of toms there. I’ve tried 4 before dawn setups, and 2 late morning hunts, but nothing is working….neither in the big bush, in the field edges, or along the river tree line ☹️
Until this year I have always got 1 bird every spring, and many years 2 from the farm.
going to wait till next weekend now, and then take my grandson out - hopefully he might have some luck.

I hear you, the start was frustratingly slow had similar accounts like yours. Then went out Sunday morning and had a tom on fire, the next day went out again and filled the second tag. almost as if a switch flipped. If able I'd get out sooner than later as it may be go time for you too.

I’ve had the same issues. I did manage one Tom, just haven’t posted it yet because I left the tag at the land I hunt and haven’t been back. I haven’t heard any gobbles to give me hope. I’ve seen maybe two hens all season and even driving around I haven’t seen anything in fields. Not sure what’s going on but maybe the winter did a number on some birds or maybe avian flu? The land owner said before the season he had one bird not leave his driveway and the next day he found it dead beside his truck. Usually he taunts me and sends me pics of birds when I finish a hunt standing in front of my blind lol. Like mentioned above keep at it and hopefully things change. Have you tried an afternoon hunt yet? That’s my next option since the early morning has been dead for me.

Have you heard any gobbling? TC

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Originally Posted by trky chsr

Have you heard any gobbling? TC

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Was out this morning.
Heard one about 100 yds behind me in woods gobble twice between 5:30 - 5:45, and another one gobble once about 6:30 in the river tree line about 150 yds north of my spot.
That was it …saw nothing except 1 young buck.
The 2 times i was out before that no gobbles at all.

Today was my first hunt. Zero gobbles and seen one hen on the way out. My area in 92B has been getting worse every year for turkey. Not good!

I’ve seen birds in the same 3 fields between 10 and 11 am everyday this week. Even in this rain. One hen gravelling on the side of the road this morning looking like a drowned rat. Have you tried setting or staying later in the morning….

I watched the same group of birds, 2 toms and 10 hens for a month before the season started. For the first week of the season they gobbled alot but I couldn't pull them from the hens. By the 2nd week I never saw them and didn't hear a thing. To be honest I enjoy them responding more than anything and once they go silent I don't go out much anymore. This also coincides with the bugs getting bad as the temperatures go up.
https://i.postimg.cc/zvXnHrXg/PICT1173.jpg
This guy was strutting in front of my camera probably 30-40yds behind me and never made a peep. Never knew he was there until I checked the camera a week later.

Went out this morning with my grandson. We set up at 10:40 along the river flats trees at the bottom of the old glacial river bank. This glacial tree line has always been a roost area every spring, and I was hoping to call a late morning tom in for him. He got his biggest gobbler ever at this spot several years ago around noon. Well, after 2 hours we didn’t see or hear any birds, and finally got so hot we quit.

One theory is that the overall population has peaked and we are on the downward trend side. At some point it will go up again , think of a rollercoaster and at some point may average out ?

Longpointer, maybe you on to something. I been hunting same 3 bushes for about 10 years. for about 6 years there were lots of birds seen every time I went out. then it started dropping off, 2023 and 24 I saw 1 shootable bird both years and got it. this year was done in 2 weeks and left cameras out. Got birds on the cameras almost daily until weeds grew to high and I ran out of battery power. Does seem strange that nothing to speak of for 2 years and not hearing any gobbles, than birds and gobbling every time I went out this year.

Here in Simcoe County, a local guide reports that a C.O. told him that the prolonged deep snow we had really knocked down the population. I can certainly attest to seeing far fewer birds.

Despite me bungling an opportunity on a big tom, I get to vicariously enjoy that my son shot his first bird!

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...85aa9884_b.jpg

I agree with this winter that we had the numbers are way down. Some areas got hit harder than others. Nice bird that your son got congrats

nothing wrong with that bird, congrats to your son