Well we had a very successful and quick hunt this morning. Very muggy and cloudy so we knew they wouldnt gobble much and matched the calling accordingly.
These birds always roost in a swamp and cross over to some high ground. This part of the bottom has a little terrain so i always setup where they have to walk up the hill to see where the hen should be. He came in strutting and drumming. Had i not heard him drum while walking up he probably wouldve busted us.
The problem is..... this spot you could hear usually at least 4 birds in 3-4 years ago. This morning we only heard one bird and killed him. I almost felt bad but its opening day for private and i have no where else to go. Sad state of affairs.
this area is loaded wtih predators and a lot of timber harvesting happened in the last year. I fear they will be hard to come by this year.
I am fairly confident you won't be alone feeling this way. I have a family farm that you used to hear 3-4 birds a year on. Now I sometimes have a single bird from year to year. The surrounding area seems to be down as well.
I had the same experience a few years ago, a farm that I hunt regularly, that always holds several gobblers was logged off, it was basically a wasteland as far as turkeys are concerned that year. A little silver lining though it has bounced back and now holds several gobblers again.
This is a familiar story to many of us. Keep plugging and hopefully the spots will come back strong. Z
Don't give up hope. That timber harvest may turn out to be the best thing that happened to that area.
In the large forests I hunt sometimes, I target fresh timber cuts and so do the gobblers.
In next couple years there should be some prime brood rearing habitat as well.
Quote from: Paulmyr on March 22, 2024, 05:03:44 PM
Don't give up hope. That timber harvest may turn out to be the best thing that happened to that area.
In the large forests I hunt sometimes, I target fresh timber cuts and so do the gobblers.
In next couple years there should be he some prime brood rearing habitat as well.
X2