Went out this morning to check trail cams and listen for a gobble. Heard one gobble about 300 yards from where i was in a creek bottom. Went down and pulled a couple cards and as I was walking out at about 7 I heard one fly down. Couldnt catch what it was. Two months away! :icon_thumright:
I'm in Southern VA, and have not had the opportunity to listen as of yet, but hope to change that this weekend. Anyone hearing birds?
Earlier this week before the cold front hit seen a field full of hens with 2 gobblers and 2 jakes strutting. Toms where gobbling at cars going by and chasing jakes and hens. Got me the fever.
That's great! What part of VA are in you, if you don't mind me asking?
There gobbling a little on the roost. Haven't heard any on the ground. Big flocks still but break up should be within the next 10-14 days.
Quote from: forcercon1 on March 14, 2014, 09:12:40 AM
That's great! What part of VA are in you, if you don't mind me asking?
Blue Ridge pkwy N of NC. Birds I seen earlier where in foothills S of Galax/Hillsville.
Saw one strutting around 2 hens in goochland today
I went out listening this morning and expected the morning sun to be met with lots of gobbling.... But, was I wrong. The temps were in the low 40's, clear sky and birds singing but no turkeys gobbling.
I did see 2 single gobblers, and 1 pair later in the day.
I went Saturday morning before the snow.. heard one give 3 gobbles on the roost.. and saw a different Strutter in a field with 5 or 6 hens..
Few gobbles at most on the limb and none on the ground. Seeing more strutting and flocks starting to bust
Anybody hearing anything? I'm in South Eastern VA., and I have seen the big groups starting to break-up but no gobbling at this point....
Goin out to listen in the morning in central va, will post what I see. I haven't heard one gobble yet, but saw a strutted last sat.
Got out this morning and checked a new spot, heard one gobbling pretty good. He would fire back at the owl every time. First gobble I heard was at 6:53 and he prob gobbled 10 times over the next 15 min. Never saw any turkeys on the ground, except a single hen in a field on the way home.
Thanks for the update. I didn't hear anything this morning, but saw a few birds at a distance.
Youth day is almost upon us and I'm still not hearing anything to speak of. Most of the large flocks are breaking down it seems, but I'm only hearing a sporadic gobble on the roost. What's going on in other places of VA.? I'm not looking for any inside secrets :help: I'm just wondering if my area is starting slow this year....
Didn't go out in the rain today. Hopefullfy the warm weather coming will crank them up.
Here in southern VA their gobbling decent. In the last week I've seen several strutting with small groups of hen, some in large groups and even saw 5 longbeards still together???
I'm also in Southern VA. I'm seeing birds but they just aren't vocal. It seems over the past few years they have become less vocal during the Spring. The hunting pressure has not increased on the property I hunt as it's private land. However, the Yote population / pressure has increased. I wonder if that has anything to do with it? Has anyone else had this happen, more Yotes, less gobbling?
As a side note, the bird population still seems good.
Going out whenever my car gets out the shop. Probably Tuesday or wendsday. Will give an update.
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Quote from: forcercon1 on March 30, 2014, 10:44:42 AMHowever, the Yote population / pressure has increased. I wonder if that has anything to do with it? Has anyone else had this happen, more Yotes, less gobbling?
As a side note, the bird population still seems good.
Bingo! Also alot more house dogs running to every gobble they hear and chasing them around through the woods.
A turkey has to gobble to breed.
Some of the most turkey rich lands in this country are loaded with coyotes so it is possible for the two species to comfortably co-exist and thrive. Coyotes are also opportunistic feeders and kill many of the turkeys' most staunch predators(raccoons, opossums, skunks, etc) and research is indicating that coyotes are not very successful in killing our beloved quarry. IMHO, a lot of people make excuses formulated around the coyote theory but gobbling has attracted hunters and other predators for hundreds of years. Evolution takes time and coyotes are not going to be the catalyst that triggers decreasing gobbling activity.
What I think is happening is a shift in the population, where gobblers now have more hens than ever and simply have to gobble less until they lose them all. Southern turkey killers have dealt with this for years and have learned to hunt "quiet birds". You just have to scout more and become a more multi-dimensional turkey hunter.
I have listened in central va and northern va this week and they are gobbling very well on the tree until 10-15 minutes after flydown.
All are accompanying ALOT of hens (10-20) and will be tough to hunt on youth day unless you're in tight to the roost or sitting on a travel corridor/food source that they are using regularly.
I suspect there will be some subordinate birds who have recently been displaced that will gobble well all the way to the call for the kids tomorrow, as well.
Goodluck to all those guiding kids in the am.
The flood gates are open it seems.... I took my son this morning and we heard 6 birds gobbling on the roost. They didn't gobble once off the roost.
We later saw 7 gobblers in a field with 8 hens. In another field we saw 2 gobblers with no hens but they wouldn't answer a call. It seems in my area some are still flocked up and with hens. The good thing is, the population still looks healthy :).
April 5th, 1 week before season opens, set up and scouted two big Toms fighting over the hens. Couldn't see who won, they wandered off into the woods after 15 minutes still going at it. I will be back next Sat. AM to lessen the competition> LOL
I hope they start breaking up soon. I'm not much on hunting quiet birds.