Surprisingly awesome NY opening

[turkaholic]

I don't live in NY but hunt there 3 out of the 4 week season. I don't get to do any scouting. So I'm going in blind using last years results as a guide to this year. Well, I was thinking doom and gloom but was I ever surprised. There were tons of birds compared to last year. Out of 4 guys everyone got one long beard and one guy tagged out with two. One odd thing is most of the birds are still in flocks of 20 to 25 birds. I have never seen this before. I hunted one day in my home state of CT and got a nice rope first day out. Left for NY the next day and got a bird the next morning buy 6:30 10" beard 11/4" Spurs. All my birds came from using my red wolf gobble tube. Had I not used it I don't believe I would have been so lucky. My brother missed a big bird that came in running for a fight after I created a mock fight. Gobbling isn't for everyone but in the right place and right time it's DEADLY. Anyway ,there is hope for NY's awesome turkey population. Just wondering if any other NY hunters experienced similar results?

[Dr Juice]

I live and hunt in NY and the first 6-days of hunting in Sullivan and Ulster counties was absolutely the worst hunting in my 25+ years. I heard one on the roost and did not setup once on a bird. Where did you hunt that your results were a complete 180 of mine? Congrats to you and your boys.

[mikejd]

Best year I have seen in many many years hunting NY. With the first 7 days of the season being rain I spent alot of afternoons cruising the roads and trail systems. Saw birds in every other field. Can't believe the difference from one season to the next. I'm sure the mild winter had alot ro do with this as well. I know birds take a beaten during the winter by me. I just hope this wet weather gets the heck out of here so we have another good hatch.

[BABS9]

Been a real good start for me as well. First two days I hunted got birds to the gun. Was able to connect on a nice longbeard opening day. And on the 3rd I called one in for my brother but he missed. Went to the southern tier hunted Friday Saturday and we were all over birds. Hit a little bit of a lull now though. Haven't heard any gobbling the past few days

[maytom]

The woods have been as quiet as a church. Haven't seen a gobbler yet!!!

[njdevilsb]

The birds we are hunting have been pretty quiet and non responsive in the days I have been out.  Opening day, we heard 2 gobbles but the hens were decently vocal.  This past Saturday we heard about 5 gobbles on the roost and then nothing.  Sunday, nothing on the roost.  I had 2 birds gobbling around 7am for maybe 10 minutes.  1 came to about 40 yards but I think it was a jake.  I could only see the tip of his head over the rise at first.  When he walked off I didn't see a long beard.  2 toms and a hen came out about 100 yards from me.  1 strutted very briefly about 3 times and they just kept going.

It seems like our birds have a destination in mind and nothing is going to sway them right now.  They have enough hens and they know where they want to be.  I guess right now we need to resort to hunting them like deer and just hope to get where they want to be and maybe leave the calls and decoys in the truck.

The toms aren't strutting much at all in my area which is strange.  Between roosting at night and the few we have seen while hunting, the strutting is very minimal.  Usually they are in full strut the whole time we can see them, morning and evening.  This year is a complete 180 from what we usually see.

[TauntoHawk]

Greene County the bird numbers are definitely up from the weak winter and good hatches the past two years. Weather hasn't been great but now the hens are starting to nest and the weather is improving it's gonna open up into some exciting hunting days

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[Tunaguy]

Same experience as Milsandro- Sullivan Co. where I hunt has been Ghostly. Opening day heard two birds gobbling far off on property we could not hunt. They went silent and the rest of the day nothing. This past weekend silence. Did not even hear a shot in the valley. Gonna have to expand my territory or take up golf!

[Bowguy]

The property I'm hunting has been great. Youth day Sunday had bird fly right in, unfortunately my daughter missed at 20 yards. Real nice bird too.
Opening morning we went 4 for 4.
I've had birds each morning close. A couple idiots walk in on birds that were close Sat. Said they thought it was hen. I was seeing the birds til the meatballs walked right in.
Only been there a few times though., but it's been good. I can see other side of farm im on n the birds are normally strutting there when I come out. Can see em through binos across valley

[WNY Bowhunter]

Overall numbers are definately down in my area (Steuben County). Been on a few gobblers but haven't had the action I typically do. Of course the crappy weather and hunting pressure hasn't helped. On a brighter note...seems to be a lot more jakes this year than in the past few years. Passed up six of the little punks today!!!

[BigGobbler]

I will put you on some Osceolas if you put me on some of them NY easterns

[troutfisher13111]

I will put you on some Osceolas if you put me on some of them NY easterns

Seriously?

[jordanz7935]

Hunting in my area has been pretty good this year. I hunt Otsego and Madison counties.I was lucky to be able to hunt first 8 days of the season.Ive had tons of action. Ive had gobblers within 80 yds every day but once.More birds this yr than the last couple seasons for sure. I punched a tag on the second day, taking a nice gobbler.I had tons of close calls, with thick swamps, property lines, and stubborn hens costing me fired up gobblers that I should have killed.I filmed my best frend kill a real nice 22 pound gobbler this past saturday. Man was that bird fired up he was quadruple gobbling for a half hr before he showed up! Picture perfect hunt he strutted in the whole way to the gun, a movie star, just what we were looking for! I also had a painful miss mothers day on a BIG gobbler I know very well . Gobbling has been hit or miss, the few nice days we had there was definitely more gobbling after flydown.But some of the wet days they were pretty fired up too! Hens seem to be starting to leave the big gobblers lately and I believe next week is gonna be hot!Good luck guys stay after em!

[lmbhngr]

I hunt Otsego county. Shot a bird on the 3rd. Shot a bird on the 5th. Some mornings it's hot other mornings nothing. This morning 28 degrees.... Not a gobble. On the 5th... No gobbles til 10:30. Hope it warms up soon

[TrackeySauresRex]

I'm glad it sounds like it's turning around. Are there any Chenango reports out there? I haven't made it up yet..