Skunked and befuddled

I was rudely and thoroughly disabused of the hope that I would kill a gobbler on opening day. Never heard a turkey make a sound in the foggy, warm early morning and I covered a lot of ground the rest of the day and the only thing I saw related to turkeys was a lone hen track that had been made before the rain.

As usual, I saw lots and lots of turkeys during deer season, and, as usual, they disappeared two weeks before turkey season. I don't know where they go, but it must be more crowded there than under Hell's only shade tree---I know a heck of a lot of acreage where they ain't.

Turkeys normally walk the logging roads after a period of rain like we just had, but they sure didn't do it today, or if they did, they've learned to walk without leaving tracks. I wouldn't put it past them.

It's supposed to be prettier weather the next few days, so maybe they'll come out of their burrows. If I don't get some positive reinforcement, I'm going to be on the pier like shine on Navy brass. To heck with these walking buzzards.

Them damned birds have been known to induce insanity in otherwise sane men.
Since your mental stability was long ago compromised, I guess you're safe from their unbalancing influences.

I know how rugged your property is, helluva a lot of places for those birds to get off into that goats would avoid for fear of breaking a leg.
Hmmm... They gotta eat/drink, sleep & screw every hen in sight, where is the 10 million $$$ question
I wish you luck, I know they're there too, I saw plenty while I was out there.

I may get out a few times this year, but for me they are either there or not....and sure don't have the acreage you do to walk in search of....did see 8 nice big Toms during deer season at my sister iin-laws close by, so at least I may have a second option if I want to buy a tag to hunt there .....sure could use another turkey tail fan above the other door at the cabin....but would mean more from my land verses her's .....can't kill what isn't their

I'm guessing you are being "outfed" by a neighboring property.

I have been hunting some big birds on our farm for four seasons now. The only place I ever find them is in the middle of a 77 acre field, but like clock work. They never come out of the same place, so they are impossible to pattern. I am going to crawl behind a Mojo decoy this year and see if they will come check out the new bird in the field. They have not responded to anything else that has been tried.

Things are the same here in Mississippi. I heard a biologist on the radio saying that the late winter and rain has got them messed up and things won't start to get real hot for another 2 weeks. Gonna try tomorrow morning and pray to the turkey gods that I hear something.

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Originally Posted by chillinfish

I'm guessing you are being "outfed" by a neighboring property.

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I actually have real good neighbors---we work together on game and they have the same report, and these are large properties. The mystery deepens.

Back in the early 80 biologists trapped and radio collared turkeys in Tallahala WMA one gobbler traveled 17 miles and back three different times during the season the next year he did the same thing. In the old days we would have them move in and move off seems now they pretty much stay year round. Haywire I hope they find their way home!

I actually heard three gobble this morning, but they were either off my ground or far enough away that I couldn't get a good location. Only gobbled once or twice each, but it got me going again. Lots of difference in the "feel" of the day today, with birds active and singing and squirrels making rude noises. High pressure, I reckon.

The thing about turkeys, it seems, is they're all over the place when deer hunting and vanish from the face of the earth when its turkey season. I'm convinced they are the smartest animal to hunt. A buddy of mine loses sleep this time of year thinking about/hunting gobblers...

I agree with Ben Franklin when he said that should've been our national symbol.