2019 MA Turkey Season

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Starting to get the itch for spring turkey season. I went once last year with a friend when I didn’t own a shotgun so I just helped him call. It was still a lot of fun hearing a turkey in the tree line respond to our squeaks.

It’s a new year and I bought a suitable hunting implement.

Any tips for a rank amateur?

I have a rough estimation of where a pretty big flock of turkeys live, but it’s a tough spot to get into - sort of an island of woods on a steep hillside above a residential street and below a highway. I’m not sure if it’s accessible but I want to look into it because it’s 5 minutes from my house.

Also have another spot I hope to check out a time or two but it’s almost an hour away. There’s a known flock there and it’s on my friends private property so I think it could be nice.

Going to start doing some evening scouts looking for roosts in the next couple of weeks I think.
 
Gonna be giving turkey hunting a go myself this season for the first time. Most of the turkeys in my area like to stick to developed neighborhoods. Very little sign of them in the local woods.
 
I've noticed that more and more...I've hunted big tracts of State property in the Berkshires, thousands of acres of beautiful hardwoods...and where do you end up seeing all of the toms?...in the backyards of the neighboring houses...
 
Looking forward to 4/29! Just got permission to hunt a 300 acre farm; hopefully it's not too popular with the neighbors....Time go start practicing with the calls!
 
I've noticed that more and more...I've hunted big tracts of State property in the Berkshires, thousands of acres of beautiful hardwoods...and where do you end up seeing all of the toms?...in the backyards of the neighboring houses...

So many people feed them or they hang under bird feeders. Can be very tough to get them out of the neighborhood and into huntable land...
 
Just be VERY CAREFUL out there. There are a lot of newbies who will stalk you when you are calling. Jack.
That's why your supposed to call the bird to you and not stalk turkeys.

But yeah.....lots of guys stalk them......newbs and old timers.
 
Can't wait, already put in my days off & verified my pattern after replacing my slug barrel. Being my second year innawoods, I plan to spend a lot of time scouting and preparing. Tag soup tastes horrible!
 
Why bother hunting such a stupid creature? We had a tom spend the all of yesterday attacking the windows in our building. All day long, never took a break. Would spend an hour on one pane of glass, then notice a tom in the next pane and go after him.

Saw him when I was leaving the day before at the building next to us doing the same thing, but then he had 4 hens with him. No hens around when he was attacking our building, either another tom stole them while he was fighting our windows, or they just figured this one was too stupid and left him to continue fighting himself.
 
They will do strange things. Last year Little Jack and his dad were in a ground blind. His dad was calling and a big tom came around from the back and wanted to come into the blind to find the hen. They had to shoo him out so that Jack could plug him. At 20 or so feet, Jack damn near took the head off the bird. Jack.
 
If you're in MA, don't forget your safety sticker. I saw someone have an unpleasant and expensive conversation with an EPO on public land last year.
 
Why bother hunting such a stupid creature? We had a tom spend the all of yesterday attacking the windows in our building. All day long, never took a break. Would spend an hour on one pane of glass, then notice a tom in the next pane and go after him.

Saw him when I was leaving the day before at the building next to us doing the same thing, but then he had 4 hens with him. No hens around when he was attacking our building, either another tom stole them while he was fighting our windows, or they just figured this one was too stupid and left him to continue fighting himself.

Woods birds aren't easy to hunt. They can be call shy and downright a pain if you move a muscle and they see it.

Urban birds on the other hand, are the dumbest things known to man. When I started hunting CT, I was driving down the road after coming off a property and one lady flagged me down. I thought something was wrong....she's like...you hunt don't you? I'm like yeah...do you need a hunter, your property is great for it, it backs up to some conservation land. She's like.....no.....I generally don't like it, but I need your help. I have this Turkey who never leaves the backyard and keeps pecking at my sliding doors, and is crapping all over, and ruining my doors and siding. I called the town but they only help with dead animals.

So....I take it you want me to kill the turkey? YES!!! PLEASE!!!!

OK...but lets make a deal.....I kill Turkey....you let me hunt deer. Your property is large enough and backs up to Conservation....you'll barely notice me, and I can take deer out in the dark so you won't see it. I'll also only shoot large bucks, so it won't be that often I take one.... OK??? Done.

Took me 4 hours to kill that stupid bird.......the thing would not leave the patio area so I could get an arrow in it. Finally I chased it far enough off (it would try and attack me...hilarious!) and I had a safe shot. Thank god no one was filming that fiasco.

:)It did work out....shot a HUGE buck off that place a week later.
 
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If you're in MA, don't forget your safety sticker. I saw someone have an unpleasant and expensive conversation with an EPO on public land last year.
I have a whole sheet of them in my gun safe lol
 
If you're in MA, don't forget your safety sticker. I saw someone have an unpleasant and expensive conversation with an EPO on public land last year.

This.

Get them NOW if you need one. It’s better than getting a ticket.

“You also need an official safety sticker on your firearm positioned so you can see it when sighting down the barrel. For a new or replacement sticker, visit any MassWildlife office or send a self-addressed stamped envelope to:
MassWildlife
ATTN: Turkey safety sticker
1 Rabbit Hill Road
Westborough, MA 01581”

Wild turkey hunting regulations
 
This.

Get them NOW if you need one. It’s better than getting a ticket.

“You also need an official safety sticker on your firearm positioned so you can see it when sighting down the barrel. For a new or replacement sticker, visit any MassWildlife office or send a self-addressed stamped envelope to:
MassWildlife
ATTN: Turkey safety sticker
1 Rabbit Hill Road
Westborough, MA 01581”

Wild turkey hunting regulations

Cabelas in Berlin has them at the license counter.
 
Where can I get my deer safety sticker...You know the one I need on my gun to remind me to ID my target before I pull the trigger...?
 
This was the view from my front yard Monday morning. I love them, they eat 200 ticks a day. They march through in the morning and in the evening, and herd all their chicks around once they start hatching.20190401_074309.jpg
 
Where can I get my deer safety sticker...You know the one I need on my gun to remind me to ID my target before I pull the trigger...?
Not sure of serious.

You need the green sticker for turkey season not deer season.
 
If you're in MA, don't forget your safety sticker. I saw someone have an unpleasant and expensive conversation with an EPO on public land last year.

No; not serious. Trying for sarcastic...
The green sticker requirement is insulting.


No rule is going to make me put a distraction between my eye, target, and what's beyond it. I don't hunt MA for this very reason.
 
No; not serious. Trying for sarcastic...
The green sticker requirement is insulting.

Its borderline retarded. I mean...why don't we have a sticker for deer as well? and pheasant, and squirrels. I mean a if a sticker is a cure for all hunting accidents. Why shouldn't it be on every gun, bow and crossbow?

Or...its just something an EPO can write you a ticket on in Turkey season..... Yeah...that's more like it. Same reason you can't use #2 shot anymore. Dumb.

Again...why I hunt NH and other states when it comes to Turkey and Deer. The rules in MA are just plain stupid.
 
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