Spring Gobbler 2014

NS_Northbound

NS_Northbound

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I didn't see an official Spring Turkey Season thread so I thought I'd start one [grin] Looking forward to my first New Hampshire hunting experience! I will probably be hunting in the Southwestern/Southcentral portion of the state.

Anyone been out scouting? Hopefully the turkey population held up well after a cold Winter. I saw a flock of about 10 fly across a 6 lane road the other day, so at least some of them survived...

post pics and results - good luck to everyone
 
Scouted yesterday ......no scat or scrapes on the ground but found a clearing with a water source and plenty of mast on the ground. Was hoping to find some tracks/sign or hear some but no such luck. But......with limited scouting time this season I'm thinking the spot I found will have to do.....sometimes it is what it is.
 
I haven't spent much time in the woods lately but, I'm seeing lots of Turkeys in peoples backyards and such. Seems they are moving around pretty good these days in SE MA.

StevensMarksman
 
Been talking with friends about this season. I haven't gotten out scouting this year, but I usually see 10-20 dead birds on the highway during the two weeks before the season. This year I have only seen four. Not sure if numbers are down from a tough winter. The few people I know scouting are having a hard time finding birds.


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Im hunting Maine this year. Scouted yesterday and I'd say it was successful because we saw two separate groups of 3 birds in our 1/2 mile scouting walk...score! Last year hunted the deerfield area of NH and it was teeming with birds. My father and I each took one on separate days in the same area.

Key to scouting is find harvest reports from prior year, find highest kills to land density ratio, then go there. If there are no birds in the area its a pointless exercise!
 
I've been out a few times scouting in a hot spot of mine in Worcester county and haven't been seeing as much as previous years. Haven't heard any gobbling at sunrise which is unusual. I got pretty discouraged on Sunday when I was out there so I let out a few clucks around 4pm just for the hell of it and had a gobbler respond about 200 yards away in a pine stand. I held tight for awhile but never saw him or heard him again. I'll be out opening day but my hopes aren't as high as they should be.
 
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just found some birds. i had been looking and found a few at odd times but these were right where i want them at 5am. we'll see if they do it again tomorrow....
 
Tiktock said:
Key to scouting is find harvest reports from prior year, find highest kills to land density ratio, then go there. If there are no birds in the area its a pointless exercise!
Click to expand...

Holly crap Worcester has a lot of turkey. Who knew...
http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/df.../hunting/wild-turkey-harvest-information.html

I'm going to give it a go this year (first year / attempt). Don't know how I'll do but I'm making the effort. I've got the tacticool turkey vest, a couple decoys (1 jake and 2 hens), a couple box calls, a shotgun and some free time on Saturdays. Some you tube turkey commandos also recommend a owl call, crow call, and a gobbler call (something you shake and it makes the gobble). I don't have any of that stuff - but I hope I can call in a Tom or two with the box calls. I hope to tag out because I'll be back to chasing whitetail in the fall. Maybe mix in some waterfowl.
 
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dgrantdoherty said:
just found some birds. i had been looking and found a few at odd times but these were right where i want them at 5am. we'll see if they do it again tomorrow....
Click to expand...

That is awesome! Hopefully they will be there Monday for you.

I spent an hour or so behind my house this morning. No sign and no gobbles. Did find a big tom at lunch yesterday near work, about a 9" beard.


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This will be my first turkey season. I've been scouting a number of places for the last 2 months or so, but I think I've settled on my spot. Went out early this morning to figure out exactly where I want to sit, watch where the birds enter the property from, and practice calling some in. I'll be sitting there with my girlfriend an hour before shooting time on opening day next Saturday. I'm really hoping she'll be able to take her first non-fish game animal after having some close calls, but in the end no success, this past deer season.

The location we're hunting has a mix of open fields and woods, and there are a ton of turkeys there. I counted 19 in one part of the field as I was leaving this morning, and a friend counted 28 one evening a few weeks ago. Out of the 19 this morning, there was a pretty even split between males and females, with maybe only a couple more females than males. Looked kind of like a high school dance, with all the ladies eating and doing their thing out in the middle of the field while the guys were over in a corner of the field shoving each other around, showing off, and talking smack.

The one potential issue I can foresee is that we might not be the only ones there on opening day. There is a road that borders one edge of the field for just under a half mile, so even though it's in a rural area, I know there must be a lot of other people that have seen the same things I have. I'm banking on the sheer number of birds there, as well as people not realizing you can hunt there, because the property had been posted for as long as I can remember (at least 20 years) and access has only recently been granted.

Here are some pics from this morning (all different birds):


 
dgrafton said:
That is awesome! Hopefully they will be there Monday for you.

I spent an hour or so behind my house this morning. No sign and no gobbles. Did find a big tom at lunch yesterday near work, about a 9" beard.


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Click to expand...

nice. BTW the birds were in the area we spoke about.
 
I saw 4 yesterday morning as I started my woods jog. I wanted to go first light tomorrow but I have to get into work early. :(
Tuesday I'll be out trying to call the tom in.
 
I'll be out Mon & Tues mornings, then FL for a week.

I did a little scouting over the last week, including today going to the spot where I called in a jake last year. Sure enough I called a pretty good-sized gobbler to the box call. I moved out before he got a good look at me. I'll be back there before sunrise tomorrow.

Good luck everyone!
 
I went out this morning in Bridgewater. It's a new spot where the guy who gave us permission said he hadn't given permission to anyone else. Can't miss the posted signs on the way in. We saw a couple trucks parked on the side when we got there, so we knew there were other hunters out there with us. We sat on the edge of a couple fields and called for a few hours with no luck. On the hike out, we saw 4 different hunters set up with decoys, blinds, etc. I don't think I'll be going back there. Such a high hunter density is a little too hot for me.
 
A turkey has been in my back yard 2 of the last 3 days. Today eating the birdseed (millet) dropped from the bird feeders. Of course they know that my town is no shooting, so they are safe here.
 
LenS said:
A turkey has been in my back yard 2 of the last 3 days. Today eating the birdseed (millet) dropped from the bird feeders. Of course they know that my town is no shooting, so they are safe here.
Click to expand...

No archery either? ;-)

Ha! Guess I should read all the posts before I comment.


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I nested a few tonight and will be back in the early AM. , but I'v been checking the spot for a couple of weeks and today the town owned road was strewn with large rocks and logs. I have a suspicion of who it is, so I just went over all his obstacles that covered a good quarter mile of road and none of it was there last Friday. I know it's not his property so I'll ignore him.
Click, click BOOM!
 
I have multiple excuses for not getting out there yet, 2 days into T season. I'm not a total pansy though, I've been busting ass working on my two vehicles so I don't have to spend time on them in the stifling hot summer days. And anyhow, as soon as the stripers start running through the canal, I won't give a damn about turkeys that I'll never kill anyhow. [laugh]
 

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