Late season turkey

[MikeStaten]

For those that were hunting the last few days of the season, were the birds still vocal at that point?

[vdep217]

10 minutes ago, MikeStaten said:

For those that were hunting the last few days of the season, were the birds still vocal at that point?

The bird I shot on Monday along with the hen Jake and other Tom were very vocal..  I was able to call the hen in easily and the Tom's were screaming

[vdep217]

I will add that the birds I hunt are highly pressured.  My experience is turkeys react how they want.  If there in the mood they gobble to u and come in..  if not they stay

[archer36]

I only hunted Period D at four different times. One late morning, one midday, one evening, and the last day of the season at 5 AM. I found birds gobbling at all times of the day although they were not receptive to moving. Once I pinpointed their hangout, I went in at dark and located the roost with some "tree yelps" and got within 30 yds of him. The cover was extremely thick. I couldn't see him so I assumed he couldn't see me. Luckily, all the other birds were roosting past him so I didn't spook any.  I killed my Gobbler off the roost.  I don't know if he got soaked with rain that night, got soaked in the flooded woods or what but he was not a pretty sight. I took a picture anyway. Nice bird. About 8" beard and 1" spurs. 

[Thunderchicken]

Birds  were vocal right up to the last day yes. Zone 21 and 22

[rocky]

My backyard turkeys have been missing for the last 2 weeks. Even Huey, Dewey, and Louie are no where to be found.

[Russ 11]

5 minutes ago, rocky said:

My backyard turkeys have been missing for the last 2 weeks. Even Huey, Dewey, and Louie are no where to be found.

Rocky , I found them .

 

[MikeStaten]

Thanks all.  Going to give it a shot in PA this week.  

[rocky]

3 hours ago, Russ 11 said:

Rocky , I found them .

 

BASTARD!!!!@

[Nomad]

5 hours ago, archer36 said:

I only hunted Period D at four different times. One late morning, one midday, one evening, and the last day of the season at 5 AM. I found birds gobbling at all times of the day although they were not receptive to moving. Once I pinpointed their hangout, I went in at dark and located the roost with some "tree yelps" and got within 30 yds of him. The cover was extremely thick. I couldn't see him so I assumed he couldn't see me. Luckily, all the other birds were roosting past him so I didn't spook any.  I killed my Gobbler off the roost.  I don't know if he got soaked with rain that night, got soaked in the flooded woods or what but he was not a pretty sight. I took a picture anyway. Nice bird. About 8" beard and 1" spurs. 

 

Congrats!   You shot him out of the tree?

[archer36]

15 hours ago, Nomad said:

Congrats!   You shot him out of the tree?

Yes.  After listening to him for about 20 minutes, he was preparing to fly down and exposed his head and neck.

The hay fields were 3 ft high, most of the woods were flooded limiting options to set up, and the foliage was very heavy. Would be hard pressed to get a shot in all that cover. I know may think it's "wrong" but that's B.S. 

You shoot them standing still on the ground right? You don't shoot them flying. What's the difference?

After 3 days of hunting and scouting, I realized that was my best option and the most "ethical" way to harvest him.  That was my game plan to harvest and it worked. 

I would do it again under the same conditions. 

Edited May 27, 2019 by archer36

[B B]

Heading to the Memorial Day parade.  Red, white and blue head, they'll fit right in.

[vdep217]

1 hour ago, archer36 said:

Yes.  After listening to him for about 20 minutes, he was preparing to fly down and exposed his head and neck.

The hay fields were 3 ft high, most of the woods were flooded limiting options to set up, and the foliage was very heavy. Would be hard pressed to get a shot in all that cover. I know may think it's "wrong" but that's B.S. 

You shoot them standing still on the ground right? You don't shoot them flying. What's the difference?

After 3 days of hunting and scouting, I realized that was my best option and the most "ethical" way to harvest him.  That was my game plan to harvest and it worked. 

I would do it again under the same conditions. 

So did you get lucky and pick the right tree watch him fly up the night before or listened in the morning..

 

 

[vdep217]

4 minutes ago, vdep217 said:

So did you get lucky and pick the right tree watch him fly up the night before or listened in the morning.. because while shooting him out of the tree may not be illegal you did admit to stalking wich is illegal in nj..  you said you made a game plan to harvest him out of the tree,  wich means you knew where he was and snuck in close to get a shot

 

 

 

[archer36]

11 minutes ago, vdep217 said:

So did you get lucky and pick the right tree watch him fly up the night before or listened in the morning..

 

 

All the gobbles I heard in the three times scouting was in the woods around a big field which was not part of my Club's property. I assumed they were roosting in the surrounding woods there. The woods are part of my Club. As I said, a lot of flooding in the woods. Approaching and setting up quietly was near impossible. I walked abound on fairly dry ground in the dark to locate them then I moved in. 

Edited May 27, 2019 by archer36