Who Here Is Happier With The New 2021 Spring Opening Date Of April 26th ? Last Year The Opening Day Was April 20th.

[Fred Flintstone]

   I think,I  am going to like this new later opening day of April 26 for 2021.

  Last year ,I only heard 1 Gobbler on Monday - April 20th. The one,I  killed

  I did not hear another Gobbler for the next few days. It was very Cold then in the Northern  Counties.

    Late April + Into May, I  started to hear more Gobbling at #%$&.

    So who hear Thinks that they will hear more Gobblers this Spring with a Turkey Season starting 6 days  later then last year?

 

 

 

 

[bushden]

I most definitely prefer the earlier date. Less growth in the woods, and less bugs. Once the leaves start growing it harder and harder to see the birds coming in. To often the bigger smart birds come in quiet and the earlier the better for the big boys.

Edited February 7, 2021 by bushden

[Gobblengrunt]

Opening the season too early usually results in high jake kills.  The last two weeks are always best to kill your mature gobblers.  Every week has its pros and cons, just adapt to the current breeding cycle and youll kill birds regardless 

[bushden]

6 minutes ago, Gobblengrunt said:

Opening the season too early usually results in high jake kills.  The last two weeks are always best to kill your mature gobblers.  Every week has its pros and cons, just adapt to the current breeding cycle and youll kill birds regardless 

High Jake kills only happen if you shoot Jakes. I prefer clearer woods for big weary birds..

[Greybeard]

PA is in May.  Last couple years, the week before Toms were gobbling like crazy, then nothing in May and the hens were already nesting

[Bones]

I like earlier a lot of the breeding is already happening come April 

[Sako76]

Not me, first off I like the cooler, less growth and bugless earlier dates.  This year, New Jersey's first day of E week, PA and New York all open on the same day, May 1st.

[Gobblengrunt]

30 minutes ago, bushden said:

High Jake kills only happen if you shoot Jakes. I prefer clearer woods for big weary birds..

There is always a large majority of hunters that will shoot any legal bird within range.  Early season most hens are not nesting yet or just starting too which usually only leaves the jakes and 2 y/o birds available and searching hence the higher jake kill.  Like i said, there are pros and cons to every day/ week of the season dependant on each area/ breeding cycle.  I personally prefer some green cover as i only bowhunt with no blind and the cover is usually helpful.

[bushden]

1 minute ago, Gobblengrunt said:

 I personally prefer some green cover as i only bowhunt with no blind and the cover is usually helpful.

Thats a challenging way to take birds, you have my admiration. My son Dave is the same way, he never uses a gun except when hunting with the kids because they cannot handle the bow yet,

[Fred Flintstone]

By late April - the Skunk Cabbage is poking through pretty good in the Wetlands. 

  A bit easier to set up in that area at that time

 

[iluv2hunt]

I prefer the earlier start. I have found on my property the past three years the turkeys seemed to be more vocal and active that first week. Then start to spread out to other areas off the property. It’s not due to pressure from us hunting. We put very little pressure on them. We have a pretty good population in the area we hunt there’s just a lot of fields they can go to off our property. 

[Devil Horns]

April 26th is my birthday so I like the start date this year. Hopefully I get an A week permit. 

[230jhp]

It seems they keep pushing it back more and more. Some time ago it was shortly after the opening day of trout season.

In TZ 6 I hear them gobbeling in March sometimes.

[Fred Flintstone]

1 hour ago, 230jhp said:

It seems they keep pushing it back more and more. Some time ago it was shortly after the opening day of trout season.

In TZ 6 I hear them gobbeling in March sometimes.

  I wonder if there will be more successful Spring Hunters this Spring because of this change or less so? 

   Up in New York, I  have written the DEC some years back about  moving back the opening Day to the last Saturday  in April.

   But, I  think May 1st is " set in stone".

[Bucndoe]

I eat jakes and I eat mature gobblers. I ain't picky with my first tag. I've taken them in the first week and the very last day. Just tell me when I can hunt and I am hunting

Edited February 7, 2021 by Bucndoe