Goosemaster
Well-known member
I wonder where those gobblers are in the fall???
Fall gobblers
- Thread starter Goosemaster
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GetTothePoint
Well-known member
Check your corn pile slightly after daylight and then again late afternoon. Chances are good
GetTothePoint
Well-known member
Yep. We actually had a good hatch in my neck of the woods in KS but we still are way down. There's still more days that I don't see a turkey than when I do.
birddude
Well-known member
In my neck of the woods very few hunts fall turkeys. Most are taken from the deer stand. I hunt fall because it gives me all of October to roam around in the woods. That, squirrel hunting, running dogs and bank fishing at least gets me in some semblance of shape.
gimruis
Well-known member
I honestly don't know a single person that hunts them here in MN in the fall. And I know dozens of people who deer, waterfowl, upland bird hunt, and fish.
Being that there's a dedicated spring season for them, people focus on everything else that's legally open in the fall instead.
Goosemaster
Well-known member
Yeah I may sling a broadleaf or 2. I'm not great with my bow.Ive missed some easy shots, but I was sitting down, hiding under a tree.U may take my black lab, jones.
Goosemaster
Well-known member
Goosemaster
Well-known member
I usually can get one in fall,if I put in the time.I know where they are in spring, but I'm not sure about fall.
Powderhorn Jim
Active member
In my area they are in town eating crab apples that have started to fall. Two broods totaling somewhere over 20 birds just went through our yard this morning.
Goosemaster
Well-known member
I think I've only seen one all summer.When it's hot they have to be near water,in thick grass where it's cool.
KEOutdoors
Well-known member
Its tradition, to get that Thanksgiving bird. Iowa does a quota system since you can shoot hens, the tags never sell out though besides the low pop zones that only allow like 200 tags. Its hard to shoot a fall bird in most places, you have deer, bird, and small game hunters out in the woods spooking them around and they are usually in the middle of the timber flocked up. The guys I know that get one every year do it by bow from the tree stand. Ive hunted them before by just creeping through the timber looking to bust up a flock, then sit and call back the poults. It works but its not exciting like listening to them gobble in the spring (they will gobble in fall too but its not the same)
In the fall they are in family groups (hens and poults together), and the toms are in tom groups together or walking alone.
gimruis
Well-known member
Population management should trump tradition. Clearly there is a downward trend of wild turkey populations in some areas and state agencies should be able to see the fire beyond the forest. There is zero reason to be shooting a hen, during any open season. Hens are what keep the population going, just like pheasants and quail.
If I served a wild turkey at Thanksgiving, no one would show up. A butterball or jennie-o raised in a barn is what people want.
GetTothePoint
Well-known member
I'm on the road a lot in rural areas of Eastern half of Kansas and some of western Missouri and I don't see it.
I've never hunted Turkeys, but always wanted to try. The spring seems to get away from me. They're seemingly all over the place in central MN. I spend a lot of time in the Brainerd area. Was there last week and saw a minimum of 20 turkeys/poults per day Tuesday-Saturday just driving to and from town. Lots of county wooded land in that area, less farm field hunting.
gimruis
Well-known member
The decline of the wild turkey is well documented in some localities, both scientifically and by regulars on this forum. It has followed the same path as the pheasant and quail.
This should be an eye opener for other areas that still have a thriving wild turkey population. There is zero need for a fall season and zero need to be shooting a hen.
Here in MN, we just had a record spring harvest of wild turkeys. We also had record hunter participation too. But the bag limit is one legal bearded turkey and there is no party hunting allowed. Success rate here is about 25% with a shotgun and about 10% with a bow/arrow. So the overwhelming majority of spring turkey hunters do not fill their tag.
This should be an eye opener for other areas that still have a thriving wild turkey population. There is zero need for a fall season and zero need to be shooting a hen.
Here in MN, we just had a record spring harvest of wild turkeys. We also had record hunter participation too. But the bag limit is one legal bearded turkey and there is no party hunting allowed. Success rate here is about 25% with a shotgun and about 10% with a bow/arrow. So the overwhelming majority of spring turkey hunters do not fill their tag.
birddude
Well-known member
I don't know to answer to that, but I can't really blame farming for this one. Where I live is about as farmed as possible. 40 minutes east is almost like the hills of Kentucky. Most of the turkeys there have never see a farm field. Needless to say, I'm over there frequently. This year populations were down in both places. I know that the bobcat population has exploded in recent years, but I can't make myself believe predation has much to do with either. You need to pack a lunch, hop off the train and have them pick you up on the way back.
Bob Peters
Well-known member
In Minnesota there's a pile of turkeys around. Shooting a bird in the fall is fine. I would probably do it if it weren't for pheasant hunting. Last year out towards Marshall we had the dogs flush 2 turkeys. No one had a tag otherwise we woulda shot. States that are in decline it makes sense to limit or close the fall season. Here's a tidbit for you, turkey hunting as a spring sport is relatively new. Turkey hunting in America 
was usually a fall activity until the modern era. Fall turkey hunting in the Old Dominion, aka Virginny, goes back generations and is very popular.
was usually a fall activity until the modern era. Fall turkey hunting in the Old Dominion, aka Virginny, goes back generations and is very popular.