Two Toms Bagged!
- Thread starter BritChaser
- Start date
kick them up
Active member
WHAAAAT???C'mon, I'm sure some of you tagged out today! I wanna see some pictures!
Well I went out yesterday morning to Jefferson county and was hunting on public ground I know like the back of my hand. I got in 15 minute before shooting time and had gobblers sounding off all around me. I sat up in a patch of timber next to a creek that borders a cut corn field they like to strut in. Shortly after 7am I had 2 longbeards coming from across this big field. They got to about 70 yards and made a left on me into the woods
. I knew where they were heading so I tried the old end around, but ended up taking this Jake who had the misfortune of crossing my path while I was sneaking on the flock.I am a meat hunter 1st so I have no problem harvesting a jake. Any turkey on public ground is a trophy to me!:thumbsup:
Now I will wait on a longbeard!
I feel your pain brother. Haven't been out yet, but was supposed to be down on the farm this evening. A buddy has hunted the past two days, and hasn't even heard any hardly, and this is a place where we'll typically see 30-40 birds a day.
I have two theories. The first is as you stated, the weather change. A 20 degree change in temps is a significant difference. Then there's the second, more scary theory; that Spring came so early this year, that they're already done for the most part...
I'm starting to regret fishing instead of hunting April 1.
Oh well... I did just go out and blow $300 on a new Primo's Double Bull Blind that's going down with me tomorrow. Guess I'll hope for the best as it's supposedly warming up this weekend.
OKIEGunner
New member
Wildcat,
Spring Sprung Early.............Hens down here have been on the nest laying eggs for 2.5-3 weeks. A week ago the Toms went silentexcept first few minutes of the morning roost. We will have poults within the next week.
Spring Sprung Early.............Hens down here have been on the nest laying eggs for 2.5-3 weeks. A week ago the Toms went silentexcept first few minutes of the morning roost. We will have poults within the next week.
I wouldn't be surprised at all. Headed back from Warsaw to the lake house March 31 a Tom was locked up on the lake road, strutting for a hen, and didn't give a damn that a 2 ton vehicle was passing by, until the last minute. I seen mating flocks in fields a week or two before that as well.
Almost makes me want to run back to Cabela's, and pick up a real purdy hen decoy to better my odds!
I better make good use of those crappie!
OKIEGunner
New member
I wouldn't be surprised at all. Headed back from Warsaw to the lake house March 31 a Tom was locked up on the lake road, strutting for a hen, and didn't give a damn that a 2 ton vehicle was passing by, until the last minute. I seen mating flocks in fields a week or two before that as well.
Almost makes me want to run back to Cabela's, and pick up a real purdy hen decoy to better my odds!
One way to look at it is there Ain't no ticks on a crappie
kick them up
Active member
It is my thinking that unless you have a lone gobbler pegged in the morning that you might as well sleep in. Gobblers are going with hens first thing in the am. Need to wait till late morning or better late afternoon to get them to work for you. I am not hunting until afternoon for a couple of weeks till more hens get bred.
BTW..3 trips afield with no ticks on me..found one in the truck
Counter measures are working!
HUNTIN4FUN
Member
It is my thinking that unless you have a lone gobbler pegged in the morning that you might as well sleep in. Gobblers are going with hens first thing in the am. Need to wait till late morning or better late afternoon to get them to work for you. I am not hunting until afternoon for a couple of weeks till more hens get bred.
BTW..3 trips afield with no ticks on me..found one in the truck
Counter measures are working!
Couldn't agree more. The birds are still with hens early and seem to get a little more callable in the afternoon. I went out this morning and had two toms gobbling like crazy on the roost. I set up within 80 yds of them only to have them fly down and go with their six hens. In the morning the turkeys have been working about as well for me as a hungover construction crew would. Oh well that's why they call it hunting and not getting I suppose.
Positive note though I did see some quail and one was already on a nest!
kick them up
Active member
Nice Bird Carptom1 way to bag one under tough conditions. I was going to trim out a tree for a farmer in exchange for turkey hunting sunday. Too windy for both.
On the tick side see my thread on my tick counter measures, it works well. Had a friend get lyme diease and cancelled his hunting so I am on the tick offensive.
Taking the boy out again this weekend for bird 2 and my buddy who has neverbagged a Turkey yet....no pressure
Good luck to all!
On the tick side see my thread on my tick counter measures, it works well. Had a friend get lyme diease and cancelled his hunting so I am on the tick offensive.
Taking the boy out again this weekend for bird 2 and my buddy who has neverbagged a Turkey yet....no pressure
Good luck to all!
Called in a nice bird for a buddy out at Perry lake last Saturday. Man the Toms are tough to figure out this year. Was working one 200 yards out that wouldn't budge, but as luck would have it, another Tom in the woods adjacent to us got fired up, and came right on in. It took less than 10 minutes from the first gobble to the kill. 11" beard, 3/4" spurs. Forgot the scales, so didn't get a weight, but he was good size.
I can't figure these things out sometime. One Tom completely ignores you, and another comes strutting right in like you're the only hen on the place.
Hunting in the afternoon is still producing the best results from the few guys I've spoken to. I didn't even bother getting up early Saturday. Headed back out to hopefully fill another tag this Saturday.
I can't figure these things out sometime. One Tom completely ignores you, and another comes strutting right in like you're the only hen on the place.
Hunting in the afternoon is still producing the best results from the few guys I've spoken to. I didn't even bother getting up early Saturday. Headed back out to hopefully fill another tag this Saturday.
HUNTIN4FUN
Member
Had two taking a dirt nap by 630 this morning. Both being 3 yr olds with busted up chests and tails. Called them from two separate sections of timber and shot them within 3 mins of each other. They are out there but they are making you work for ten this year boys.
Nicely done! :thumbsup: I had a few birds working for me yesterday, but he was hung up on the other side of the river. Rained out today... and it's just gonna get tougher with each passing week. Might have to pull a vacation day to get back out there sooner rather than later.
kick them up
Active member
Cool Farmer
Well I went out yesterday north of Topeka to a farm I normally hunt with good results and loaded with birds. I got in at zero dark thirty heard no birds and sat for 3 hours with no responce or sightings. I figured they may be done, but I pulled out the WIHA map and shot over to a little patch and across the road from the walk in was no less than 6 strutters. Parked the truck and hustled back and set up on a field edge that had been sprayed with round up and had a access road going into a back field. Well I hit the call think I could pull a strutter across the road, but 2 gobbled from the field behind me...Well the thunder& lighting started and what I thought was 50 yards was 67yards. So it was a swing and a miss.
Well I headed back to the truck after the missed shot and was rushing to get gear inside the truck due to the weather and headed home.
Got a call from the 785 area code about 3 hours later and answered the phone. It was the landowner across the road where all the strutter were. He said he found my Hunting Lic/ Tag hold on the side of the road where I was parked. He got my number from my info card and said he has it and asked me if I got the bird. he heard the shot I took. Said no and thanked him for picking it up. Talked for a few minute and set up a time for me to pick up my lic tomorrow. He said for me to come get it and shoot them birds on his land if I want. Just another example of a Great Kansas Farmer. My thanks go out to Mr. Wilson!!!!
Hope to have a pic for y'all tomorrow
Well I went out yesterday north of Topeka to a farm I normally hunt with good results and loaded with birds. I got in at zero dark thirty heard no birds and sat for 3 hours with no responce or sightings. I figured they may be done, but I pulled out the WIHA map and shot over to a little patch and across the road from the walk in was no less than 6 strutters. Parked the truck and hustled back and set up on a field edge that had been sprayed with round up and had a access road going into a back field. Well I hit the call think I could pull a strutter across the road, but 2 gobbled from the field behind me
...Well the thunder& lighting started and what I thought was 50 yards was 67yards. So it was a swing and a miss. Well I headed back to the truck after the missed shot and was rushing to get gear inside the truck due to the weather and headed home.
Got a call from the 785 area code about 3 hours later and answered the phone. It was the landowner across the road where all the strutter were. He said he found my Hunting Lic/ Tag hold on the side of the road where I was parked. He got my number from my info card and said he has it and asked me if I got the bird. he heard the shot I took. Said no and thanked him for picking it up. Talked for a few minute and set up a time for me to pick up my lic tomorrow. He said for me to come get it and shoot them birds on his land if I want. Just another example of a Great Kansas Farmer. My thanks go out to Mr. Wilson!!!!
Hope to have a pic for y'all tomorrow