loner

not a biologist,but seem to learn each year as i get older.the turkey hatch success,harvest results and pressure have big impacts on turkey hunting.good hatch=good jake population for NEXT season.good sightings of hens and jakes indicate good promise for next season while not hearing two year olds this season.when not hearing much gobbling normally would mean heavy harvest of two year olds previous season leaving only older birds this season.when there are plenty of two year olds,harvest is up but will be felt next season.novice hunters do well with two year olds the same as deer hunters do with 11/2 year olds.my limit this year was all older birds and little gobbling while last season was heavy two year olds and lots of shots heard.this year,very few shots or gobbles.

heavy hunted public birds learn fast gobbling attracts hunters.i have been in the bottoms before daylight and hear first gobble then hear truck coming on road and owl call, slam door and leave.tom never gobbled again for several minutes until truck gone.sometimes they don't gobble anymore until hen excites him and it is more of a shock or surprise gobble.if you hunt later in the morning after the road hunters leave,you will have better luck.noon closing not good for late morning hunts but could be more productive in less time.it is tough competing with a tom AND other hunters.especially,the ones looking for easy hunt or stupid two year old bird.good luck!

congrats!

love hunting in rain as long as not storm or high winds.birds like to get into the fields,pastures or larger openings where they can see approaching danger.blinds would be great if you can leave w/o being stolen or used by somebody else.i never can fold these things back up to carry in the bag.LOL

use cam with no flash and hide far enough away it won't alert him while in the blind.private land most likely, is neighbor's kids or guest not smart enough to know where property line is.public land,you NEVER leave anything overnight unless locked up and legal

lots of gobbling can mean there are hens roosting with tom stirring him up in early season and can also mean he is looking for them to come to him.old toms might gobble a time or two on roost then stop when with the hens.i have heard one or two gobble 100 times in hour one day and not gobble again for 2-3 days.welcome to turkey hunting.nothing better.

gas line sounds like good strutting area to catch him with hen.old bird might be shy of decoys if has been hunted.if no hen with him at roost,you have a good chance to get him in

good tom! that's the way it's done.

this is my last tom of the season and was not an easy one to get to come in.i had to set up on him several different days before finally getting him and his hen to follow their previous day's travel.

day started off as usual, with no leaves on trees and typical winter type day,but at least rain stopped.two gobblers gobbling 100 yards apart and another on adjoining property.i got set up and the little gobble treeing house dog from neighbors house started barking at base of roost tree at tom.at daylight the two birds flew to next property to get away from the problem.still gobbling along with hen with other gobbler.made my usual round of the pastures and sat until 10.00am and remembered that boston butt sandwich at the truck and my boots and feet wet.rested,changed boots and decided to take folding saw and make blind for next day.leaned gun on tree and looked through binocs 300 yards away and tom strutting while another tom bred hen.i had to follow a creek to keep from being seen,cross back and crawl up bank into pasture toward where i thought the birds would be.in prone position with water saturating my clothes,i see a big chucklehead. kept crawing their direction and saw hen and i yelped three times softly.she came my way,the i saw the big head about 45 yards out.boom.game over and several other birds flew.this ended at 11.45am.

great tips! the situation one finds a tom in will dictate the success or failure of calling.late season,normally means hens are nesting and not roosting with the toms.a tom will normally, come much quicker to a call at this time of the season.if on the roost,just let him know where you are and he will find you.up in the morning or afternoon,a gobble will almost insure he will come unless he can't get to you without much effort.patience,rather than alot of calling more important.a tom will be interested if all the hens are on the nest and you are the only one around.i have had toms run to me up in the day when the hens not around and barely had time to get setup on right tree.great article!

congrats! i have learned to hunt public land after 10.00am after the crappie hunters leave and the roost hunters.only, the diehard hunters stick with it after 10.00am

just depends on your preference and where you hunt.i like the shorter barrel because it is easier to get around in the woods and thick stuff.it is also easier to swing in direction of a tom if he comes from direction other than set up.saplings,twigs,branches and such seem to always interfering with getting barrel where you need it.as for range or patterns,there is no difference in length of barrel with today's choke tubes.my browning A-500G has a custom 22.5" barrel with carlsons custom tube and my rem 870 has a 26" barrel but is heavier and harder for me to get around

no leaves on the trees and no gobbling but i have seen this bird since opening day with hens and knew the area well he liked.raining last two days and yesterday he saw me trying to turn with poncho on.same spot today with rain but only my all weather camo jacket and turkey vest and no friction calls to get wet.waited until 6.55 am to do tree yelps.at 7.00am he came in full strut to my right rear across small pasture from his tree.beautiful strut looking for me.i am under small cedar,could not move and my gun was leaned on small cedar to my right.line of small cedars below me and he stepped into them out of the pasture.i reached for the 870 and shouldered to my left shoulder and he appeared from the cedars as i lined the truglo to his neck.the end of perfect morning at 7.05am.101/4" beard and 11/4" spurs .don't know what he weighted as i put him in the vest,but he felt pretty heavy after the mile walk to the truck.

i use two different guns depending on woods or open pastures.favorite is a Brwg A-500 G with 22.5" barrel and Carlson's spcl .670 turkey tube and truglo sights chambered for 3" shells.the other is a Rem 870 super mag 26" barrel with star dot .668 tube and truglo sights chambered for 3.5" shells.i use heviblend 4-5-7 and also the federal heavyweight #5