I have been waiting for weeks for the opener to come. I actually have been scouting quite a bit and that is unusual for me!! I seem to have several Toms patterned and set the blind today. Got a young lady coming with me to do some filming and picture takin', so I hope it all comes together! For you guys who have hunted with me, I will be by the greenhouses in the big cow pasture!! Good Luck to all!! Shawn
What nobody going huntin sunday??? Shawn
I'll be out sunday for sure! Tomorrow I'm heading to CT, it opened on the 27th but there has been to much going on, on the property. I got the call today that my buddy can take me tomorrow!
Good luck to all NY Trad gang on their Turkey opener.
Good luck Shawn, Joe and I are going Sun. I'm doing a little scouting today, been going out before work but it has been quiet for the past week.
Good-Luck Shawn,I will be out trying my BigJims bush-in a bag,Hope I can put a bird in the bag!!!!!!
Went scouting yesterday and saw 43 birds with 14 strutting Toms in 9 different bunches. Won't be hunting any of those birds. I have a sweet little funnel between two fields that I really like to ambush the birds from. Won't be going Sunday morning as Sunday is reserved for Church and family. No hunting Sundays for me. I will be out Monday morning before work. Have been listening to them gobble on the roost each morning from the ridge 40 yards behind my house.
Good luck Shawn and all the rest.
My job requires me to work every Sun. morning, (of course starting THIS Sun.) til Nov. 1. Nature of the work.
I also have a few spots scouted, not far from the house so maybe I'll be able to slip out for a coupla hrs. before noon tomorrow. Blind already set to go in one spot. Next weekend (Sat.) will be my first opportunity to really get out & try my luck this Spring.
Can't wait, been practicing, callin' & shootin', first time w/ the Bow!
Good Luck to everyone!
Keith
i'll be up on the mountain with Adirondackman trying or luck with bow in hand.
Scouted a new piece of land this morning and got a couple toms on the roost to answer an owl call.They flew down and strutted for some hens and had another walk past me gobbling as he was looking for a date.I know where I'll be in the morning.
Good luck to everybody.
Good luck everyone. Post some pics!!!!! I may go out tomorrow morning as well. I have never hunted turkeys (well, once about 20 years ago but it was only a walk thru the woods). It may be just another walk thru the woods, though LOL!
Ron
For sure I'll be out there! I haven't missed a turkey opener in 15 years!
Good luck to all my brothers of the bow in New York!!
Best of luck guys I'm ready :archer2:
It's nice to know we will be well represented. Post pics. if ya can, I am gonna try!!! Hopefully a few of us kill a bird! Shawn
I'm heading to Mom and Dads in Delaware Co. I may "Go and Bow" instead of using a blind. I havent made up my mind yet. I may set up in a blind until about 8 or 9. good Luck all!
Good luck everyone. Tough day in PA. Guys on ATVs on neighbors property really messed things up. Bed now & bow in hand in the morning.
I guess we'll see whats chirping!
Good luck everyone!
Bed now for me too! I cannot fall asleep until at least 11, so 4:30 come early!! Good Luck!! Shawn
Good luck guys! I'm working the NRA Convention in Pittsburgh or I'd be out there. Hopefully some of you connect and post some pics.
Scott
Well not a good morning. We arrived at our spot to 3 other hunters. I knew all the guys and we were actually gonna be a couple hundred yards apart, so we figured not to bad. Well one guys who was just southeast of us called almost non-stop for an hour. We had birds fly down but this fool called and called and called, it buggared the birds and soon nothing. Than around 8:30 we had a hen come right to the our decoys, and even though 2 Toms were about 100 yards behind her, our calling fool wrecked it again. We sat until 9am. and than moved to a new spot, nothing the rest of the morning. Hope someone else had some luck!! Shawn
Never heard a bird.......
Well,I'm back in. no shots, but I saw plenty of birds. I had 3 long beards and 4 jakes hang up about 40 yards away from my set up. They wouldn't come into the decoys. They didn't spook, but didnt seem to like my motionless statues. I sat there all morning, hoping one of the birds would come in after finishing up with a hen. no such luck. i'll be out there again tomorrow morning.
I actually saw at least 5 different toms and 2 jakes, just too many guyss in the woods calling and messing everything up! Had one jake at about 40 yards but he was buggared by a guy walking out! Shawn
Not a peep out of them at Dads so we moved out behind my house. We call just a little then set quiet for a long while and had a tom come in silent but no closer than 50 yds. Heard one other bird gobble twice and that was it but we had fun.
Swing and a miss for me....
Up at 2:45 to get my parents , my sister and her family down to Laguardia airport in NYC. Dropped them off and headed back north. Back in town at 6:15 and saw some birds 1/2mi. away from one of my observation points. Ran home, get changed, and right out....I had a two hour window before I had to be out of the woods to bring Cade to his baseball game....
Couldn't make them gobble or see them anymore....but thru my scouting, made an educated guess which way they'd head.
Got the deke's set put in the open, and while putting on my ghille back in behind a bush I looked up the hill, 200yds. away and here they came....perfect timing!
Got set and watched thru the bush as they worked right up the field to me...
One longbeard "centercut", a jake, 2-3 hens, and the 3 big longbeards that have been together at this spot now for two seasons prior. I believe all three of these birds are big 4 1/2yr. old gobblers, they've earned the name "The Kings"....smart!
Got close the last two springs, but never had the right set-up to fool them....till right now! "Centercut" led the way, but soon "The Three Kings" trotted to overtake him and were soon at 15yds....but spooky as hell by the dekes.
They spun and acted like they'd had enough, so I made my move, but they caught me moving a little too much in my haste to get on them retreating. Just too many eyes...
Picked one out walking fast,straight away about 20yds and let fly... missing just over and slightly right...kind of an awkward shot, but no excuses...I missed!
If I had to do it over again, I wouldn't have shot...but no harm done...well, except making them even smarter then they already are! :knothead:
Nice start to the season...scouting is already paying off!
I'll sharpen up my VPA and be back out soon :pray:
Good luck fellas!
I went out but didn't hear or see any birds. No other hunters out that I saw, either. How does everyone keep the bugs away from yor face??? I was buzzed by them all morning. I did manage to get about 8 stumps, though, walking out.
Can us Vermont guys share this thread too since we have the same season?
I had one come in hot about 10:30 this morning only to have him get picked off by two hens that went to him so he had no reason to come to me. It was fun while it lasted and nice to have one talking at me.
Good luck to one and all. Stay safe.
I went out .Roosted 3 toms last night.Setup across from them and after they flew down,they headed staight for us and then veered off to another field with some hens.Couldn,t move them.Tried another spot around 10 oclock and walked up on 7 hens and 2 longbeards.Show over.Not much gobbling after they hit the ground.It should get better as the days start to warm up.......
aweoms eday on the mountain, no shots but lots of action! LOVE to watch them strut!!!
Great to hear the reports!
I'm pumped! Will be lucky to hunt during the week.
Season will get better and better
Good luk to all
F-Manny
Saw 12 longbeards total today in 4 different spots. Every bird I saw was henned up. Never had a chance against those girls. Great day with bow in hand. Good luck boys!
Sounds like a great morning for many. Can't wait to give it a try in the morning.
My buddy Ray was at bat today, trying for his first trad bird. we had some gobbling throughout the morning but they had hens and never came closer than a few hundred yards. we'll give it a go in the am
I tried to roost some birds lastnight, however I didn't here a peep. well this morning I set up in a small meadow about 500 yrds up the mountain from where I was yesterday. I set my blind up with just enough light to see. I had a few barred owls hooting back and forth conjuring up goobles from where I was set up yesterday. Don't you hate second guessing a desicion????
Well, I figured I throw out a few soft yalps. That bird was gobbling his head off. I hit the ground and vcame to about 200 yards and hung up. I could tell that he was strutting back and forth.
I was really fighting the urge to chase him. 30 years of "run and gun" turkey hunting was startng to kickin. Welp, I stuck to my guns( so to speak)...I stayed put. That bird was hot. I stopped calling figuring he my come in to investigate. I've killed a lot of birds like that over the years. No such luck.
I still sat in my blind enjoying the morning. Overcast skies, a slight breezwe, and a little bit of drizzle.
GOBBLE GOBBLE GOBBLE!! behind me just up the mountain. I hit a few soft yalps and purred on my mouth call. I could peer out of one my closed windows in my blind and watch him walking across a small ridge above me about 60 yrds. a few more purrs got a few more gobbles.
I slowly turned to face my decoys, took the arrow holder off my arrow and prepared for a shot. I thought to myself "pick a feather...pick a feather..." It was a Jake. he came to about 6 feet of my decoys and turned and let out a few alarm putts. I drew and realeased, watching my arrow just graze the top of his back feathers. I didn't pick a feathe! It was a great hunt none the less. The worse part of it was that I couldn't find my arrow. I got about an hour and ahalf left to hunt today, so I'm on my way out.
Sounds like a great hunt Sean! Congrats on getting a shot.
I had a frustrating morning. I set up in my sweet little funnel and had 4 gobbles to the right and 3 to the left. I also had some very vocal hens in each bunch. I don't use a blind and was just sitting up against a big oak in my leafy suit. I let out few seductive yelps and evidently hit the right cord for a big gobbler. He went off but he sounded a little ways off and he wasn't with either the right or left bunch. I hit it again and he boomed back. Sounded closer so I really worked him up them. Gave him some sweet talk promising a time he wouldn't forget. Well, that bird was on the other side of a fairly significant sized creek but was closing fast. Once I figured out he was on the other side I relaxed a little thinking there was no way I would pull him across. That silly bird RAN down the hill and glided right across the creek and landed 3 ft away from me. Kind of startled me as my back was to him and I was craning my neck to see if he was coming. I moved just a fraction and he caught me. He walked away out to the field and just kept on trucking. No way I could get my longbow up and get a shot. This was at 6:05 AM. I had to get in to work and thought I didn't have much chance after spooking him a little and got up to leave. Of course there were two more silent longbeards strutting right to my funnel just over a little rise that I didn't see until I stood up. Buggered them out too. Oh, well. I have two more birds that I see in a little secluded field corner strutting everyday and they were there this morning. I'll give them a try in the AM. In hind sight I should've expected the bird to fly across the creek and been ready, but I didn't and he caught me. Lesson learned.
Sounds like most had fun days a faild so far :thumbsup:
So far had a Jake come in Silent and didn't want to come into the Decoy. It would have been a chip shot if he had, I was closer to the deke than I thought when the light came up.
Here in Western Ky, we have a better chance pursueing water turkeys.
Fifteen inches of rain in the past 2 1/2 weeks has mmade hunting interesting.
Well, this morning I set up in the right place and had at least 6 gobblers around me. Four of them hit the ground, shut up, and chased after a few hens in the other direction. No amount of sweet talking could change their mind. The remaining two were with four hens and were working in my direction. I gave a few inviting yelps and then the boss hen in the group began to give me the business. Having experienced this before I thought that if I called her in the the boys would follow. I aggressively called her and got her all worked up. She came in with two other hens to about 5 yards and purred and putted for 15 minutes. These 3 must've been the ugliest hens in all of NY. The last hen headed off in the other direction with the two boys in tow. I'll be in the field where all the gobblers headed in the morning. I've now hunted longer this year for a bird than I have in the previous 3 years combined. They are actually kind of fun now. Used to be just too easy.
Terry,
Call in the better looking hens next time.
Maybe then the boys will follow :readit: :biglaugh:
It has been rough the hens hit the ground and if they don't walk by you than no chance for a tom. I have seen toms everyday and had a few within 40-50 yards but everytime a hen or two comes along and leads them away. I may hunt again tomorrow but it may be rainin too hard. Keep it up guys! Shawn
Yup Terry, it was! I may try to head out in the morning for a little while. I think I'm just going to use the leafy wear and not use a pop-up.
I had aGobbler and 2Hens at 5 yards,I couldn,t draw the bow,so close.Tom got alittle spooky with decoy and walked away,hen stayed.15 min. latter here he comes with another hen,i'm soaked with sweat and froze by 1st. hen.Last chance at 25 yds. draw bow,hen at 5yds.putt putt gone.Ishoot.Miss chest by inches.Hen and tom stand there looking at other hen running away.Kneeling in a small pine I knock another arrow pull up and can't tell which one is the tom cause i'm looking right in the sun, i could not find that beard.As i get tired and let off, away they go.What a rush.Great setup,close incounter,bad shot.Looking forward to sat.AM Hope to get a second chance.Working on one of those bow umbrellas this week,and a sawed off ball cap.
Shawn
You filming those hunts??
Bill
The toms have been hung up with hens on the adjacent property, it's driving me crazy, hopefully things will break this week. On saturday I hunted CT and the birds were quiet and the wind was howling. i decided to pack up around 9:30, before I exited the blind I peeked out the side window and had 2 longbeards at full strut at 30yds. I got the camera set back up as the birds came in, but the wind had my decoys spinning and I had to keep my hand on the side of the blind to keep it from tipping over. They came into 12yds and acted like they were leaving. I let go of the blind long enough to get a shot off, but i rushed it and missed just high, oh well it's early yet. I'll get on them
Well, this morning I didn't get anything but wet!
Yes Bill, some good footage but no shots. I have some good stuff of a hen givin my decoy hell! Too wet this am.I am going in the morning and my videographer will be with me, lets hope we can get one in for a shot! Shawn
Ha! They ain't so smart! Took me 4 mornings and about 7 hours of hunting this year but I got one this morning. I must be slowing down in my old age.
I'll start another thread with the story. Here's the pictures (sorry cell phone quality). Had a long beard at 11", good spurs at 1 1/4", and pretty heavy with being over 20#s.
66# TimberHawk Takedown Longbow, 2219 Legacy arrows and 125 grain Snuffer.
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/SpringTurkeyVertical.jpg)
(http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/BowBird.jpg)
Nice bird Terry! I was starting to get worried. ;) haha, congrats!
:notworthy:
Hey Terry, awesome bird! congrats. I went out after work this morning. Nothing.
that videoing aint as easy as Bill makes it seem to be! BUT Bill does tell us that many times in his videos.... Good Luck guys!!! :thumbsup:
Went out for a few hours this morning, figured that I'd give it a whirl with out a blind. Well, I kinda got caught out in the open. I had a nice longbeard come in quick, so I had a real crappy set up. I tried to keep a tree between him and me, which worked well, until he veered off and walked parallel to me. I tried to draw at 15 yards, but he was off with like a shot at the slightest movement.