Just wanted to say good luck, and good hunting to all of us going after Meleagras gallopavo in the morning!! Ive got my broadheads on and poppin sharp, avian decoys and blind packed, an assortment of sweet sounding calls, including an awesome cedar box call given to me by Paul/KS ready to roll! Absolutely pumped for my first trad turkey season!
Lets keep this thread as an update thread for the state of NC for the 2015 Turkey season! Il be sure to report back in the morning!
:readit:
They have been gobbling and strutting for over a month up here. Heck, the hens will be all bred before the season opens.
Good luck guys !
I have a place in Graham county, but it never seems to work out for me to be there during turkey season. :(
Graham county seems to be loaded with them - I see them every time I'm there.
Good luck!
Bisch
Awesome, Dalton! I just stuck the last hair popping broadhead in my quiver, everything is checked and double checked. Let's get after them!!!!!
Good luck!!!
Jake
I know someone that scored this morning. Waiting for the story.
(http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b301/TimAntoine/th_image.jpg1_zpsenpivv7h.jpg) (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/TimAntoine/media/image.jpg1_zpsenpivv7h.jpg.html)
I had 8 longbeards within 80 yards of my blind for THREE HOURS this morning. One boss hen came in and kept them wadded up like a dang herding dog. I'll be back after them with a tweaked setup next weekend. Looks like Tim had some luck.
Jake
Way to go tim!!!!!! Congrats! Now for the story!
Congrats night stalker!!!
(http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b301/TimAntoine/image.jpg1_zpsij28vgep.jpg) (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/TimAntoine/media/image.jpg1_zpsij28vgep.jpg.html)
I did not hunt turkeys last year. I had one gobbler that hung around the farm and he always had hens with him. I was wanting all the hens to nest so I passed him up. The day after the season, I heard him gobble then a second gobble. Oh well. We trapped raccoons and opossum over the winter to keep the nest robbers on the decline. This spring, we had a gobbler and a few jakes so I decided I would go hunt the gobbler.
Last evening, I decided to go for a walk and scout a little. While talking to fellow tradganger spider64 (Darren Webb) about elk hunting, when I spotted a turkey walking the power line. He strutted back and forth, then disappearing about 75 yards below my blind spot. It was about 7:40 so I knew would roost down hill from my spot.
I got up way before light in order not to spook him. I set up my flock in the dark. The first hint of light, he began to gobble. I yelped and he would gobble. He was not coming straight in like I have experienced in the past. I decided to ignore him and purr and give some feeding clucks. I looked to my left and he was right there 20 yards away. With call in my mouth, I stuck my hand in my pocket feeling for my tab. I looked down to see my tab on the ground. I slowly grabbed it as he came around and slammed into my Avian Jake. I watched two more assaults then I put a 3 blade VPA through him. He continued to assault the decoy. I must of hit him a little forward so I knocked another arrow. In the rush, I pulled an abowyer brown bear out of my quiver. The single bevel hit its mark and I seen him disappear just inside of the woods. I walked down the powerline looking and listening. I then walked back up to where I last seen him. He was laying just inside the edge. He did not run more than 20 yards. The first shot must of entered just forward in the soft spot. Tradganger DeerhunterW came over and helped me take out the breastbone then we shot his new Centaur.
I used my 62 inch Centaur 52@29 and axis traditional shafts.
Congrats. Now its my turn.
Jeff
Congrats on a great opening day!
Great story and results! Congrats man i really hope i can put my first trad bird on the ground here soon, the stories kill me!
Anyone else kind of have a weird morning this morning? Seems like they all had lockjaw until about 9-10, then still acted funky, maybe it was just me?
Congrats Night Stalker.....that's excellent!
:thumbsup:
Dalton,
I am seeing a lot of gobbling and strutting, but almost no reaction to hen calls whatsoever yet. I have seen 7 gobblers in the last two days fly down, hit full strut, then not move out of their shadow for hours. I am hunting WAY up high and thinking that maybe they're a little behind. What do you guys think??
Jake
Congrats to you!
Jake, are they by themselves? And are they going to consistant points? If they have hens with them, its going to be tough unless you can agitate the lead hen by mocking her( ive killed many birds this way), if hes alone doing that, idk what to tell you unless hes doing it in a specific spot, then id get there real early and quietly set up in that spot.
Dalton,
The toms are grouped up. I have killed many a bird back in my shotgun days by calling the hen in and letting her drag them in with her, like you mentioned. I have never seen such a large group of toms get held up so bad with only one hen. The toms are also not alone either. Which leads me to believe that breeding hasn't really kicked off yet?
Jake
What huskyarcher said. If he is going to the same spot thats where I would be. Good luck
Jeff
To clarify some, I have seen henned up toms plenty, but never large groups still running together this time of year. Both yesterday and today I watched groups of strutting toms and one lone hen. The toms were neither fighting or trying to breed her. Just strutting and she was feeding. Gobbling their dern heads off to every call, but not moving an inch. I don't claim to be an expert, but I have never seen such behavior this time of year.
Jake
Sounds like to me that any day now your place will be a honey hole!! Id just keep at it, and try to set up where there going to be before daylight, that way even if theyre doing what they have been doing youre still in the game. Are you using decoys? Some of those satellite birds are going to be callable very soon IMHO.
Yeah, I use a Jake and two hen set. I'm glad you think they'll heat up too. I've been telling myself they will, but it's nice to have another opinion. It is a honey hole for sure. Thanks for all the responses.
Jake
Tim :wavey: Congrats on your turkey :thumbsup:
Hope to be after them this Tuesday :archer2:
Jake, sent you an email
I have some birds roosted for in the morning, a tom and 3 hens. Normally wouldnt bother, but he didnt act very interested at all, and im pretty sure i know where theyl be heading in the morning. We shall see!
Came so close this morning, dang hens took him away eventually though dadgummit. Off to work, hope to be back in my blind this evening!
I've been checking in on this thread from work to see how it went. Keep after them, Dalton. Best of luck this evening.
Jake
Had a nice sit this morning outside of Sylva. Had a tom gobble at my hen calls for an hour and a half. He came in eventually but stopped at 40 yards. He was answering my yelps but staying put. I shut up for a little bit and then hit him with some soft purrs and that brought him to me.
Seemed a little wary of the decoys. He started strutting a little bit but didnt come after my jake. I think I am gonna move my decoys parallel to my spot next week and see if he will come back then. It was a thrill to call in my first tom.
Try to gobble at him. As soon as he gobbles, gobble over top of him. Cackle at him just prior. Try to feel him out to see what mood he is in. This year, that gobbler was hesitant, they usually just come right in to the set up from as far as 2-300 yards.
What decoy are you using nantahala? Might be the culprit. I had that happen alot with my primos killer b, which is why i broke down and went for the avians this year.
They are the cheap ones for now. Hopefully setting them a bit farther back will pull him in close enough before he gets wise. I will definitely use the gobble on him. Maybe if he is annoyed enough he will get stupid
We ate buffalo turkey strips tonight. Why is wild turkey better than dry domestic turkey?
Well, i didnt think i put that jake at such an odd angle?!
(http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb428/huskyarcher/022BD744-3F9E-464A-A295-D7792A160FB3_zpsv8swpkqa.jpg) (http://s1205.photobucket.com/user/huskyarcher/media/022BD744-3F9E-464A-A295-D7792A160FB3_zpsv8swpkqa.jpg.html)
:campfire:
Tim I see you took my advice.
Time for the story Dalton. :campfire: :clapper:
Dalton, I did that about 15 yrs ago. We set up on a gobble in a hurry and started calling. He came in and started to drum right in front of me. I was enjoying the show when he flew off. I told my hunting partner that he must of moved, I know I didn't move. We stood up and went to get the decoy and it looked crooked. That gobbler knew something was up and my hunting partner which was a turkey hunting fanatic laughed all the way to the truck. I never made that mistake again.
Out with it Dalton!! Congrats man.
Jake
My wife says I have to go somewhere else to hunt...the locals are pets. This photo was taken at 10 yards..from my hot tub.
(http://i.imgur.com/wscWqDV.jpg)
Guys, I put the story on another thread on the powwow, here is the link:
http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=143929
Went again this morning, Called a Jobbler to about 15 yards, but he didn't want to play. The closest he came in a direction I could shoot was about 20 yards. I didn't want to take that shot with totally soaked feathers so I didn't shoot.
If you brave all this rain we're having, focus on fields! Turkeys love fields in the rain!
Let's bring this to the top. I went out again yesterday morning before work. Lots of gobbled but no birds in sight. The hunt continues. How are the other Carokina boys faring?? Dalton, Tim...you guys had anymore luck. The wet weather has slowed them up a bit here. I have very high hopes for next week/weekend.
Good luck fellers,
Jake
Jake, I usually just shoot one per season. Jeff is been hunting. I submitted mt turkeys legs to the biologist yesterday in the state study. I might go again and take my new go pro.
I have been hearing several but nothing will cooperate.
I have been out as much as possible all week, though only this morning was i the shooter. We got close but no luck. Hopefully i can get back out monday morning!
It seems they are getting active later in the day, after I've quit hunting and gotten into other projects. Early mornings have been quiet.
Well had an awesome day today. Seems i have 0 tags left to burn. I will type out a story in the morning. Wish everyone thats after them this week the best of luck!
:campfire:
Dalton is getting done this season! You go, huskyarcher! ( I think I can give you a run on the "husky" part. I just gotta get a few turkeys to cooperate. )
Way to go Dalton!
Jake
I have been hearing them in the mornings but they get quite after they fly down. Just before all the thunderstorms yesterday I heard one gobble once, but that was it. I know they are in the area. I watched one friday morning standing in a field above my property, without any hens. Couldn't get a response out of him. I may try a new area this evening.
Jeff
Double post
Here is a link to the story! Hope you enjoy!!
http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=144050
Anyone get out there this week? I'm hitting the woods on monday. I have been seeing a couple hens in one spot fairly regular in the mornings. I saw a gobbler yesterday harassing a hen a little further down the mountain from here. I am thinking of leaving my spot in the pasture to give this one a shot. The area is kind of thick but about 600 yards up the mountain there is a finger that has a little bit thinner vegetation. Should I be looking to set up where I am seeing hens now?
A good way to be a great caller, is to be where they want to be anyway. I would at least give it a shot, if they like the spot, it will be scratched to death. If there is scratching, id have plenty of confidence.
And yes finally got back in the woods this morning after a long week of work. Im out of tags, so when i called one up about 10am, my dad was happy to oblige.
Keep after em boys! The last two weeks is a great time to call a lonely ol tom in!