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2017 Gobbling reports and turkey talk!!

12K views 103 replies 23 participants last post by  Bryan six 
#1 ·
We have Had some gobbling in SE Ohio, just wondering if anyone else is hearing any action!! The cold weather coming in may put a damper on them but it's getting really close!! I'm starting to feel that kid at Christmas anxiety approaching the 2017 season, anyone else getting itchy??
 
#51 ·
Well things are starting to change up here on the north coast right on schedule. Wednesday April 12th there were 40 turkeys in the field behind the house. Yesterday and today the most I saw together was 23. I'd say almost half are male birds both jakes and longbeards. Thursday morning I was laughing because there was a group of 2-3 longbeards and about 10 hens together. About 100 yards away there was a longbeard (probably a 2 year old) chasing a jake around in circles. It was hysterical. That 2 year old probably thought he was tough stuff but also had the smarts to stay far enough away from the main group. LOL So much entertainment this time of year.
 
#55 ·
Its youth day in WV. Had an amazing morning. Brought 2 youth from my church. At 730 had a strutter come in to our side but couldn't get a good shot. Walked within 2yds of us. He fed off and 10 min later 2 more long beards came running in and started strutting in our decoys. Got them to 18 yds and boom. Dropped the biggest Longbeard I've ever seen. Has over 1-1/2" spurs. Would have been an easy double with older adults. Got everything on video. Unbelievable morning with 2 first time hunters. My season is complete whether I kill one or not.
 
#57 ·
Only heard about 7 today in the howlers of KY. Got chained out of where we wanted to be due to a landowner and Verizon tower dispute first thing this morning and had to set up in a bottom. Nothing showed up and was able to get through the gate about 11am and to the top of the ridge. Wind was blowing about 30 mph and we decided to get something to eat and as soon as we stand up 2 Jakes had been standing in our blind spot. Wouldn't have shot them anyway today but would have loved to have seen them sooner and got them worked up a bit. Nothing gobbling after 7:30 here.
 
#58 ·
went out to a local wildlife area i have kicked up flocks of turkey in the summer and as im driving down the path i see movement so grab the binos and its a turkey and he had a red and white head. :) he fed for about 5 minutes as i watched him but when another car pulled up he bolted. Leaving about 4hrs later there were 2 hens in another field. I just might have to buy a tag. :)
 
#60 ·
A landowner who shares his land with me told me he heard the first ever turkey from his house. Gobbling in their back field that I can hunt. SW Licking County. Also, got news their family is planning to take all their ag. land out of production and let it re-grow, plant trees and put a pond in. It's bean stubble now, might be able to decoy one in.
 
#63 ·
We have reached the time of year when turkeys become very nomadic. Oh it will get worse but they are starting to travel around a bit while still staying a loosely formed group. After 3 days without hardly a sighting, the gang of 23 showed up in the field behind the house yesterday. It was quite an entertaining morning watching 2 toms follow a few hens across the field. Meanwhile another group which I assume is a group of both young hens and jakes mingled 200 yards away. The young hens (about 8 of them) fed across the field while 4 jakes lined up single file and in full strut following the girls around. It was almost like they were saying "hey look what we can do". LOL They did make sure they stayed away from the big boys and their hens though. :D It's hard to go to work while there are turkeys parading out back of the house. That feeling of wanting to stay home will only get worse once season opens. 12 more days. :) :) :)
 
#66 ·
Well its day 3 of the WV season and I got to go with my two really good friends this morning. Our plan was to go into a property and set up super early. It was a very steep walk carrying tons of gear. Bows, backup gun, blind, chairs, full size mounted decoys, camera equip and just about anything else you could imagine. We were all set up right at 530(left the house at 4, Im gonna be tired later). We heard some gobbling on the roost at a distance but nothing super close. We figured out why shortly after daylight when a coyote trotted by out of range, but he came from where we thought the turkeys would roost. We just soft called occasionally knowing we were in a decent spot. At around 830 I looked up and there was a long beard that had popped out of the brush at 25 yards and he was staring a hole in the decoys, which were less than 5 yds from the blind. He stood motionless for a minute with his head upright. My buddy gave two gentle purrs with his mouth and the bird relaxed. He then went full strut and walked straight to the 1/4 strut jake decoy. Now keep in mind we have bows and werent ready at all. I had to get my bow ready and take things from my lap (slate call, striker and cell phone) and set them on the ground without moving my head. I then was able to get my release on the Dloop. As soon as he got behind the tail fan of the decoy I drew. He then demolished the decoy and sent it flying. He paused for a second and gave me a good shot at 5-7 yards and I got one in him. He started to slowly limp off and my buddy helped me out and drew back and nearly took the birds head off at 15 yards (magnus bullheads are wicked). That was the end and that makes the 3rd bow turkey in 3 days for us. We have been able to capture all of them on video so far. It was a fun hunt in general but to share it with 2 great friends makes it near the top of my list. I love the outdoors, but I love sharing it with good people even more. Add this trip to the successful
Glasses Hunting Plant Turkey Bird
youth day and Ive had a season to remember already and Ohio doesnt start til Monday.
 
#67 ·
Well its day 3 of the WV season and I got to go with my two really good friends this morning. Our plan was to go into a property and set up super early. It was a very steep walk carrying tons of gear. Bows, backup gun, blind, chairs, full size mounted decoys, camera equip and just about anything else you could imagine. We were all set up right at 530(left the house at 4, Im gonna be tired later). We heard some gobbling on the roost at a distance but nothing super close. We figured out why shortly after daylight when a coyote trotted by out of range, but he came from where we thought the turkeys would roost. We just soft called occasionally knowing we were in a decent spot. At around 830 I looked up and there was a long beard that had popped out of the brush at 25 yards and he was staring a hole in the decoys, which were less than 5 yds from the blind. He stood motionless for a minute with his head upright. My buddy gave two gentle purrs with his mouth and the bird relaxed. He then went full strut and walked straight to the 1/4 strut jake decoy. Now keep in mind we have bows and werent ready at all. I had to get my bow ready and take things from my lap (slate call, striker and cell phone) and set them on the ground without moving my head. I then was able to get my release on the Dloop. As soon as he got behind the tail fan of the decoy I drew. He then demolished the decoy and sent it flying. He paused for a second and gave me a good shot at 5-7 yards and I got one in him. He started to slowly limp off and my buddy helped me out and drew back and nearly took the birds head off at 15 yards (magnus bullheads are wicked). That was the end and that makes the 3rd bow turkey in 3 days for us. We have been able to capture all of them on video so far. It was a fun hunt in general but to share it with 2 great friends makes it near the top of my list. I love the outdoors, but I love sharing it with good people even more. Add this trip to the successful View attachment 23764 youth day and Ive had a season to remember already and Ohio doesnt start til Monday.
That's awesome!!! I'm jealous!!!! But happy for you at the same time!!!!
 
#69 ·
Wednesday evening (2 nights ago) I drug my sorry self off the couch to start running again to prep for a race in June. On two different farms along my route I heard spontaneous gobbling. This was around 6pm. Last night we had thunderstorms rolling through in the evening and across the road what sounded like a group of jakes were sounding off to the thunder. I love how turkeys gobble to thunder. :D
 
#70 ·
Took my neighbors son out today and saw three Jake's but I had to wake him up so he would see them LOL he couldn't pull the trigger because he said he wanted to wait on a long beard tomorrow . I told him to shoot one today and we would go back out tomorrow and try again but he still wouldn't to it. He slept all morning I feel till we had those birds come in. They didn't talk a lot after they hit the ground but when they were on limb they were going crazy.i will post pic when I figure out how to and I will give u the next report in the morning when we get out of the woods. Good luck to all and be safe and shoot straight
 
#72 ·
The gang was missing this morning. Perhaps someone hunting on the neighbor's place or perhaps just part of their normal wandering? They showed up this afternoon though and about a dozen birds spent several hours in the field behind the house this afternoon. Most were hens. There were maybe 2 mature toms. Probably a jake or two but like I said, most were hens.

Even though I am THRILLED the season is starting later for us, this is the time of year I start to get antsy to get out to the woods. This will be especially true as the season starts for most of the rest of the state. The turkeys will still be there though and still doing their thing come May 1st. One more week of turkey watching season reports and then it's game on for me. :)
 
#74 ·
This morning's entertainment. I got up around 7am and as usual went and picked up my binoculars and looked through the back upstairs window. Way in the back of my neighbor's greenfield there was a group of turkeys milling around. I went downstairs and took the dogs for their morning walk through the front yard. Across the road there was a VERY loud woodpecker hammering away. The woods are a good distance away from my house but the woodpecker was very loud. However it was what followed that had me laughing.

Hammering of woodpecker followed closely by gobble gobble gobble. Then a long pause. Hammering of woodpecker followed closely by gobble gobble gobble. I must have heard this a half dozen times while I was out with the dogs. Silly turkeys. :D :D :D
 
#75 ·
Well, it's almost officially opening day and I'm getting ready to finally hit the sack!! We covered a little ground today and heard on lone gobbler on a property we can't hunt!! He was fired up, but out of range!!! We did see a few birds come off roost, so we are just gonna set up on one of the benches I used last year and put bills new avian set out, and wait!!! A little calling just for reminders that we are still there, but I'd say by the way this morning went, that tomorrow will bre silent too! I'd say we have a good chance of pulling triggers, but gobbling action may be found wanting!! Everyone be safe, hit your knees, and thank God we get to enjoy the awakening of the springtime forest!!! Purrrrrr put purrrrrr put!!!
 
#76 ·
I hope y'all get a

I hope y'all get a chance at some birds. If the opportunity doesn't present its self tho....Could you and bill man make a video of you to practicing. In the woods with your cameo on? Lmao. Good luck B and billman. I'm still drinking coffe havnt heard a bird yet. No sense in me rushing out yet. I like it better after 9 am or 10. We'll see what happens!
 
#78 ·
Birds were hot and workable yesterday but today was a bust!! We came real close to an opening morning bird, but it just didn't work out!!! Plenty of time left!! How is everyone else doing???
 
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#93 ·
Today was nasty and rainy!! No gobbles anywhere around, we got in the woods late and heard zero gobbling!! Seen a squirrel fall out of a tree in front of us which always makes me giggle!! Other than that nada. Hope tomorrow is better!!!
 
#94 ·
Bryan I had the same day yesterday as you did not a peep out of anything!! Today I pushed one off the roost walking in [emoji17] and had a hen come in but no toms. I've heard one gobble this morning and it was off in the distance. It appears the Rick population is doing well tho I have found 2 on my leg and hand so far. Any recommendations for tick repellant??
 
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