I was curious about what other hunters observed during their time afield chasing turkeys. I go 90% of the time 2nd season due to the first weekend to get after them. I'm usually frustrated, adding more grey hairs by the time Tuesday rolls around. Seems like the turkeys in my area are usually henned up pretty bad and gobble little after flydown. I was curious if other hunters had made a switch to 3rd season as hopefully most hens will nest up more leaving more lonesome toms. If you've hunted 3rd quite a bit, what have you observed? Are they anymore Cooperative?
I hunted second season, for the same reasons you said. I was fortunate to harvest a mature tom fairly early. That being said, I called in the whole flock, had that not happened, I don't believe I would have got or seen any. They all came in in a very large group. I think with coolness of this spring they are still a little bunched up, but I think 4th season looks like maybe the best.
mplane72
PMA Member
The farm I hunt in East Central Iowa is a wintering area for Turkeys. The big flocks were broken up before youth season started.
My older son and I hunted Sat, Sun and Mon morning. Lots of gobbling on the roost and for a short time after fly down then silence. Saw lone hens fly down. Every morning we were on a big strutter that was run off by 2 smaller birds before he could come in or we could make a move on them before they left the farm. It was very frustrating. We were hunting with a 1/4 strut jake and hen decoy. I think we would have been better served with a lone strutter. Interested to see what things look like this weekend with my son on his youth tag.
My older son and I hunted Sat, Sun and Mon morning. Lots of gobbling on the roost and for a short time after fly down then silence. Saw lone hens fly down. Every morning we were on a big strutter that was run off by 2 smaller birds before he could come in or we could make a move on them before they left the farm. It was very frustrating. We were hunting with a 1/4 strut jake and hen decoy. I think we would have been better served with a lone strutter. Interested to see what things look like this weekend with my son on his youth tag.
bigbuckhunter88
PMA Member
I think alot is weather dependent. Some years 2nd is tough, but this year it just seemed like they were more willing to play. The amount of turkeys killed Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of 2nd season was more than I can recall ever before from friends and aquantances.