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Turkey season 2016

Bowtech84

Bowtech84

Well-Known Member
Just trying to get some thoughts from other turkey hunters. This year is the first year I've bought two bow tags and opted out on the gun season. I've been turkey hunting for quite some time and this year so far the turkeys just seem off. I filled a tag opening morning on a two year old and have messed up a couple opportunities so I'm not complaining just wondering what others are experiencing? I've had at least 15 toms within shotgun range hardly any gobbling and only 4 have been within 20 yards. I'm using bullheads so that's about my max I'm comfortable with. The turkeys that did come into range were very cautious only two of them actually made contact with the dsd jake and it wasn't the usual beat down where a guy could stand up and do the Macarena without them even noticing. I hunt private ground with very little hunting pressure if any other than me. I watch a group of turkeys near my house and there is a group of 4 toms that hang out together and then one straggler. They usually will follow a pair of hens around in the morning then mid day/evening I always see them alone. The other night I was watching the 4 toms and a 5th tom came out of the timber about 150 yards away. As soon as the 4 spotted the 5th they took after him on a dead run. I thought it was going to be easy pickings so I roosted the 4 that night and set up on them the following morning. At daylight I only heard two gobbles but knew all 4 maybe even a 5th were close. After fly down I see the usual two hens and 5 toms in tow. I start putting at them and the hens start making there way towards me. The lead hen comes in and walks between the blind and the jake decoy while the other hen feeds by around 20 yards. The 5 toms came to about 25 yards and strut for at least 5 minutes. The whole time I'm debating on trying to draw or wait to see if I can convince them to commit. Long story short they never did commit and I chalked it up as a blown opportunity. I know turkeys aren't very smart and it's hard to say what happened but it seems as tho it's happened way more this year than any other. I watch these birds roost in the same general area every night so my next plan is to try an afternoon/evening hunt with my strutter and see how that goes. I will keep ya updated. What are all of you experiencing? On a side note the toms were fired up during the youth season and very callable. Maybe it just happened early this year? Good luck!
 
Havin the same experience, I hunt public land though so pressure is there. Many birds just look at decoys and keep on moving. Talked to another bow hunter out there and he had luck calling a bird I tried with no decoys.
 
I hunted Friday, Saturday and Sunday mornings of 2nd season. Friday I had 4 toms gobbling around me, 2 strutted by my decoys about 80 yards away heading towards the other 2 toms. I left my decoys and circled the farm to get on the other side of where the 4 toms were. I ended up calling 2 in and shot one of them. The other 2 were still gobbling as I was packing my bird out and went back for my decoys around 9:00. Saturday I took a young man and we were set up on a timbered ridge with the decoys about 15 yards away. 2 toms were about 80 yards away in a tree. They gobbled at every noise around us, owls, cows, a rooster pheasant and my soft yelps. Once they hit the ground they never made another sound. Just as I was thinking they must have walked away from us I saw them heading straight to the decoys. Unfortunately he was unable to connect on one of them, I still don't know what happened. Sunday morning we only heard 1 tom and he gobbled from the tree but only a couple of times after flying down. What surprised me was that I never heard or saw a single hen while hunting these three mornings on three different farms.
 
I'm no biologist but I personally think the seasons are too late from what I've seen over the past years. This year I've seen few hens none together. No hens in a tree. This tells me they are all on nest all been bred. Seen it in years past also. I personally think our season need to start mid March. I would like to hunt birds while they are still in a flock and not every hen has been bred. Which may result in more responsive Tom's.
 
Cooter said:
I'm no biologist but I personally think the seasons are too late from what I've seen over the past years. This year I've seen few hens none together. No hens in a tree. This tells me they are all on nest all been bred. Seen it in years past also. I personally think our season need to start mid March. I would like to hunt birds while they are still in a flock and not every hen has been bred. Which may result in more responsive Tom's.
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I agree, I would give up at least a week in mid/late May for the season to start just a week earlier.
 
I ditched the bullheads this evening and went back to grim reapers to add more range. These fellas better hope I don't get off work early tmrw! It's starting to get personal!

 
My 2 cents, and that's all I'm worth. The seasons are later, DNR gave the yutes another week into the next weekend. My only issue with that is, if they don't fill yute season the tag is good for the rest of the season's. That being said, end yute season after that weekend, and open the regular seasons when they use to. The kids can still keep on hunting. I've been going on an annual first weekend 4th season trip for for 17 years. This year and I believe last, it's into May. Not against the the yute season, but get the seasons back where they were.
 
If I remember correctly 1st season always started around the 4th, 5th, 6th every year! It does seem like the adult seasons are getting later and later. I have nothing against the youth tags (I have a 11 and 14 yr old myself) but since they can now hunt during the regular seasons lets get this party started a little earlier!
 
An earlier starting date for turkey season was discussed at the DNR sessions earlier this year. There did not seem to be widespread support. If you would like to see this changed, the DNR public input meetings are one place to get it rolling.
 
Most people think they don't have an input. Think they just have to follow the seasons and the rules the DNR set. Myself included. Didn't know there were such meetings. How bout some links to the schedule of these meetings.
 
Cooter said:
Most people think they don't have an input. Think they just have to follow the seasons and the rules the DNR set. Myself included. Didn't know there were such meetings. How bout some links to the schedule of these meetings.
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They are posted on here every year other ways to be notified are join the IBA and get on the email list, watch for them on the DNR website and I think the DNR has an email list. Link to the last meeting notice.http://www.iowawhitetail.com/forum/showthread.php?t=54478
 
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Rjack said:
An earlier starting date for turkey season was discussed at the DNR sessions earlier this year. There did not seem to be widespread support. If you would like to see this changed, the DNR public input meetings are one place to get it rolling.
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I don't think it will ever get much support from my area. There are hardly any turkey hunters. People that don't turkey hunt don't care because it doesnt effect them. Everyone was probably too focused on trying to solve the shed poaching epidemic! ?
 
Bowtech84 said:
I don't think it will ever get much support from my area. There are hardly any turkey hunters. People that don't turkey hunt don't care because it doesnt effect them. Everyone was probably too focused on trying to solve the shed poaching epidemic! ?
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I wouldn't let that discourage you! The show up is pitiful in my opinion. Especially for the under 50 crowd. If you get 2-3 advocates per site that would help. We did discuss this during this years meeting and also discussed how recent weather patterns may need to be taken into account for moving seasons. You have a voice, you just have to attend.
 
Central Iowa said:
I wouldn't let that discourage you! The show up is pitiful in my opinion. Especially for the under 50 crowd. If you get 2-3 advocates per site that would help. We did discuss this during this years meeting and also discussed how recent weather patterns may need to be taken into account for moving seasons. You have a voice, you just have to attend.
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I hear ya. I would've liked to attend but the closest one was an hour away and my work schedule just didn't allow it. I suppose I could have takin the day off for it but i would rather use that vacation day in the field or on the water. Suppose it's just like the saying with the president "if you don't vote you can't *****". Only an observation of mine and I wanted to see if other turkey hunters felt the same. I have no doubt I will get another opportunity to tag out and like stated before I've had my fair share this year. :) Turkey hunting is just more enjoyable when the turkeys are responsive in my opinion and the last few years it's seemed like a majority of that happens during youth season. It's good for the youngsters I guess. I will be back at it in the morning. Good luck all!
 
Will be out in the morning as well. Hopefully a final dry and non windy day after the storms we've had will have them vocal
 
I have been out for a total of about 5 hours so far this season due to work. I have seen Zero turkeys, but hear tons of gobbles. The moment they hit the ground, they shutup and leave. Now my brother in law has been out quite a bit, and has managed to arrow two birds. Both of which came in completely silent and acted nervous around decoys. Sadly with work, my season is already more than likely done. I remember hunting earlier in the April and having much better luck. I read a previous post about youths, and I guess my two cents is if they can hunt all seasons, giving them extra time isnt helping them. Move the seasons back up, and just let them hunt all seasons.
 
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