Team # 7 TOMINATORS????

[rbs]

Well, I have been getting ready to start this adventure for the past couple nights. I brought my blind in for some repairs this morning and hope that will hold up. I have permission to hunt a area that I have been hunting for the last 5 or so years. I will get the calls and dekes out tonight after I put my blind back together and get them all ready to go. We leave Tuesday for Camp Ripley to guide for the disabled veterans hunt which I am very excited about. Then the next Wed is when I will be out with the bow.

[goblueM]

no scouting for me, i hunt 2.5 hours away and won't make it down until the day before the season.

hopefully this early spring won't mess up my G hunt period...

[goblueM]

i saw a big flock of birds just south of the cities on thursday - 1 jake, 2 toms, and 9 hens. The hens flew across the river, and the toms really didn't want to go but eventually followed.

anybody been out? i'm getting anxious and I have a whole month to go!

[bmc]

On the way down to the Twins Game yesterday, with the Itasca County 5th grade D.A.R.E. class, I saw a strutter w/ 3-4 hens in a field on the west side of Hwy 73 between Kettle River and Moose Lake.

I'm busting at the seams to get out there, but May 9th seems like it's an eternity away!

Brian

[Borch]

On the way down to the Twins Game yesterday, with the Itasca County 5th grade D.A.R.E. class, I saw a strutter w/ 3-4 hens in a field on the west side of Hwy 73 between Kettle River and Moose Lake.

I'm busting at the seams to get out there, but May 9th seems like it's an eternity away!

Brian

I know there are several spots around Moose Lake, Rutledge or Finlayson that there are turkeys around. They sure have worked farther north than I would have thought they could.

[Sorgy]

Guy's,

Are you hearing any birds gobbleing as they go to roost? I am going to leave my area sit until just before the E season.

go get them

who's up first for team 7

Later

Steve

[Archerysniper]

Nope no birds anywere you would be better off taking the boat out instead and just putting away the turkey vest till next year. I have been able too get the toms roosted and have heard them till 9:30pm latley but that might change with hunting pressure you are better off sitting within a 1/4 mile of your hunting area from 5:45 to 6:30 in the morning they are more vocal then.

[Sorgy]

You are right about sitting there in the morning. I am torn between trying to pick a good solid spot and sitting it out or get into a solid listening position and be ready to move and do it quickly and quietly.

My AM hunts will be by myself where the later would work great. My daughter will join me mid day for most days and then possibly leave for work- around 3:30. There are always birds on the property but the early season was not a great one for my friend on it. I do know the wherabouts of a good tom who roosted in the same area 3 days (1,2 and 5th)days of season A- a hard spot to get to but that is in my favor

Good Luck to all

Steve

[bmc]

I'm anxiously awaiting Labs4Me's report. It would be great to get on the board right off the bat!!! C'mon Labs, You can do it!

Brian

[rbs]

Been scouting and listening every morning now since my season starts on Thursday. This morning I heard probably 5 different toms gobbling and saw a few hens and jakes all in the areas that I have permission to hunt. I can't wait for Thursday morning! Hows the hunting Labs? Good luck if you are still out!

[bmc]

Go get 'em Ryan!!!

Brian

[LABS4ME]

Sorry I have not checked in guys... work is kicking my butt! Minimum 12 hour days for the past 2 weeks.

Now for the bad news... this is the 1st time in 5 years that I did not score in the first 2 days. a couple of those were at the opening bell. Granted my hunts were fairly abbreviated this year, but I got out 4 times. I have a spot we call the 'killing field', it is honestly that reliable! This year I only managed to call in 2 Toms and they were with hens and would not fully commit. The second hunt I had a group of 6 Jakes milling around my deke at about 12 yards... coulda had an easy 6 pack at one point... you could have covered their heads with a pie plate! One was a nice Jake... probably 4 " beard... Went out for a final rally on Sunday afternoon... got there at 3:00 and of course there were 3 strutters 60 yards out from where I usually set up... Waited for them to mosey into the woods, hustled out and set-up. Debated about going to my back-up spot, as they were 50-50 going to head that way, but opted to hunt ol' reliable. Waited 10 minutes and started calling... good response from 2 of the 3, but again, couldn't pull them off the hens. Called in 3 other hens that afternoon, but none had a Tom trolling with them...

So for now I let the team down. I have second tag coming up and this land should not be touched between now and then. Hopefully breeding will be wrapping up and they will not be so henned up. So now I will have to be the anchor man vs. the lead off hitter!

Good Luck to those heading out!

Ken

[Sorgy]

Labs,

Sounds like a tough hunt again. I will be up to bat come Tuesday- I hope the hens get incubating those nest's real soon. I will be hunting AM by myself and late morning my Dauter will try and get in seveal days- She won't find out her work schedule until Monday. So I may be solo in the evenings.

Good Luck on your second season.

Steve

[bmc]

No pressure guys, no pressure!!! We're gonna stack 'em up here in the "late innings". At least you were seeing birds Ken, I bet you're looking forward to your second go round!

I'm anxiously awaiting our scouting mission on Sunday. I'm thinking it would be nice to have some rain that day so the birds would be out in the fields and easier to see what's around?

Sounds like rbs's season starts today, hopefully the Turkey Gods smile on him!

Brian

[DrJ]

Well hunting in 349 C was really tough this past week. Our group of 6 hunters didn't get a bird. The 3 fields we hunt have produced between limits for all or most of the group since 1998. We saw only a few Toms and some hens for the whole group. Sat rained steady and then poured. I was in an open ground blind since I let my son use my pop up. Wind was super strong and when the downpour came at 1pm I had enough.Sun rain again and 40 mph gusts. Mon more wind but no rain. Tues was better but still no birds. Wed was still and sunny and I heard my 1st gobble yet it was far away. All the other guys had similar stories. We think maybe the early spring or maybe way down in bird numbers in our area caused our poor hunt. Last year at the same place we had 5 birds by the 2nd morning. GREAT TO GET OUT THOUGH AND ENJOY GOOD FRIENDS. Good Luck to all the remaing hunters no matter which team your on Take Care DrJ.

[rbs]

I was out almost all day and heard very few gobbles other then the 2 jakes I had come into the decoys at seperate times. I got alot of video of the jakes and it was alot of fun. It was so windy today it seemed like the toms didn't want to get out in the open. Oh well sounds like better weather is coming. Good Luck all!

[bmc]

Keep after 'em Ryan!!! We need a bird!

Brian

[Sorgy]

Ryan,

keep at it. I will be up on Tuesday. Who else is up for season E? It is a beautiful morning - It would be a good morning to hunt if the rain continues to hold off for awhile

Good Luck- Get a bird any bird

Steve

[Borch]

Turkeys were moving in the rain on the properties I will be hunting later. Saw 4 jakes and 2 toms out doing their thing in the rain this morning as I drove by. I can hardly stand waiting another 2 weeks.

[rbs]

I got my bird on Saturday morning. It is a jake, but it was my first archery bird ever. I will get the submission and pics up in a little bit. Thanks for all the help guys!

[Sorgy]

Great! The team is on the board.

My season starts tomorrow morning. I have renewed faith in the area I am hunting. Blow wind blow (today that is).

I will start out in the AM sitting on a field corner. The rye is about 5 inches tall now. Lots of dusting areas near the corner. No one has hunted the property all year except for opening day of C season and he got his bird in the rain early on.

I just have to be patient. I did some more scouting in the gail force winds on Saturday evening- Learned that the swamps are very dry and there are many new ways to circle around active birds

Good Luck

Steve

[rbs]

Well....I got one not real big but it was my first archery bird ever and the first blood with my new bow (actually new a year ago last January) I had a great but frustrating hunt without seeing hardly a Tom even tho the week before my season I had been seeing them all over. When I got this bird I had 3 of them right next to the decoys at about 5 yards. They wouldn't go up to the "Killer-B" and started to move off to the left. I finally got situated and drew my bow when they were 20yds out. I picked the bigger of the 3 and released. I hit him right in both wing joints and he dropped like a rock. I guess the saying "hit them high watch them die....hit them low watch them go" is about as true as can be. Thanks for all the help everyone and I can't wait for all your success stories. I just apoligise for the size of the bird...a little small but it was still a great trophy for me. Here's the pic and if I figure out how to get the video on youtube you can actually see the hunt as well. All except the kill shot I guess because I forgot to move the camera in the last second lol.

[DonBo]

No need to appologize for taking a jake, especially with a bow. A real trophy indeed!

[sticknstring]

Heck yeah - that's a great bird and he'll eat darn good too. Congrats on whacking one with an arrow.

[bmc]

Way to go Ryan!!!

No apologies needed, any critter a person takes is a trophy!!! Is it just me or does your bird look more like a Merriams? Seems like there's alot of white on the tail feathers. Regardless, very cool looking bird!.

I'm curious as to what time of day you got your bird and what broadhead you were using.

Thanks,

Brian