Team 2 - Ppfftt-doom BOOM!

[Cheetah]

I just got off the phone with my uncle who was out near Winner, SD this past weekend. Had some horrible weather, lots of snow, birds all flocked up still.

We are leaving Thursday for Rapid City. I expect Friday I'll have some news on how things are out that way. Forecast is a bit chilly for next weekend, in the 50's, then snow mix on Monday/Tuesday. Better shoot my bird early I guess.

Sorgy, you might be able to hook your phone up to a computer with a USB cable and pull down the pictures that way.

[goblueM]

nice, way to go Sorgy! No shame in shooting a jake.

I haven't been able to get out recently, weather in Virginia has been crazy with tornadoes and high winds, plus finishing up my thesis proposal.

Hopefully later this week or next I will make it back out

[DonBo]

Congrats on the crappy weather bird Sorgy. I think my jake beat your jake by a whole 1/2 lb!

Good luck on your SoDak hunt Josh! Those spring snowstorms are just par for the course out there!

[Wanderer]

Good to see we've got a bird down. Nice work Steve.

I thought we'd gain some advantage by having another team member in the southeastern part of the U.S. But who would have guessed the weather would be that crazy?! Good luck with your thesis proposal anyway GBM.

Josh, the last time I was in the hills we got blasted by a late afternoon snow storm that laid a couple inches down in something like an hour - it was rediculous. But it was so beautiful when it was over and the sun came out I had to get up and take some pictures. THAT was a mistake. My calling during the snowstorm brought in a hen and tom and they busted me. Don't worry about the weather out there so much is all I'm saying.

[hugonian1]

Hey GoblueM- How long does your season last?

[hugonian1]

Good luck in SoDak Cheetah.

Should be a great time.

[goblueM]

Goes til May 14 I believe

Starting May 1 we can hunt all day, currently can only hunt til noon

[Cheetah]

I made it to Rapid City! Forecast for tomorrow is [PoorWordUsage], but we might get a few hours of hunting in first thing in the morning before the main storm blows through.

My weather radio said 6" snow forecasted for the northern hills tomorrow and 50mph wind gusts, fortunately we are on the southern end. We'll see how it goes.

[hugonian1]

Go get em Cheetah.

My buddy dropped a nice Tom this morning on my property in Hugo.

My sons season starts Saturday and then I am up for season E.

Have been seeing quite a few birds so I hope they hang around.

Even saw a bearded hen yesterday.

[Musky hunter 82]

Well I'm up tomorrow morning guys, 4:30 can't come soon enough. Hopefully I can stick one right away. It sounds like the weather shouldn't be too bad. I'm also going to be out all day Monday and Tuesday.

[goblueM]

good luck!

[Cheetah]

Passed a jake this morning that charged me in the wide open after I called a little. Got to 40 yards and saw me kneeling in the grass with the gun up, then he turned and got the heck out. Not many birds in our usual area. Went down a road we have never been on before and came into a group of 7 or 8 hens and 1 big gobbler. Tried sneaking up and around, didn't find them though.

Got a lot of photos of 5 rams that came up to me while I was sitting, about 20 minutes after a turkey went past on the same hillside they came down. They had my scent while it was swirling around the area but couldn't pinpoint me and didn't know where to go, so they stood around a long time. Eventually walked right above me and I then followed behind them about 50 yards to get some more photos. Most photos were ~100 yards out before they finally came in close.

Saw 12 elk while walking, they ran out of the field in front of us maybe 70 yards out. Three or four bulls in front just starting to grow the antlers.

Tons of whitetail deer, pushed 2-3 dozen while walking. Saw lots more big groups while driving around.

Very windy here today, threat of snow all day, flurries. Hoping it calms down tomorrow.

Photos from today: https://picasaweb.google.com/jdtschida/S...feat=directlink

[hugonian1]

That is some cool stuff Cheetah.

Must have been a great day surrounded by wildlife.

[hugonian1]

Good luck tomorrow Musky.

I am going out in the morning with my son who's season starts tomorrow.

Just watched 8 hens with 1 nice tom head to the woods to roost.

Hopefully they come our way in the morning.

[Wanderer]

Good luck guys. Looking forward to the reports!

[Cheetah]

Still empty handed here. We had located a decent group of birds yesterday and I went back this morning to find them. Someone beat me to the spot. I went in anyway since I arrived late. Bird was gobbling just above the parking area, and I figured the other guys were already on it. Long story short, there were I think 2 gobblers and a bunch of hens that all circled below the other guys back to the logging road and were fighting down there. Both gobblers going off left and right, hens fighting, it was cool to listen to but I couldn't see them. As best as I can figure, the other guys must have tried to sneak through the logged area to get to the flock and busted them out, cause they all shut up at once and disappeared.

Jumped two other hens walking around, saw some nice country, going to try some new spots this afternoon to see if we get more birds to gobble.

My uncle didn't hear a single gobble and he walked for a solid four hours straight.

Got back to the house and there was a flock under the bird feeder. 3 or 4 jakes, one big gobbler and a bunch of hens.

[Musky hunter 82]

No luck here either. I heard 2 or 3 different gobblers, the hens took them to the west instead of the east. Well at least I know they're out there still. I'll be out again on Monday and Tuesday with the gun.

[Cheetah]

We called in a hen tonight, she charged right in yelping and cutting non stop. Had one gobble way off in the distance, might be able to get out to him tomorrow.

On the way back to the house we saw a big flock cross the road down below the house. 3 mature gobblers, 5 or 6 jakes and another 6 hens... Gobbler #1 gobbled right when he hit the road in front of us. Laughing I suppose.

[Cheetah]

Still slow here today, at first anyway. Nice day again weather wise, but the birds weren't around. We managed to cover a few miles and finally get a gobbler to respond and commit. It came in on my uncle's side and he shot it at 25 yards with the Long Tom. That's his antique single shot with the bent barrel like a banana. It was fun. We had other birds gobbling to us before this one came in, so we sat on the hill a while and called a lot but nothing would respond. It was a great spot to call from, potential for birds all around on surrounding hills. We will probably go back tomorrow.

Got a bunch of photos of turkeys that came into the bird feeder at the house on Saturday. Only saw one mature gobbler, and he looked like a 2 year old. Tons of hens and jakes. Threw out more corn to keep them coming back.

On the way back to the house today there was a flock in a horse pasture just down the hill. Gobbler strutting and chasing the hens. I turned the car around to get to where they were crossing the road. All the hens went behind me while the gobbler strutted at 15 yards from our window. Lots of good photos. One bearded hen in the group. Judging by his beard and spurs we figured him for another two year old.

Photo link again with new ones uploaded.

https://picasaweb.google.com/jdtschida/S...feat=directlink

We are going to drive out to the spot we figure we heard a gobbler last night bordering private land. Hopefully can find him again. Tomorrow should be another nice morning according to the forecast.

[Wanderer]

Cheetah,

Send me an email. I might have something for you.

[email protected]

[Cheetah]

Email sent, Wanderer.

We found more birds tonight in an oddball spot that nobody else has gone into as far as we can tell. Going to go back in the morning since we heard some gobble as they roosted at sunset. Also had a couple hens respond to my yelping but only once, wouldn't talk with me.

Venison tenderloin for dinner, mmmmmm.

[Musky hunter 82]

Well I'm starting to get them dialed in. One more go tomorrow then that's it for me.

[Sorgy]

Go Get them. Have fun in the rain and snow- the national weather terroist's are already wound up

Not bad team 8 pages of posts so far

Later

Steve

[Musky hunter 82]

About that weather, would you set up in the woods close to where they're roosting? or would you set up on a field edge, where they have been going to the last couple mornings? This is the first year hunting them for me and I'm not too sure where to go when the weather is going to be like what they're calling for.

thanks for the help.

[goblueM]

i'd set up between them and the field where they go, and do minimal calling

but thats just me, i've not had a bird within 500 yards of me yet this season. hope to rectify that this week sometime