Your Opinion....Should I Hunt Season A or C with my boys?

[grieser]

Looking for some opinions on what season to hunt with my boys since they are over the counter licenses. I hunt northern MN near Brainerd and there is still a lot of snow in the woods. Extended forecast doesn't look like that is going to change things. I am still leaning towards Season A because the Toms have always been most fired up and gobbling for us during Season A but this year I question whether they will be because of the late winter and possibly late flock breakup from their wintering areas. Your thoughts...should I hunt with the boys Season A or Season C?

[monstermoose78]

A season then help your boys in c

[Borch]

I'm glad I'm not hunting A season this year as the flocks on my area have yet to break up. Although I'm seeing a few loner toms that have split off from the bigger flock.

Not much in the way of strutting or gobbling so far here in the St Cloud area.

A season can still be very good but since the birds are bunched up it can be a feat or famine situation.

[Cheetah]

If you have some winter flocks located on land you can hunt, then going after them in A season could work out well and give the kids a good show.

[sticknstring]

What's the hunting pressure like on that land? Unpressured fired up gobblers make for exciting quick hunts! But with a bunch of snow on the ground and more coming, I wouldn't hesitate to wait another 10 days either. If nobody else is hunting that area and the birds typically stick around, I'd opt to wait for more comfortable hunting temps for your boys.

[DonBo]

I'd opt to wait for warmer more comfortable hunting temps for your boys.

My thought exactly. If they're cold, they're not going to be having any fun.

[grieser]

Thanks for the info so far. Cold not a big concern - they've been on the deer stand for long hours but thinking Season C might be the better bet now because none of the places I hunt are wintering grounds. I am not local to the area and will be scouting this weekend so we'll know better what's happening. Keep the comments coming!

[Bowfin]

Twitter - hope you don't mind me tagging onto your thread. I am in the same situation. I have a season B license for myself and planning on taking my 15 year old either the last weekend of A season or the 1st weekend of C season. We hunt public land in Isanti County which can get some pressure. Watching the input on this thread also.

I know a guy who hunted the 1st day of the Wisconsin season this morning just south of Superior. He saw a couple Toms with hens in full strut but nothing was gobbling. He said things seemed a little slow.

[grieser]

SNOW SNOW SNOW!! AND then some MORE! I have chosen season C pending the weather. You just never know but I'm thinking the birds aren't going to be gobbling much and fear the flocks will not have broke up or will just be breaking up by opening weekend. Anyone from central MN that wants to chime in on what they've been seeing would be helpful.

[Borch]

I'm seeing birds still grouped up with some smaller groups breaking off. Not a lot of mingling on the properties I'm hunting.

Another 6-9" of snow coming Saturday night based on the forecast.

I think C would be a good option. There may still be some snow on the ground then.

[Archerysniper]

If your property is holding a winter group of birds now I would hunt A

If the birds normally migrated into your hunting spot I would push it back to C or D

[laker1]

They are strutting but not gobbling in north central Minnesota.