Anyone else struggling out there??

[NoWiser]

Looking for a support group of hunters who are consistently being outsmarted by these "stupid" birds. I read last week that a turkey's brain is the size of a pea and has less cells than a cockroaches brain. This is not helping my self confidence.

This morning was my 8th consecutive morning getting up at 4:00 a.m. I'm sleep deprived, I'm not eating enough, and these birds are getting into my head to the point that I locked my keys in my truck this morning. I've hunted field edges, the middle of fields, the middle of woods. I've used every combination of decoys that I can think of. I've not called at all, I've called very subtely, and I've called aggressivly. These birds absolutely will not pay any attention to me!! This morning I was letting out soft yelps every 20 to 30 minutes, with not so much as a response. To add insult to injury, a duck quacked in the pond behind me and a gobbler sounded off. He walked by me about 60 yards away, turned to look at my decoy, strutted for about 10 feet, and continued on his way. He was a big one!! I've hunted turkeys a few times in my day, and have never had trouble like this. Then again, I've never hunted them with a bow before this year.

Don't take this the wrong way, I'm not whining, and I am definitely not giving up. I will NOT sleep past 4:00 a.m. until I have my bird or the season ends. I'm just looking for some other people who are in the same situation to share their feelings with me, and maybe we can all help support each other. So, if you feel like you've been outsmarted a few too many times by these birds this spring, let's hear your story. If anyone else can offer words of encouragement, that is welcome as well. But, if anyone responds with the usual "the turkeys are everywhere, I almost hit one with my car yesterday" I swear I will try to reach through this computer screen and grab you by the throat!!

[HunterLee]

I got mine right away but my buddy took out his son and girlfriend. They saw lots of birds but had lots show little to no intrest. We hunt an area that has little to no pressure so it shouldn't be that. The wind has been terrible here.

We did set up on one within 100yds but was terrible windy and called off and on for two hours and heard up to 3 different gobbling at the same time but nothing showed.

We normally have no trouble getting birds but this year has been a little off for whatever reason.

[Borch]

At least around here there's still a lot of breeding going on. So it can very much be a timing issue. When it gets like this I really focus my time later in the day. Don't get me wrong I'm still out there early but I've found that late morning through quitting time is more productive once the hens start laying and those unresponsive early morning toms get more cooperative.

Then again I ate my tag for D season so what do I know? My son is hunting with his bow again this year and I went to check on a blind for sign last night and found it tipped over and beat up from the wind we had this weekend. When I approached it a tom start hammering from around the corner and I quickly stepped in and flipped the blind over and two toms came running over to checkout the noise well within shotgun range. Where were they earlier when my season was open?

I've tended to have better luck without decoys or using only jake decoys. As of late I've had good luck with a strutting jake decoy. I pulled a nice tom 75 yards away from his hens shortly before fly up time with the strutting jake and a gobble call. Just needed an additional 10-15 yards. Got him worked up pretty good though and when I put my brother in that blind the next morning the tom flew down and knocked over his jake decoy and jumped on it a bit before my brother gave him a headache.

[sticknstring]

You're not alone - I've been struggling too! May birds are always tough, especially ones that have been pressured. I was up at 4 this morning and made the 35 min drive to my spot for a quick hunt before work. Heard one jake about 250 yds away and that was it. I've hunted 2 half days and 2 mornings now and have had only one good opporunity so far. The plan this morning was to wait in ambush along their morning route with little to no calling, but the birds weren't roosted where I had anticipated. I love the long season, but I miss the early season hunting! I even had to trade the recurve in for the compound. I'll probably get out a few more times when it cools down again, but it's not looking real promising at this point.

[Scoot]

Jim,

If it makes you feel better, I heard somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 times more gobbles to crows, ducks, and geese than to my calling. My buddy Gabe is still out trying to fill his tag and he's struggling the same way you are and I was. I only got one bird to show any real interest in my deeks/calls all season, but fortunately that was all it took for me to make good on the opportunity (this time). Hopefully you'll get one to respond and you'll get a crack at one. Good luck!!!

[Musky Buck]

Last night and this morning were really the first time since season opened that I saw full fluff Toms with hens and heard plenty of gobbling.

[brittman]

If you can pattern the birds and set up closer to areas where they are active or funneling through you may have more luck. Plenty of MN birds die by ambush.

Turkeys (especially gobblers) can get into a pattern for a few days, maybe longer that they just do not want to break. Once the hen(s) he is with abandon him - he will change up. Weather and predators (four legged and man) may also change up his roosting location and other areas used during the day.

[DonBo]

My buddy Dave and I were skunked on our WS hunt this year for the first time.......ever? At least it was the first time we can remember.

It's been a tough year, but patience has put more birds on the ground for me over the years than any magic decoy, call or set-up. Hang in there, opportunities only show up when you're there to take advantage of them.

[NoWiser]

Sounds like I'm not the only one, which makes me feel a little better. I talked to a buddy who is hunting about 30 minutes from me, and his notes are almost identical. Turkeys are around, are not gobbling much, and have no interest in answering calls or coming to decoys.

I did get a chance at a jake a few days ago. Unfortunatly I underestimated the range just a bit, and sent an arrow about 1/2" under his belly feathers. Turkeys can jump really high!

I'll get another crack at one eventually. Just have to put in some more time. No way I'm giving up!

Good luck to everyone else out there experiencing tough hunting. Success will be that much sweeter when it happens!

[jentz]

They may have a small brain but just like deer they spot movement.Their ears are tuned in to what they sound like not a caller! and to top it off they see in color.Experience,listening to real turkeys and learning to mimmic them is a plus.Spending the time to learn more of the birds habits,sounds,feeding,roosting is a must for a experienced successful hunter.Its time consuming.If one doesn't put in the time you may get lucky but not consistant.

[IlliniWalli]

one thing you can count on is you will be a lot wiser after a season like this.

i have chased turkeys for more than 20 years and this was my toughest season i could remember. crazy temp/weather changes, not much gobbling after flydown, toms refusing to work to calls, flocks staying grouped together late into the season and i've never seen so many hens hangin with the toms ...

but ... after i dont know how many hours of hunting, many miles traveled on my aching feet and numerous close calls, i didnt give up and finally scored yesterday.

just gotta keep after 'em.

[Archerysniper]

This coming from someone who took a wolf

Now you know why we love hunting them so much,they will drive you crazy. Good luck

[Hoyt4]

I've had better luck using the crow call or peacock call to get them to gobble and let me know were they are. Once I locate them I cut the distance and setup with best guess how they would like to come in. I've had close calls and put a few more on the ground this spring. This year the locator calls are working better then the turkey calls.

[NoWiser]

I've had better luck using the crow call or peacock call to get them to gobble and let me know were they are. Once I locate them I cut the distance and setup with best guess how they would like to come in. I've had close calls and put a few more on the ground this spring. This year the locator calls are working better then the turkey calls.

Hoyt4, do you do this archery hunting? I can not get a shock gobble from my crow call for the life of me this year! Years past it hasn't been a problem. The properties I have to hunt are not real large, but I'd be willing to try this for a change. I could see this being very effective shotgun hunting, but bowhunting I'd have to carry a ground blind on my back. A little more of a pain, but I could manage.

Archerysniper, it's funny you mention that because on the way out to my blind this morning I was thinking that it is nuts that these turkeys are proving to be more of a challenge than a wolf or moose!

I hunt tonight, take tomorrow off for my girlfriend's birthday, and then I'm back at it on Friday. Still plenty of time, I will shoot my bird.

[monstermoose78]

I hear ya NoWiser it was bugger this year. Between my nephew, dad, and I we have not seen a turkey while hunting this year. My dad is using his bow so he has some more time to try and get one.

Good Luck NoWiser!!

[Hoyt4]

NoWiser,

Yes you can do this bowhunting also. I like to go with out the blind but also move the blind with me if I do not have the best cover. I have also had good luck using trail cameras to locate the birds knowing a time they are in a spot.This could help out if you know birds are there. I'm also on small land (MN) so I cannot make moves like I would do in WI or NE.Just one of these days you will hit them with something that will fire them up. The birds just do what they want that day and just make us hunters go nuts trying to figure them out. If you stick with it your going to get that chance. You have more time then the rest of us hunting that archery season.

Maybe even think of taking and evening off just for scouting from a distance maybe you can glass and see something that would help with setting up a your blind in a better spot. We have done this in the past and seems like a waste of an evening but the results have proven it's not.

[NoWiser]

I got close last night! I spooked a few birds walking to the blind, and got settled in. About an hour before sunset I had 3 jakes coming in on a string. They got to about 40 yards, but then turned really nervous and ran back the way they came. When I was trying to figure out what the heck happened, a big raccoon came and walked by. Dang!!

The evenings seem to have better action than the mornings. I'm leaving to go to Canada fishing next week on Thursday, and plan on hunting everyday until then. Hopefully morning and evening, but if not, at least once a day. If only I didn't have to work, I think that mid-day could be dynamite where I am! The good thing is my spots are on my way to and from work, so by working an 8 hour day instead of a 10 hour day, I can still get hunting time in. I'm thinking a turkey is going to die this weekend, though!

[Hoyt4]

Good luck NoWiser only need one to make it work.

[sticknstring]

For the time you're putting in, you certainly deserve a bird!

Dang critters lousing up hunts! This morning I heard one fired up at 7am so I climbed out of the blind & closed the distance to 125 yds. Then I jumped a deer which ran right towards the bird. Said a few choice words and took about 20 more steps and a coyote got up and trotted off towards the bird too! That was the end of that - what luck eh!? Why I continue to get up before 4 and chase these things around is beyond me. I think I'm the one w/ the pea-brain!

[NoWiser]

Why I continue to get up before 4 and chase these things around is beyond me. I think I'm the one w/ the pea-brain!

I've been asking myself this every morning! The problem is, this is getting personal, and I'm not letting a stupid bird get the best of me. The longer I try, the harder it is to accept defeat. My girlfriend asked why I keep trying and my answer was "do you know what it feels like to be outsmarted by a bird?" She just shook her head and muttered something under her breath that she wouldn't repeat. It's addicting, though, and when I do get one, it's going to be the sweetest tasting turkey I've ever had. It's getting grilled over extra hot coals, just to teach it a lesson.

Good luck, sticksnstring. We're in this together. Let's take care of business!

[rbs]

it is really tough for me this year...this morning I had one coming in gobbling and he was hot! about 200yds away I figured and he shut up, so I grabbed my bow and got ready. 2hrs later and still swearing under my breath I am wondering what the heck happened to that bird! Hopefully if it rains it will be done in the early morning. I want my revenge!

Also I had 4 different hens come from his direction so I was figuring that they were bred and headed back to nest...sound right?

[Rippinlip]

How is the rain and storms going to affect their movements?

My work schedule and daughters golf has my schedule loaded, but I am thinking the rain might shut down golf this afternoon so hunting might be a chance.

[bigbucks]

In my experience they come out & feed in light rain much like deer do.

[Musky Buck]

It's been a tough year to pattern these birds, I'm not hunting em this year almost thankfully, have been watching a really good tom this week chasing hens kinda, he's still fluffing up to the max but in the 3 nights I've watched him and it's an every other night deal, he has not gobbled or we'd hear it for sure as we can hear pheasants near him no problem, very odd year, not patterning well, trying to get the wife to hunt him, but she won't I got a big one last year it's like that was beginners luck and of course we had 20+ toms around last year, this year there were 8. Now since the hunt opened mainly this 1 big beard. I wonder since he comes out all fluffed etc. is this guy maybe callable ? Would he decoy, we could place the decoy right on his route, I almost have to go try even without any weapon to see would he come in, without the gun you bet, if I OTC then no lol.

[hockeybc69]

I saw no toms while hunting this year.... first time ever not seeing one and first time not tagging a bird by Fergus in around 10 years.

I didnt see squat driving around areas that traditionally have held a lot of birds. Long winter take a little toll on them??

Only heard toms gobbling one morning. That was it.

Pretty disappointing season overall. Saw a TON of deer this year though. WAY more than I have ever seen during turkey hunting. That was a plus.