Gobbler Nation

Went to one of my local public land spots early this morning to do some listening, then some walking. Wasn't surprised to see the road yelpers and hootie hoo's were out in full force. You could hear one guys truck a mile away. I heard him several times shut the motor off and give a couple hoots as he was easing down the road . Then he would give it several series on a box call, crank up and ease on down the road to repeat. I heard several featherless owls and turkeys this morning. Saw my share of N"WTF" and Yeti stickers too. It is public so I just chuckle and enjoy the free entertainment.

Bumpass Va. huh, you still there, thats right up the road from me.....20 miles or so
Little early yet I would think.....

When I didn't get a permit one year for state land, just east of me, I had a bunch of Gobblers located before season and took a hound huntin' buddy for a scoutin' trip 1 morning at daybreak.
I got out and hooted ... and got a rash of gobbles .. then I crow called and got the same response ..
I then walked around to the back of the pick up and slammed the tailgate shut ... no response

Said to my buddy, as I got back in the pickup .. well 2 out of 3 isn't bad

Forgot to say that there was a nice gobbler struttin' and spittin' in my back yard 2 days ago

I call them Box Call Willies.

Thankfully I don’t deal with that and I hope it stays like this.

ylpnfol wrote: ↑February 24th, 2018, 1:45 pm Bumpass Va. huh, you still there, thats right up the road from me.....20 miles or so
Little early yet I would think.....

No, just sounded like a place I'd like to live. Fuget KY is probably my first choice.

I was in GA this morning with the road yelpers.

guesswho wrote: ↑February 24th, 2018, 7:06 pm

ylpnfol wrote: ↑February 24th, 2018, 1:45 pm Bumpass Va. huh, you still there, thats right up the road from me.....20 miles or so
Little early yet I would think.....

No, just sounded like a place I'd like to live. Fuget KY is probably my first choice.

I was in GA this morning with the road yelpers.

I like it.....you would think its my first day....oh wait, it is.....guess I shoulda picked up on the Jethro avatar.....good stuff....its been warm up here, believe it or not some stuff is starting to bud/bloom.....but a bit too early still for ole tom

Been way above average here to. Lots of blooms already. Have a feeling there in for a shock.

Sure glad I don't have that to contend with here in this area, could probably count all the turkey hunters around here in 3 counties on one hand.

guesswho wrote: ↑February 24th, 2018, 7:56 pm Been way above average here to. Lots of blooms already. Have a feeling there in for a shock.

same thing happened here last year, all the shrubs got hammered, but survived, didn't really affect the turkeys, they were right on schedule, and played along til the tags were gone.....lost my honey hole this year, hope I can fill a couple of tags at least...time will tell

Grumpy wrote: ↑February 24th, 2018, 8:00 pm Sure glad I don't have that to contend with here in this area, could probably count all the turkey hunters around here in 3 counties on one hand.

must be nice, I will say that the interference dies down a lot after the first couple of weeks around here, or at least where I hunt...

Grumpy wrote: ↑February 24th, 2018, 8:00 pm Sure glad I don't have that to contend with here in this area, could probably count all the turkey hunters around here in 3 counties on one hand.

There better be a glove on that hand if your weather is still as cold as you reported last week!

I’m going out on some public land tomorrow. Not sure if I’ll hear birds or other people scouting. This is the earliest I’ve ever scouted.

I have locals crying for TSS... I am accommodating them. I drive around with a call out the window and call like crazy .. now them turkeys are 80 yards or more away. its gonna take tss for them to get one since they shy away from calls. I might make bank this spring

its not too early at all, they tore it up this morning in east Tennessee. I heard a group of 4 longbeards on the roost, they flew down and kept gobblin. I left at 9am and yep.....still gobblin

That's the way it is.

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I heard zero this morning, but we are coming off a week of heavy rain and storms most of the day yesterday. I’ll give them another week or two. Probably walked 3-4 miles this morning. Found 2 roost spots, some rained out scratching, a small buck shed, and a couple deer beds. I didn’t hear or see many other hunters out scouting with me.

I went this morning and heard nothing but counted 15 jakes . They finally saw me and moved to the woods.

OLE RASPY wrote: ↑February 25th, 2018, 12:10 pm I went this morning and heard nothing but counted 15 jakes . They finally saw me and moved to the woods.

So you had to take one of your shoes off? Good thing you didn't see 21.

guesswho wrote: ↑February 25th, 2018, 1:18 pm

OLE RASPY wrote: ↑February 25th, 2018, 12:10 pm I went this morning and heard nothing but counted 15 jakes . They finally saw me and moved to the woods.

So you had to take one of your shoes off? Good thing you didn't see 21.

Just wrong!

🤪

hoobilly wrote: ↑February 24th, 2018, 11:39 pm I have locals crying for TSS... I am accommodating them. I drive around with a call out the window and call like crazy .. now them turkeys are 80 yards or more away. its gonna take tss for them to get one since they shy away from calls. I might make bank this spring

I heard if they hear your calling you may need a single projectile Doug
said he taught you how to cluck and purr

80 yards sounds conservative. I have been hunting a WMA where circling at 70 yards seems to have been selected for to the point it seems to be in their DNA. And that was with lead shot.

Yelp yelp yelp and hoot hoot hoot !

The telltale sign of many of Georgia’s finest. Due to declining turkey population at my lease, I’ve been hunting Redlands and Oconee WMAs in addition to National Forest the last 4 seasons. The road yelpers never stop that practice as season progresses. Last season seemed to be the worst for it. Maybe they will take up a new hobbie this year since their “woodsmanship” work so well last season.