Turkey hunters....NF

[Rustic-Fisher]

How's the scouting going ? I've been out scouting all week. Places where flocks were 10-15 birds now hold 5-10 birds. Looks like it was a brutal winter for them up here. Anyone else ?

R

Edited April 9, 2014 by Ryan Mc

[misfish]

Hey Ry

 

I get daily reports from the landonwer where I hunt (Phelpston area ) as he works with me. Numbers are very low compared to years before. He,s seeing more and more yotes and trying to pop them off every chance he gets from his back deck.

[irishfield]

They've been waking me up every morning for the past week... clucking away and tearing up the grass on top of my septic tank!

[Big Cliff]

Numbers are way down here too this year but there are plenty of yotes. I think this winter has really taken it's tole on the turkeys.

[Rustic-Fisher]

That's what I figured , substantially less turkeys this year. Easy pickings for the yotes this winter. Been trying to plug away at them all winter also but now that spring is here I give the yotes a break.

Scored a few farms around here to hunt so I'm still hoping .

Edited April 9, 2014 by Ryan Mc

[irishfield]

Not sure why they'd be easy picking for the 'yotes.... they do fly and sit in trees.

[Sinker]

Turkeys are still in large winter groups, in isolated areas. What I mean is there are large groups, in a small area. Im not seeing turkeys in my usual spots, but a farm down the road has about 90 of them. They will start to spread out as the ground gets exposed, but I think its going to be a tough season. I havent heard any gobbling yet at all, and I check on these birds pretty much daily.

 

I dont think numbers are down, and I dont think yotes are getting as many as you might think either.

 

S.

[Rustic-Fisher]

Not sure why they'd be easy picking for the 'yotes.... they do fly and sit in trees.

Layers of ice over prime food plots equals weaker birds more prone to predation /starvation and sickness. We've had a few good layers of ice built in to the snow pack around us this year.

Starving birds are easy pickings, sick birds even easier .

[Rustic-Fisher]

Turkeys are still in large winter groups, in isolated areas. What I mean is there are large groups, in a small area. Im not seeing turkeys in my usual spots, but a farm down the road has about 90 of them. They will start to spread out as the ground gets exposed, but I think its going to be a tough season. I havent heard any gobbling yet at all, and I check on these birds pretty much daily.

I dont think numbers are down, and I dont think yotes are getting as many as you might think either.

S.

Hope your right. I'm out daily as well and it's looking bleak. I've Definitely happened apon more kill sites for both turkeys and deer this year as opposed to previous years. Time will tell.

[misfish]

Layers of ice over prime food plots equals weaker birds more prone to predation /starvation and sickness. We've had a few good layers of ice built in to the snow pack around us this year.

Starving birds are easy pickings, sick birds even easier .

 

 

This time of year with the warm thaw and cold tighting spells,it,s easy trotting for the preds.

[mcdougy]

The large groups here, have started busting up. Have seen some courting going on, but the hens are not playing ..yet. we had a large group of 100+ all winter. The group is about 20 birds now. They have started there disappearing act IMO, they are still there. Me gonna eat one!!!!

[ch312]

Turkeys are still in large winter groups, in isolated areas. What I mean is there are large groups, in a small area. Im not seeing turkeys in my usual spots, but a farm down the road has about 90 of them. They will start to spread out as the ground gets exposed, but I think its going to be a tough season. I havent heard any gobbling yet at all, and I check on these birds pretty much daily.

 

I dont think numbers are down, and I dont think yotes are getting as many as you might think either.

 

S.

 

Yep. A later spring means they're still flocked up which results in no birds here and dozens over there. Once the weather warms up the flocks will disperse and people will start seeing them again in the usual area's,.

 

Same with deer. People who do not know the animals habits will think the deer numbers are way down when in fact they're still herded up in many area's due to the late spring and heavy snow remaining. As with turkey, once the weather warms up and snow disappears the number of deer in each bush lot will return to near normal.

 

 

I have been fortunate enough to see coyotes stalking turkeys on a few occasions anywhere from 25 to 100 yards from my location. I'd assume the only coyotes who go after adult turkeys in the winter are young and inexperienced animals, or are very hungry, as they waste a ton of energy trying to catch the birds with very low success rates. Of the 3 times I have witnessed this, the coyotes didn't get within 20 yards of the birds before they took flight. Talk about one heck of a commotion when the coyotes started to sprint towards their prey!

Edited April 10, 2014 by ch312

[jedimaster]

First year turkey hunting for me. I will be out scouting next weekend. I don't even know if there are any turkeys where I am going but I will go out regardless. Great excuse to walk around the bush for a weekend.

[NAW]

Lots inside Barrie city limits!!

 

 

I was biking near your place yesterday Ryan. Heard a pack of yotes howling away around 6:30. Just on the south west side of Ivy. Go get em!!

 

I haven't been seeing as many turkeys this year in my hood. But I havnt been looking.

 

The fields last year where I would see 30+ deer are now down to 15-20.. Lots of deer kill sites in the general area.

[BillM]

Had a flock in the back yard of my parents house yesterday morning and again in the evening for the feed.. I love seeing them fly up into the trees, it's comical!

[irishfield]

Had one pecking on the back door this morning... guess the snow was hurting his feet!

[NAW]

Invite him in.. Right in to the oven!

[myot]

5 of the 6 properties I hunt on are loaded my best property from last year looks pretty barren but there is still some time left for some to filter down in

 

Dan

[iFish4real]

seen 10-12 bird flocks in 2 places, hopefully will get a couple

Edited April 10, 2014 by iFish4real

[Rustic-Fisher]

Lots inside Barrie city limits!!

I was biking near your place yesterday Ryan. Heard a pack of yotes howling away around 6:30. Just on the south west side of Ivy. Go get em!!

I haven't been seeing as many turkeys this year in my hood. But I havnt been looking.

The fields last year where I would see 30+ deer are now down to 15-20.. Lots of deer kill sites in the general area.

I know .... It's infested LOL

I'm a bit of a pansy, I just can't pull the trigger knowing their carrying pups or have pups in a den . I have no problem with others doing it, but I'd rather Wait till winter. Trust me I hate em as much as the next guy!

[Sinker]

If ya hate yotes, and want them dead, while they have pups is the best time. One shot kills the whole fam damily!!

 

I dont hunt yotes, but I shoot every one that comes in range while im hunting anything else.

 

My turkeys started to travel today. They're headed for my go to spot

 

S.

[NAW]

Ya. I'm the same way. Rarely hunt coyotes in the summer unless I've been asked by a land owner. But if the opportunity arises, I would still have a poke.

Edited April 11, 2014 by N.A.W

[mcdougy]

In my experience the coyotes don't bother with the turkey's. They just keep on marching by them. You never hear about them yotes bothering geese either and those things are everywhere around here. Rabbits beware though obviously.

[Sinker]

Ive had yotes stalk my goose decoys, and turkey decoys and end up dead....several times.

 

Ive also seen kill sites of turkeys, and can only assume yotes.

 

They would certainly be hard to catch!

 

Raccoons and crows are bigger turkey predators though!

 

S.

[turtle]

I've called in a number of coyotes while turkey hunting and shot them if they kept coming after they made me. More often they changed direction and stayed out of shotgun range once they saw me.

I saw less deer this winter than other years. In one field that in the past I regularly saw 5 deer and as many as 15 I saw a couple all winter. I'm not sure they moved elsewhere or the numbers are way down. I think the long cold winter and ice on the ground caused as much grief for them as predators. Deep snow made it hard to outrun the predators and quicker to tire out. I did'nt spend much time in the bush this winter to check it out as the ice fishing season was so good.