# Turkey hunting 2016



## marshal45

Is anyone doing any good so far this year? This is the first year since I started hunting them 7 years ago that I don't have a long beard down by now. Just can't seem to seal the deal. All of a sudden they seem to have disappeared like there was a turkey rapture. Had turkeys all spring at all of my spots and they are just MIA now(sigh).


----------



## Kenlow1

Hang in there, hunting should get better the last 2 wks once gobblers are not henned up. Was out yesterday, gobbling at 6am then nothing? Half hour later I see why. 3 hens at bottom of field with 2 strutters, watched em for an hour and they never gobbled! Tried to cut and get hens excited and hoped they would pull gobblers to deke setup, didnt buy it. Hunted till 11:30 and gave up. I will kill one of the gobblers once they get lonely. Good luck and dont give up yet. Remember your thermocell for the last 2 weeks when it gets "bugsy"!


----------



## Carpn

It should get better soon. The woods is just now looking right to me . 
I lucked out and killed #1 on Monday of first week , and #2 on weds of first week .


----------



## JustGotOff

Killed my first longbeard of the season this past sunday. Shot him at 730, called him right in with no hens. Got lucky. Was a fun 2 year old to call in


----------



## Kenlow1

Carpn-you da man!


----------



## Snook

Gotta be one of the toughest years ever for me. Usually call multiple birds in for others by this time. Only a few so far. Most have been henned up bad. It's due to bust loose and get "hot". By the middle of the coming week it should get better. Been hunting the Bula area. Birds have been more responsive down south in Coshocton Co.


----------



## nitro591

I've shot 2 so far this year. 1 in WV on opening day and 1 last Saturday in Ohio. Both were within 5 minutes of them flying down from the roost. The one I shot in Ohio actually landed right in front of me with a group of other gobblers. 4-5 Jakes and 2 long beards had to wait for what seemed like forever for a big one to separate him self from the pack so I could take the shot.


----------



## Carpn

Kenlow1 said:


> Carpn-you da man!


Thanks, but I just got lucky and got on the right birds. Turkey hunting is kinda like drawing cards. Ya just keep pulling cards out of the deck , .sometimes ya draw two high cards off the bat, other times ya gotta weed thru low cards before ya draw a high card. All ya can do is keep plugging away and eventually you'll catch one in the right mood, at the right place.

Birds I've been seeing are still henned up , but their harems are getting a lot smaller. I'd say if a guy has time to run and gun he should definetly be able to find birds gobbling late morning.


----------



## T-180

Dang Jake, your bird had some hooks on him !!! I'm bird-less so far, but I'll keep after it. Everything on trail cam is in the afternoon right now. Austin will be home from school May 11th, so we'll be out all day after that.


----------



## dsoy28

I worked my butt of the first week and finally got one Tuesday. Barely outta the jake phase but I'm thrilled to get anything with my schedule. It seems like this year was the most action I ever had but they would follow hens right off the property after fly down. Finally called 4 birds in at 8:30. Was runnin and gunnin and I didn't even have time to set up my new avian x. Redhead turkey choke dropped him at 48 yds.


----------



## Guest

It seems like the bulk of hunters you talk to have either shot a super easy lonely bird or the going has been tough. I got one the first Tuesday of season and he was roosted alone and I happened to be right with his hens. He was in and shot a few minutes after he flew down. I haven't really worked a gobbler this year. The rest of my season has been hearing some gobbles on roost and then...shutdown. Very characteristic of henned up birds.

I agree with carpn. The woods is just getting how I like it too. The more green it gets the better the nesting for the hens. The last couple weeks should be real good!

Just got to be out there when it happens! Good luck everyone!!


----------



## marshal45

Nice Hooks on that bird CARPN!! Called in two hens yesterday morning and go figure there were no gobblers with them. Had a nice morning this morning with gobbling in multiple places around me. Unfortunately, the gobbler I set up by was with a boat load of hens. We were cutting at each other for at least a half hour. I was trying to call them in with the hopes that the big boy would follow. They all ended up working off but I think the other gobblers I heard didn't have hens with them so I will try a different setup. Getting tiring walking through the woods in the dark 40 mins to get to the spots I hunt but it's worth it when I get one.


----------



## Kenlow1

dsoy28, looks like your pic was taken on a golf course! Nice lawn!


----------



## Guest

Footwork leads to birds Marshal45!


----------



## carp

Got one on opening Tuesday, and one on 1st. Sat. Without decoys I would be birdless, decoys sealed both deals!


----------



## kernal83

Got one early On the opening Monday. Two, two year olds came in with a single hen. Called the hen in off the roost. Last Saturday called in two but got fishy when they saw the decoys And hung up around 40-45 yards. Didn't want to take that poke. Hopefully find number 2 tomorrow. ATTACH=full]208226[/ATTACH]


----------



## Forker

Public land...3 hens came off the roost after a brief conversation they worked away from me. No gobbling heard anywhere or shots fired near or far.


----------



## turkeyt

Hunted Oh. and Wv. and have heard more birds in Wv. than on the property in Oh. I have only heard a couple gobblers and passed on a jake in Oh. Previous seasons on the Oh. property the birds were going nuts by the second week. Not so this year. In Wv. we have called in 7 jakes and grandson harvested a good bird Sat. Like other poster says, they seem to have vanished. Not so, but they are not as vocal so far for sure.


----------



## Carpn

Took a buddy out Sat and Sunday . Saturday the birds were roosted where we couldn't really get to em . Set up anyway hoping they'd work towards us but it didn't happen . 
A Sunday birds were in a different spot. They gobbled good after pitching down , but didn't wanna work great . We sat tight and a couple started moving , Gobbling occasionally as they went . We made a big circle and got ahead of em . 2 longbeards came in...One left .


----------



## K gonefishin

I got one on the 23rd, picture perfect hunt. Lots gobbling on the roost they shut up when they flew down. Hens came into the decoy spread 4 toms followed the rest easy to figure out. Hoping to get back out here really soon.


----------



## bobk

Nice job Kevin.


----------



## marshal45

Had a nice morning this morning. Made another 45 min trek through the woods to a spot I harvested a nice one last year. The woods woke up and the gobbling started. Boss hen flew down then it started raining turkeys. One turkey instead of flying down literally fell out of the tree. Hilarious. Anyways my setup was about 20 yds too far and while some might take a 50 yd shot this guy won't. Two long beards, 5 jakes and 10 hens walked a single file line out of there. I know where I'll be setup tomorrow. Then I walked back about halfway to the truck and heard more gobbling. Called in two jakes let them work off. Hour later got another one to shock gobble to a box call. He wouldn't respond to anything else, diaphragm, slate, nothing but that loud box call. He vanished and have no clue where to. They are just not responding like they should be right now but it's definitely getting better.


----------



## K gonefishin

bobk said:


> Nice job Kevin.


Thanks I think I'm going Saturday morning can't fish only have wary morning before a family event hopefully I can drop another one.


----------



## Guest

marshal45 said:


> Had a nice morning this morning. Made another 45 min trek through the woods to a spot I harvested a nice one last year. The woods woke up and the gobbling started. Boss hen flew down then it started raining turkeys. One turkey instead of flying down literally fell out of the tree. Hilarious. Anyways my setup was about 20 yds too far and while some might take a 50 yd shot this guy won't. Two long beards, 5 jakes and 10 hens walked a single file line out of there. I know where I'll be setup tomorrow. Then I walked back about halfway to the truck and heard more gobbling. Called in two jakes let them work off. Hour later got another one to shock gobble to a box call. He wouldn't respond to anything else, diaphragm, slate, nothing but that loud box call. He vanished and have no clue where to. They are just not responding like they should be right now but it's definitely getting better.


Man they are so henned up! If they would free up the hunting would improve a lot!


----------



## Kenlow1

Birddog37 said:


> Man they are so henned up! If they would free up the hunting would improve a lot!


 X2


----------



## slashbait

Sure hope that happens soon ! Haven't put a eye on a gobbler yet while hunting this year, all hens!


----------



## Guest

You are not alone Slashbait! I know a lot of good turkey hunters that are really struggling this year. I managed to get one but overall it has not been a good year.


----------



## marshal45

Myself and a buddy in different spots sat 50 yds from a rooster gobbler and neither one made a noise. Hmmmmm. I don't think moving the season to May 1st each year like they are proposing is a good idea


----------



## Saugernut

Good idea for the turks maybe


----------



## Kenlow1

Havent heard anything on moving the season to May 1st? Anybody hear of proposed changes?


----------



## Guest

On the ODNR website it shows the season opening on Monday April 24th and closing Sunday May 21st. *BUT...*in 5 counties in the northeast part of the state the season will open Monday May 1st and close May 28th.


----------



## joekacz

Here we go again! The state in its" infamous wisdom" is going to overcrowd portions of the state with 2 openers.They did that with the waterfowl season and everybody and their mothers run to find spots in the Lake Erie marsh zones for the first opener and then the second opener everybody from the south zone comes north and the third opener they head south.The issues become overcrowding of public areas,trespassing,private landowners being bombarded by door knockers and frustrations of finding some place to hunt.Good luck if this happens.I love both sports and don't hunt turkeys as much because of the "old age" disease, bad knees.I feel bad for you dedicated hunters for what the state is proposing.This is just my opinion and I'm not trying to ruffle any ones "feathers".I could be 100% wrong but I'm just telling you from experiences with the waterfowl seasons.If a longer season is needed then just do it for the whole state.


----------



## Carpn

I think its a little different for turkey. For one your only allowed 2 birds. Plus they don't migrate. Plus I don't think the opening day of turkey is greatly better than most other days of turkey. Maybe I'm wrong tho.


----------



## Guest

I don't see it being a huge issue. If the state were equally divided it might be different. But with such a small part of the state being separate and many hunters far from that corner of the state I doubt they will have a mad rush for their opening day. The way I look at it, my season opens April 24th...if I end the first four weeks without a bird then maybe I will look in that area to extend my season a little.


----------



## Snook

No doubt the birds in northeast Ohio run a little behind those in the south. I like the change and don't see it being too much an issue with overcrowding. Don't see the masses willing to travel to turkey hunt like deer season.This has been an extremely tough year for me. Not for lack of birds but getting them to respond to calling. Most birds this way(Ashtabula) have been henned up like crazy till this week. Since this Monday ,guys I hunt with, that have yet to shoot a bird have shot 3 LB. Although a little leary the birds have been workable this week. These crazy weather patterns have not been helping either.


----------



## Flathead76

Just got in from hunting WNF this morning. Found a lonely tom that was loosing his mind after miles of walking. Had a slam dunk opportunity that clanked hard off the back of the rim. That's hunting I guess.


----------



## marshal45

I'm in geauga county where the new regs will affect. I'm in the turkey woods a lot. It is May 11th and I am finding Toms that don't give a f... About mating right now, don't respond to calls, and stay in the same field for 5 hours. This tells me it's done and has been for t least 5 days. If this were next year I would have had a whopping 6 days of decent hunting. Turkeys aren't even making noise in the morning on the roost. I know I can "deer hunt them" but that just Sucks!! It's the game I'm after which is listening, moving, calling etc to get one. I guess I'll be traveling south next year to hunt the first part of the season. Plans are already in the works.


----------



## dsoy28

What counties are in this proposed northeast zone?


----------



## joekacz

dsoy28 said:


> What counties are in this proposed northeast zone?


I'm not saying Not to have a longer season,just suggesting that what would be wrong with having the WHOLE state opened for that entire 6 week period.To me,only an opinion,that makes more sense.It will give you more opportunity to hunt the birds your familiar with and if for a change of venue than you can travel else where and not be worried about "ZONES".


----------



## dsoy28

I'm confused?? Was that supposed to be a reply to my question??


----------



## kayak1979

I photographed this tom this morning in Geauga County. I have permission to hunt roughly 600 acres between all the farms and have seen many turkeys and still hear gobbling. I tagged mine last week. My buddy went out this morning and said they were gobbling and hot for his calls. So you're just not in the right place in Geauga.


----------



## Guest

It has been slow for me lately. Hearing turkeys hasn't been a problem but they have been very henned up and tough to deal with. They gobble well to a call but hang up a lot or head away. A lot of good turkey hunters are struggling this year. 

Its been a different spring...


----------



## bradley4

Been a tough year. Lots and lots of hens this year. So I settled with a 6 inch bearded jake this morning at 6:20am. The mature ones refuse to leave their women this year. I've noticed they're staying with the same hen(s) all day long.


----------



## TMK

marshal45 said:


> I'm in geauga county where the new regs will affect. I'm in the turkey woods a lot. It is May 11th and I am finding Toms that don't give a f... About mating right now, don't respond to calls, and stay in the same field for 5 hours. This tells me it's done and has been for t least 5 days. If this were next year I would have had a whopping 6 days of decent hunting. Turkeys aren't even making noise in the morning on the roost. I know I can "deer hunt them" but that just Sucks!! It's the game I'm after which is listening, moving, calling etc to get one. I guess I'll be traveling south next year to hunt the first part of the season. Plans are already in the works.


You're 100% right about this season marshal45. I work 3rd shift and take most of my vacation so that I can hunt Every day of the season. All of my hunting is done in Trumbull and Ashtabula counties, so my knowledge limited to just that part of Ohio. I hunt rain, shine windy or whatever. I got my 2nd bird last Friday. It was in a bachelor's group of Toms mid morning. I killed by using "Deer Hunting" tactics. Very unsatisfying.... Any hardcore turkey hunter knows that it's all about how the game is played. Not about killing birds and putting the pictures on Facebook. According to OH Div of Wildlife, on average 46% of the harvest comes from the first week. Next year's numbers should be interesting.


----------



## kayak1979

TMK said:


> I got my 2nd bird last Friday. It was in a bachelor's group of Toms mid morning. I killed by using "Deer Hunting" tactics. Very unsatisfying.... Any hardcore turkey hunter knows that it's all about how the game is played. Not about killing birds and putting the pictures on Facebook. According to OH Div of Wildlife, on average 46% of the harvest comes from the first week. Next year's numbers should be interesting.


Just curious what makes you think that anyone is hunting just to put pictures on Facebook? What does that have to do with being or not being a hardcore turkey hunter?


----------



## dsoy28

I'm still waiting for a non-snarky answer to my question... Anybody know what these 5 counties will be?


----------



## kayak1979

dsoy28 said:


> I'm still waiting for a non-snarky answer to my question... Anybody know what these 5 counties will be?


Making up the proposed five-county Northeast Ohio Zone are the counties of Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, and Trumbull, Windau said.
http://outdoorswithfrischkorn.blogspot.com/2016/01/ohio-proposes-significant-waterfowl-and.html?m=1


----------



## dsoy28

Thanks


----------



## Bulldawg

Hunting in Portage and the hens are just now leaving the gobblers , actually just as of today . They have been responding decent for me through the season , I just couldnt get them to close the gap. They have been hanging up at 55-60yds , until this morning when I called them in to 35yds and missed ! Its hunting I'll be back at it in the morning , I just hope they arent too boogered up from me missing this morning . Good Luck everyone !


----------



## marshal45

kayak1979 said:


> I photographed this tom this morning in Geauga County. I have permission to hunt roughly 600 acres between all the farms and have seen many turkeys and still hear gobbling. I tagged mine last week. My buddy went out this morning and said they were gobbling and hot for his calls. So you're just not in the right place in Geauga.


I have 1


kayak1979 said:


> I photographed this tom this morning in Geauga County. I have permission to hunt roughly 600 acres between all the farms and have seen many turkeys and still hear gobbling. I tagged mine last week. My buddy went out this morning and said they were gobbling and hot for his calls. So you're just not in the right place in Geauga.


I have 13 spots in Geauga county to hunt and honestly they are all producing the same results. I hunted my favorite spot this morning where there were gobblers in 7 different places gobbling at the crack of dawn last week. I made the 40 minute walk after 3 hrs of sleep in the pitch black and was set up by 5:10am. As it got light I noticed zero birds in their typical roosting spot that had 20 of them there last week. By 6:20 after calling, owl hooting, farting you name it trying to get them to gobble I gave up. I walked about 150 yards and a gobble let off to my left about 80 yards out. Sounded like a Jake. Then another gobble that sounded more promising right after. The Jake gobbled two more times and the other one (presumably a Tom) gobbled once on the ground. The Jake flew down in front of me about 60 yards. I called and called and they just shut up! Never another sound and nowhere to be found. 
I understand the pics of a Tom strutting around in the fields. This doesn't mean anything. I have them all over strutting I have seen it all times of the year and have heard hard core gobbles in the fall. My experience is telling me that the majority of birds around me are no longer into mating. 
On another note I did have a unique experience today. After moving to another ridge I called in a hen. She was cutting at me yelping and we argued for a while. I was hoping all the ruckus would get a gobbler over there. All of a sudden this hen gobbled! I kid you not she did it three times. It sounded like a very weak Jake gobble but shocked the hell out of me. Better luck tomorrow.


----------



## marshal45

dsoy28 said:


> I'm still waiting for a non-snarky answer to my question... Anybody know what these 5 counties will be?


"Snarky"? Not sure what you mean by this but I presume instead of waiting two days for an answer you probably could have google searched it and found it yourself. Kayak was nice enough to make it easy on you.


----------



## dsoy28

Marshal I wouldn't have asked if I could find it online, looked around for quite a while and thought if I asked i would get a normal answer. Thought that's what forums were for, instead of telling me not to worry about "zones"


----------



## dsoy28

"I presume instead of waiting two days for an answer you probably could have google searched it and found it yourself." (Possibly the epitome of snarky haha).


----------



## TMK

kayak1979 said:


> Just curious what makes you think that anyone is hunting just to put pictures on Facebook? What does that have to do with being or not being a hardcore turkey hunter?


I personally know a guy who only cares about his photos. Most of whatever he catches or kills is photographed just to impress his buddies. After that its usually thrown out. I have nothing against people taking pictures to celebrate a successful hunt or fishing trip. I like seeing the pictures and especially like hearing the stories. Generally, anyone who's very serious about their sport also has a tremendous amount of respect for the game they pursue. Anything else you're curious about?


----------



## Guest

The hens are making it tough. I am not a fan of sneaking up and shooting one either, but were hunting them...sometimes you do what you gotta do!

Good luck everyone!


----------



## marshal45

dsoy28 said:


> "I presume instead of waiting two days for an answer you probably could have google searched it and found it yourself." (Possibly the epitome of snarky haha).


I get ya....I just knew Ashtabula and Geauga counties were to be affected didn't know there were 5 counties. Should be interesting none the less.


----------



## caseyroo

I agree with most. I love to deer hunt, but what really excites me about turkey hunting is the vocal interaction, and the run & gun style. The ambush style hunting does little for me, and especially hunting the fly down from the roost. That being said, the season starting a week later next year statewide, and two weeks in the 5 counties will only increase ambush hunting. The state knows exactly what the later start means, and how it will impact numbers. Dry disappointing.


----------



## Snook

Opening the season the first week of May will definitely make the last two weeks of the season tough. I've hunted Pa for many of years and it seems after about May 15 the birds become "lazy". Gobble some off the roost then get quiet. The temps heat up, the woods get greener, and the bugs are in full force. I absolutely hate hunting with 100 mosquito's buzzing your ears or 100 knats flying around your head as you walk through the woods.... Thermal cell or not! I think the optimal time would be the last Monday of April and first 3 weeks in May. Of course Mother Nature can't be predicted but this time frame should be optimal.


----------



## Guest

Those counties only open 1 week later than the rest of the state. April 24th and then May 1st.


----------



## caseyroo

Birddog37 said:


> Those counties only open 1 week later than the rest of the state. April 24th and then May 1st.


Which is 5 days later than this year. The first two days were great, and it dwindled after that.


----------



## Guest

caseyroo said:


> Which is 5 days later than this year. The first two days were great, and it dwindled after that.


I misread your post. I thought you were saying that the 5 counties opened 2 weeks later than the rest of the state. Sorry. 

I actually am in favor of the later start. It will all depend on the way spring goes though.


----------

