everything thing but turkeys

[mgnm300]

well my daughter and are have been trying for turkeys. if anybody tries to tell you that it's an easy hunt, they're dead wrong!! we've bin out several times trying to find the birds and it has been really tough.
we have seen over two hundred deer everytime(getting tired of seeing them),,we've seen black bears and grizzly bears,moose but no DAM birds!!!
we've bin in prime turkey country as far as we could tell,even listening to locals telling us,"oh ya, we see lots all the time" but we have yet to see any after driving hundreds of kms to spots and calling with not a single response.
i'll admit that this is the first year of trying to hunt for turkeys so i guess i'm not really surprised at the outcome but you'd think having the whole winter practising on calling that one would get some satisfaction of hunting these ghosts.
anyways this is the last weekend to hunt for them and am wondering if it is even worth trying. yes i know that's hunting and one can't always be succesful but a glimmer of hope would go a long way. anybody else gonna give it a shot or do ya think it's a waste of time ? think all the hens have bin bred already and are now nesting?
any thoughts or comments would be greatly appreciated to a newbie turkey hunter.

[mark]

Well its never a waste of time to go hunting!!!! I will say that opening day is your best odds, after that it diminishes quickly! Turkey hunting can be very easy, or it can be very frustrating, ive experienced both myself! This will be the first year ever that Ive struck out, I wouldnt bother trying at this time!

[ferndogger]

I have been having the same problem as you, but at least I hae seen a couple. I have been out all last week with nothing to show, turkey wise. Its nice just to be out there hunting, but it can get a little frusterating. I just got my hunting license, and this is the first animal I am hunting, plus I am using a bow. I cant even get near close enough to take a shot. When I was out yesterday I sitting waiting where I seen a few before, full camo hiding in a natural blind. I heard one and turned my head slightly, very slow, just to see it running off. I was wearing a full face and head mask, complete camo, and only moved about an inch. These things have crazy senses, any movement or sound and they are long gone. Good luck out there, hopefully you can bag one, we still have another week.

[mgnm300]

ferndogger: at least you've seen some. i've yet to even hear any to at least know they're in the area.
oh well geuss i'll have to look for bears,,lol at least i can find them easy enough. i can get a bear anytime and have till the end of june. at least i can get picky that way

[brotherjack]

I got no good advice for you. I've been hunting turkeys since they opened them up in the east koots (4 years now, I think it is?), with zero success. I had one "almost" the very first year when a turkey came in from the opposite direction I was expecting him (who split before I could turn and fire), and last year I had one that did the turkey dance for me at about 150 yards out (way too far to shoot with a 22) that wouldn't come any closer. Other than that, I've had about the same experience as you -- lots of time spent in the bush (which is good), and 99% of the time, I never even see a legal bird (it's a lot like elk hunting, now that I think about it, LOL).

That said -- some people seem to nail one every year, so surely it can be done. If you want it, keep at it.

I got a friend who has got one without fail since the year the opened them (and usually within a day or two of opening day) -- and all he does is hike slowly along likely areas, and stop and chirp a hen call about every 200 yards. I've tried doing the same thing (in the same areas, even, LOL), and got nothing.

[mark]

I got a friend who has got one without fail since the year the opened them (and usually within a day or two of opening day) -- and all he does is hike slowly along likely areas, and stop and chirp a hen call about every 200 yards. I've tried doing the same thing (in the same areas, even, LOL), and got nothing.

Thats exactly how I hunt em, didnt work for me this year cuz I didnt make it out for opening day :icon_frow
Other hunters made it into my honey hole and spooked the heck out of em!

[300H&H]

Thats exactly how I hunt em, didnt work for me this year cuz I didnt make it out for opening day :icon_frow
Other hunters made it into my honey hole and spooked the heck out of em!

The same thing happened to me. Ive hunted this one spot and have NEVER seen anyone. Opening day 3 guys were getting out of their truck to hunt MY SPOT. Oh well, first come, first served. After that I never seen a bird there. I always saw toms in that spot. Hunting is tough in there. Im out early Saturday am. Befor light and hope to get a poke at a tom.

[hunter1947]

A day in the bush is better then a day at work http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/images/icons/icon7.gif.

[mgnm300]

oh well i'm somewhat relieved to hear that it's not easy to find these birds or get them to respond to your calls,,guess there's always next year.
i'm assuming that on opening day it doesn't matter if there is too much snow still around or not. i did hesitate on going out looking for that reason. maybe next year we won't have so much snow

[eastkoot]

Had a buddy here and we went out a few times last week. Saw an average of 8-10 each day but only 3 Jakes. The hens we did see were what I call Road Runners.. As soon as they see a vehicle, they were gone.. No gobbling to speak of..They get real smart real quick!!!

[meathead]

the first few days are always the best.I think the best way is to camo up and sit still.use only a hen peck even if you dont hear goobles dosent mean hes not comming. this year i got my tom i had decoys and i think it helped made him stop and look giving me time to shoot.be paitient it will happen