Mid-Season Update

In the past few weeks, I’ve hunted MN and WI three or four times. Only once with my own tag, just calling for other folks out there is enough to get me pumped up! Here’s what I’ve been seeing out there.

Most birds, especially a week or two ago were henned-up in pretty dramatic fashion. We actually had hens which previously showed no interest in their toms, come to cut us off, or lead their birds away from us, even when they were in the opposite direction. The result has been alot of visually oriented birds that are relying on their two eyes, and not their gobbling, to locate and retain hens. It has meant very little gobbling, and worse, quite a few birds that are coming in quiet, sometimes after long periods of silence. So, for those folks with upcoming seasons – PATIENCE! Just because they don’t gobble, doesn’t mean they’re not responding to you. I’ve had to re-learn that lesson the hard way several times already this year.

The notable exception is groups of cruising subordinate toms and jakes that I’ve been seeing without hens. They’re as rambunctious and as gobble-some as they’ve ever been. We killed one tom in such a group, and the hunters I was with on two other hunts opted to take a jake each in these cruising bands of birds. The jake on the last hunt I was on, put on a show like any gobbler would until the last 40 yards where we ID’d him as a short-beard. Impressive gobbling and high-action is fun no matter which the intended target.

I’ve found a number of predated nests, but primarily just an eggshell here or there. Hens are laying in most places, and also I’m sure are starting to sit on those nests more. With all the recent rains, I’m guessing there’ll be some failures and re-nesting. My hope is that with more hens sitting, we’ll find willing toms in more places throughout the day. Definitely a time-period to stay in the woods and stay on them.

Calling sequences that have worked with the trickier of henned-up gobblers have been fighting purr imitations and very soft hen talk….basically the two extremes. Leaf scratching was very important on calling a ridgetop gobbler up a steep embankment to our position, but the shot was not quite enough to take him down.

One thing I’ve noticed on the past few hunts with roosted toms is the tendency of the birds to gobble a bit more aggressively just before flydown. While I’m not sure they always do this, birds lately have been picking up both the pace, and shortening the time between gobbles, anywhere from 30 seconds to 3 minutes before actual flydown. In my mind, they’re saying “last chance” before flying down, which is important, as it’s your last chance to turn them on the limb and get them to flydown to your position.

I hope everyone has been having a safe and productive season, good luck and finish strong!

Joel

interesting observations.
down here in wc ill in the last week the hens seem to be on the nests big time.
as usual the first two seasons, there were hens everywhere and henned up toms, making it more of a challenge.
but last week during the tail end of third and beginning of fourth seasons there were toms – and not just 2 year olds – crusin lookin for available hens.
and the place i was hunting had had almost zero hunter pressure, so it worked out great for me a couple times.

Let’s see those pics! Glad to hear they’re working well down there, hope to see that southerly “nesting-line” move northward!

Check that – just looked in the Turkey Photos section, and you have all kinds of ’em! Congrats on some nice birds!

Joel