Turkey Season 2017

[BB30]

Figured we could get a thread going for the upcoming turkey season. What are the expectations in your area? What are the birds doing? and what is the Gobbling activity like?

I hunt around Noxubee country toward the tombigbee. We already have strutters on camera and it seems that winter flocks are starting to break up some. It is still early but I will probably be out listening the end of next week more for my enjoyment than having any expectations of hearing any on a regular basis yet.

[BulldogBear]

Considering these two walked up on me at the farm about a month ago, I'm feeling pretty good.

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[LandDawg]

I hunt Choctaw Co, Holmes Co and Yazoo. Early springs have led to my best seasons. Started turkey hunting in 2012, which was extremely early bloom. Thought I was a master of the woods because I killed 2 in first 3 solo hunts. I have since been humbled. Have been Taught plenty of lessons, which has made me a better caller and hunter. 2015 was another early spring and maybe my best yr yet.

[BB30]

I hunt Choctaw Co, Holmes Co and Yazoo. Early springs have led to my best seasons. Started turkey hunting in 2012, which was extremely early bloom. Thought I was a master of the woods because I killed 2 in first 3 solo hunts. I have since been humbled. Have been Taught plenty of lessons, which has made me a better caller and hunter. 2015 was another early spring and maybe my best yr yet.

Ha ha they have a way of humbling all of us. I wouldn't want it any different. The longer you hunt them it is the birds that have the innate instinct to do exactly what you don't expect them too that will stick with you. I have had several that have stuck with me and am currently dealing with a stubborn one. This year will be year 3 of hunting the same bird, I have missed him twice and got to a point last season when I would just walk past him if there were other birds willing to play the game that day. It is as if he has a halo around him. I was worried he hadn't made it through to season and finally saw him last weekend alive and well.

As for the two misses, I missed him on opening day two years ago at about 20 yds as I managed to kill a nice sapling that I didn't see. Then, I managed to miss him on the last day of the season last year at 30 yds and I still am not sure what happened other then I just blanked. He would always roost within a couple hundred yards of the same place and would gobble once on the limb and once on the ground and that was it for the majority of the day. I missed him at 12 on opening day 2 years ago and missed him at 2:30 last year both times he looped behind and I didn't have a clue he was there until he started drumming. I have gotten to where I will find a couple of nice 2 YOs that are ready and willing and fool with him when there is no other game in town for the day. I'm sure I will get taught a few more lessons this season from him. The unique thing about this bird is he has white almost wing tipped looking colors in the middle of his fan. If I do get another opportunity to harvest him it will almost be hard to pull the trigger with the history I have with him. One of my favorite quotes is by Ben Rodgers Lee " If I could breath life back into him I would hunt him again tomorrow".

Also, If any of yall live in the Starkville area and have a youth you would like to take let me know and we can get together for a hunt I am always looking for a chance to get in the woods early and we have plenty of birds to hunt.

[LandDawg]

I know what you mean about a stubborn bird. This will be my 1st year to really battle with a bird that gave me fits the year before. He occasionally uses one side of my property, but spends 3/4 of his time on my neighbor. Made him difficult to hunt. Finally got permission to hunt my neighbor last weekend of season last year. We battled 3 straight days morning and afternoon, but he walked away the winner. He will be hard to leave for another bird when I hunt that property. Luckily I have other places to hunt.

Your quote "I missed him at 12 on opening day 2 years ago and missed him at 2:30 last year" reminds me of the best lesson Ive learned so far. Middle of the day is prime. In 5 years of hunting Ive killed 10 birds...5 of those were killed 10:30-2:30

Ben Rodgers Lee " If I could breath life back into him I would hunt him again tomorrow". This is a great quote. If it wasnt for the deliciousness of wild turkey, I would probably shoot most with my camera.

[BB30]

I know what you mean about a stubborn bird. This will be my 1st year to really battle with a bird that gave me fits the year before. He occasionally uses one side of my property, but spends 3/4 of his time on my neighbor. Made him difficult to hunt. Finally got permission to hunt my neighbor last weekend of season last year. We battled 3 straight days morning and afternoon, but he walked away the winner. He will be hard to leave for another bird when I hunt that property. Luckily I have other places to hunt.

Your quote "I missed him at 12 on opening day 2 years ago and missed him at 2:30 last year" reminds me of the best lesson Ive learned so far. Middle of the day is prime. In 5 years of hunting Ive killed 10 birds...5 of those were killed 10:30-2:30

Ben Rodgers Lee " If I could breath life back into him I would hunt him again tomorrow". This is a great quote. If it wasnt for the deliciousness of wild turkey, I would probably shoot most with my camera.

Yep, middle of the day has usually been when I have had most of my success. And I know what you mean, definitely my favorite wild game to eat.

[starkvegasdawg]

I hunt Choctaw county and will be interesting to see what they are like this year. 20 years ago you could go out on that property at high noon and fart and one would gobble. But, 1997 came and we had a lot of timber cut on the property and then replanted in pine. All of a sudden all of our open pastures were gone as well as a lot of hardwood. The pines are now up to a size where they are killing out the understory and things are opening back up. I'm hoping that will slowly get them back on our property on a regular basis. I haven't shot one in several years now. My shoulder has almost forgotten what the kick of a 3 1/2" magnum turkey load feels like. Almost.

[LandDawg]

Good luck. The place I hunt in Choctaw Co has about 250 acres of 18 yr old PP. Turkeys use it like crazy during winter up until green up, when the understory thickens up. Ive got a group of 9 longbeards running together as of last Sat. I expect them to split up shortly and all leave for the surrounding hardwoods. I have noticed the last 2 season, 1 or 2 have hung around after green up. The understory is thinning, but we could really use a fire run through it.

[Westdawg]

All you guys hunting Choctaw County is probably why I can't find a dang bird anymore , lol.
We grew up there and have a lot of family still living there who th good bit of land. But the past couple years since I have been back in MS, I haven't seen a gobbler, much less heard one. It's strange, because there are places that I could go and kill one any day of the week. But not for a while now. And we have maintained property well - at least in terms of what's usually needed for turkey hunting. I am really hoping that this fall's mast crop and nice start to early summer will help this spring.....but the drought the past two years' summers combined with the horrible wet springs may be too much to overcome.

[trob115]

Good luck. The place I hunt in Choctaw Co has about 250 acres of 18 yr old PP. Turkeys use it like crazy during winter up until green up, when the understory thickens up. Ive got a group of 9 longbeards running together as of last Sat. I expect them to split up shortly and all leave for the surrounding hardwoods. I have noticed the last 2 season, 1 or 2 have hung around after green up. The understory is thinning, but we could really use a fire run through it.

If you need someone to burn your place , let me know. I'll be glad to give you a quote.

[trob115]

If anyone has any place to turkey hunt in the golden triangle area, I'd be glad to take you. I love to turkey hunt, but I try to avoid the public woods if possible.

[BB30]

Went and listened at the farm this morning and heard 3 birds. One of them was hammering it this morning.

[LandDawg]

Thanks but this is large timber company land.

[BB30]

Anyone have any youth getting out later this week/weekend? Birds gobbled pretty good this past weekend, if weather cooperates should be a pretty good start for the kiddos.

[TUSK]

Thanks for the reminder, I gotta get my turkey trot lines out....

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[BB30]

Got my Pastor's son his first long beard Saturday. Was a great morning had several birds gobbling on the limb. Went quiet when they hit the ground. At 7:15 had a bird gobble to our right at about 100 yards. Yelped and he cut us off. 30 seconds later we had two in our laps at 15 yards and he was able to harvest his first bird. Was a great morning, excited to get back after them this weekend.

[BB30]

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[GTHOM]

I've been hunting turkeys since my dad took me when I was 8 years old. Nothing in this world beats it. I'm fortunate enough to be able to hunt Hinds, Yazoo, and Holmes county. I went and listened last Saturday heard 2. In my experience early springs have been better seasons. I've got one I hunted all year last year and on pictures this year. He got to 70 yards on me several times last year never gave me a shot. Hopefully it happens this year. Good luck fellas, thank the Lord for these birds

[Duckdog]

Got busted by two birds saturday and my oldest boy missed one at 20 steps sunday. These are public land birds and weren't jakes. You would have thought someone shot his mama he was so sad. Oh well I;ll get him on another one

[GTHOM]

Anybody going in the morning? Think this cool weather might fire them up pretty good