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CU Medallion [50787]
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Can anyone convince me that turkey season
Mar 28, 2022, 10:28 PM
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is going to be better this year. Only went twice last year because the 2 properties I had permission to hunt had no signs of birds. No hens, no gobbles at daylight, and no signs they had been there at all. I know one property is covered with coyotes so I have doubts it will be different.
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All-In [25965]
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Re: Can anyone convince me that turkey season
Mar 28, 2022, 10:46 PM
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Probably won't be there as long as the coyotes are around. Learn how to trap the coyotes. It is not easy to start with but you can get the hang of it. They are very wary creatures. A friend of mine totally changed his property by trapping them and now he has good hunting.
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All-TigerNet [11252]
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Re: Can anyone convince me that turkey season
Mar 28, 2022, 10:56 PM
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Even if they are there they don't gobble much when predators around. I have had several people tell me of bobcat coming to the calls and attacking decoys.
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CU Guru [1776]
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Here's a try. I've hunted turkey twice in my life.
Mar 28, 2022, 10:59 PM
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One of those times doesn't count because we ended up hanging out at the creek sittin at the picnic table chatting. But this a.m., I had to go to my daughter's school between 7:30 and 8. I pulled around back. It was early so there had been no traffic. I saw a hen skittling across the student garden about 75 yards away. Then, I saw two deer at the very back of the garden (125 yards). Then, four more hens and a gobbler came out following the first hen. I could easily see the beard hanging with a deep bend towards the ground. And he was fully fanned. It was the first time I'd seen that. It was amazing!
In reality, I realize this portends little in the way of a successful season. But man, I've got to try to see that again. (Not saying I'll hunt at the school.) Lord knows I've spent plenty of time in a deer stand without putting meat on the freezer.
BTW, can you archery hunt turkey? Asking for a friend.
Good luck!
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All-TigerNet [12592]
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Re: Here's a try. I've hunted turkey twice in my life.
Mar 29, 2022, 4:56 AM
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Yes re: archery, but to increase your chances of success, you’re better off hunting out of a blind and using decoys.
The movement required to draw is otherwise tough to get by with.
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All-TigerNet [12592]
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Re: Can anyone convince me that turkey season
Mar 29, 2022, 5:05 AM
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Don’t know where you’re hunting, but it’ll be tough if you’re in the Upstate. It was tougher last year and the hatch from 2 years ago was poor, so this Spring in general will not be easy.
I’ve been out 3 mornings and am headed out in a few minutes to listen and scout. I’ve seen sign, but haven’t heard a gobble.
I should hear birds this morning where I’m going as there are always gobblers there, but the landowner says as expected, there are fewer this Spring.
There are a lot of factors at play. Skunks and coons are really tough on the eggs and seemingly are everywhere. Coyotes are a problem, but probably less of a problem than egg eaters and loss of poults in a wet Spring.
Good luck!!
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CU Guru [1780]
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Re: Can anyone convince me that turkey season
Mar 29, 2022, 5:59 AM
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All-TigerNet [12592]
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Re: Can anyone convince me that turkey season
Mar 29, 2022, 6:13 AM
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There are definitely pockets of excellent bird numbers, but as a whole the numbers are down even across much of the nation.
GA has cut back to a 2 bird limit and shortened the season. OK which was 3 birds statewide, went to 2 last Spring and now is down to one. KS is down to one in most areas.
Gotta go. Need to be sitting down soon.
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CU Medallion [53773]
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So what is the answer... more and better habitat or
Mar 29, 2022, 7:00 AM
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Kill more coyotes, skunks,coons,foxes,etc. I have seen a lot more king snakes and black snakes the past couple of years...They eat the eggs too don't they?
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CU Medallion [50787]
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Re: So what is the answer... more and better habitat or
Mar 29, 2022, 9:52 AM
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I don't think either of those snakes can swallow a big turkey egg - hope I don't sit down beside one if it is large enough to do that. Had one slither up beside me while sitting on the ground turkey hunting once. And a coyote walked just a couple of yards behind me once when I thought it was a turkey coming and didn't move until finally getting a little nervous about how close the sound got.
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CU Medallion [53773]
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I can't picture a guy that had a mortar round bounce over
Mar 29, 2022, 4:07 PM
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his head getting nervous at much anything......
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CU Medallion [50787]
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It was an RPG round but the result
Mar 29, 2022, 10:37 PM
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would’ve been the same if my head hadn’t been deep in the hole I had dug before the rain hit - lucky I didn’t drown trying to get lower
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All-TigerNet [10908]
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Re: Can anyone convince me that turkey season
Mar 29, 2022, 7:04 AM
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Based on what I've seen on the farm this year, it doesn't look good. 4 years ago, there would be 10 or 12 hens and a couple Toms that would come into the pastures and yard. It has steadily gone done each year.
This year I've seen 3 hens around but not daily. In the mornings I heard a Tom calling twice and it used to be 2 or 3 Toms everyday between sunrise and 8 AM.
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110%er [7191]
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Re: Can anyone convince me that turkey season
Mar 29, 2022, 8:05 AM
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If you want a politically correct answer there probably will not be a turkey season. If you want just a bland run of the mill yes or no, I can't tell you because I don't hunt turkey's.
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Hall of Famer [22659]
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Re: Can anyone convince me that turkey season
Mar 29, 2022, 9:50 AM
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I saw these on Johns Island March 5 but this same field will sometimes have 20+ deer in it as well because the island has developed so much you shouldn’t shoot anything but a bow there. There were 3 toms and 21 hens. Watched them for almost an hour.
On the hunting subject …. Does anyone have or know of any deer hunting opportunities in the upstate? I’m willing to pay reasonable lease or club dues. I live between Easley and Pelzer and had to drive an hour and a half one way last year to hunt. Made for some really early mornings. T-mail me if you do. TIA.
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CU Guru [1780]
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Re: Can anyone convince me that turkey season
Mar 29, 2022, 12:13 PM
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All-TigerNet [12592]
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Re: Can anyone convince me that turkey season
Mar 29, 2022, 3:22 PM
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Third place I've scouted. This morning the boys were tearing it up. Saw multiple gobblers, hens and jakes so that's where I'll be come the opener on Friday morning.
Again, even in the Upstate there are areas that still have good bird numbers, but as a whole there are not near the birds there were a few years ago and that includes my own personal property.
Definitely need to trap more, way more and hope we don't have a cool wet spring after the poults hatch nor drought which hurts the insect and seed crop.
There is less and less habitat as more land is developed, more turkey hunters, more nonhuman predators and more efficient hunting techniques with better guns, ammo, camo, decoys, calls, etc.
It's a complex issue, but thankfully things are still way better than when I was a boy. Turkeys were extremely few and far between then.
Enjoy being out in nature.
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Hall of Famer [22659]
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Re: Can anyone convince me that turkey season
Mar 29, 2022, 6:42 PM
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You are correct. I never saw a wild turkey growing up on Johns Island and I spent a lot of time in the woods squirrel hunting but there are a bunch of them on that same property today.
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All-TigerNet [10572]
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I for one hope so
Mar 29, 2022, 4:05 PM
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The Harris Teeter where I get mine, last year, due to the Rona, very short supply and flipping expensive
Here is to a better supply chain process in 2022
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All-In [25965]
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Re: I for one hope so
Mar 29, 2022, 4:11 PM
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Powder, please send me the directions to that site in your photo. I need to check out the powerline. I also will need to check the powerline on Sept. 1. Thanks.
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