Its a disease

[DoubleRidge]

Good luck mega. I was just thinking about that earlier AND going hardcore trying to find my first morel mushroom ever on our property.

Conditions are getting right for the early black morels....heard reports of one or two here and there popping up....but in the next few days it's going to be right....this weekend or early next week they should be up....the black ones that is..... little early for the bigger white ones....good luck!

 

[JCDEERMAN]

Conditions are getting right for the early black morels....heard reports of one or two here and there popping up....but in the next few days it's going to be right....this weekend or early next week they should be up....the black ones that is..... little early for the bigger white ones....good luck!

I may take a hike to look around and also do some turkey scouting. The weekend outlook is showing good weather.

I didn't see many scratchings this past weekend and that had me a little discouraged. Put some cameras out, so we will see what they say. I'd like to get there early and listen for gobbling.

 

[megalomaniac]

My disease led me 6.5 miles hiking in 3 counties today. I did have a nice conversation with a shy hen this morning. She came up quietly single yelping and single clucking a few minutes after my last calling sequence at the spot I heard the tom gobble Monday.

Broke down and swallowed my pride and asked for help... I have an acquaintance who used to be a Forest Service firefighter who moved to Ranger last fall. He is 1 of the 2 Rangers on the 500,000 acre Desoto Natl Forest. AND, he doesn't turkey hunt. He said he has seen a grand total of 3 turkeys this year on national forest this year, and his partner hasn't seen any to speak of as well. And they are afield riding the forest service roads every day. No help there, but he did give me some spots to avoid where they are always getting calls by hunters who are having their valve stems cut, license plates stolen, catalytic converters stolen, and even trucks shot.

All the spots on national forest that I found birds last year don't have any this year.

My backup plan will be a semi local WMA (35 min away) that opens April 1st. Talked to the MDWFP warden for the area who is a big turkey hunter, and he says he travels elsewhere to hunt. Hoping he's just trying to steer me away because there are so many birds there

Haven't heard a single shot in 16 hours in the woods so far this season.

If anyone has any advice, I'm all ears! (Besides drive hours away somewhere else!)