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Over hunted my location? Need veteran advice

Atchman2

Atchman2

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Well I only have one really decent place to hunt. The last few times I've seen only hens and less and less of them. This morning I heard a gobbler way off and across the creek. I think they are on to me since they used to fly over into the open fields.

I got there in the pitch black dark so there is no way they saw or heard me. When I heard one gobble, I yelped back. That was probably the mistake; I probably shouldn't have made any noise. :(

I've got lots to do the next few days and probably can't hunt again until Monday anyway. Is that long enough to wait or should I just keep looking for new spots and save this one again for next year?
 
I am one that spreads it out over a lot of different places. I probably dont hunt the same farm more than 2-3 times a year unless its a large place that Im going to different areas on. IMO, pressure has alot of effect on gobblers, at least it does in my areas. I have several friends that just hunt the same farms and by this time of year they are all ready to quit because the gobblers are gone. In some cases its because they have killed so many gobblers and especially jakes that there just arent many left. Some its because the gobblers have been pressured off and some its because of habitat. Some its because jake killers have been whacking jakes for years. For instance, my mountain property that I own is loaded with gobblers every year for about 2 weeks of the season but then it greens up and the turkeys head for the large bottom fields and Im left with 0 gobblers, it happens every year, thats a habitat issue. So its difficult to say exactly why your birds are gone. But IMO, a turkey hunter needs to have lots and lots of options of places to hunt. Either a very large tract of public land with alot of different habitat types or a lot of different farms scattered around.
 
Like Steven said, always be looking for other places to hunt.

With that said, you should have no problem still hunting that place. Do you know if there is anyone else hunting it or close by and if they have killed birds there?

Also, just because a gobbler doesn't answer your call doesn't mean you are doing anything wrong.

If you normally set up in the same place and use the same call, then you might try changing that if possible.
 
I rarely hunt the same place twice, but my situation is very different from most. I would stay after them but be very careful to spook as few as you.can
 
if you are hunting the same place a bunch you have to change it up through the year. IF that is your only options you need to make sure you dont get in the habit of doing alot of the same things (parking the same place, walking the same trails, setting up in the same areas, using the same calls and cadence ect...)

You have to take a very low impact style of hunting into places like that to make as minimal a footprint as you can on the wildlife.
 
REN said:
if you are hunting the same place a bunch you have to change it up through the year. IF that is your only options you need to make sure you dont get in the habit of doing alot of the same things (parking the same place, walking the same trails, setting up in the same areas, using the same calls and cadence ect...)

You have to take a very low impact style of hunting into places like that to make as minimal a footprint as you can on the wildlife.
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Ditto this!
 
I hunted a very popular wma spot this Monday seen 2 long beards in different fields they both ran when I called as if I stood up and yelled at them. 2 different locations in semi close proximity 2 different calls I'm not a expert but I'm sure they have been over hunted. So the point I'm making is be careful to not over hunt and be non "invasive" like Ren said
 
I have a 40 acre tract less than 2 miles from my house that is the only place I've been on this year. Being low impact is key for sure and less is more. Don't go in hitting calls every 5 minutes. Let the turkeys dictate what you do and when. Be patient!
 
A buddy of mine has a small tract of land..probably 80 acres or so..that he never steps more than a few feet on, every time he goes. 40 acres are field and 40 are woods. He gets to the first corner of his field, sets up a strutter, and waits. He doesn't know jack about calling a turkey, but he's learned that they'll come to the strutter nearly all season long. As others have said, low impact is key.
 
You can hunt a place hard without deer hunting them and still be low impact. Just need to be mindful of all the steps you take and never do the same stuff over and over
 
Bullfrog said:
A buddy of mine has a small tract of land..probably 80 acres or so..that he never steps more than a few feet on, every time he goes. 40 acres are field and 40 are woods. He gets to the first corner of his field, sets up a strutter, and waits. He doesn't know jack about calling a turkey, but he's learned that they'll come to the strutter nearly all season long. As others have said, low impact is key.
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i dont have that kind of patience
 
Thanks fellers! I've got my MOM of all folks working on me some new hunting grounds. :D

I may go back on Friday morning just a bit and try still hunting. I do have a Primos Killer B decoy I can just put out and see if they fly down to it. It is going to take everything NOT to blow a call though when I hear them gobble across the creek! That seems to be the kiss of death for my hunting day though.
 

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