catman529
Well-Known Member
Got to location (new to me) at dawn. Heard gobbler and hen in different locations but I hadn't walked far so I figured if anyone else would hunt there, they'd pick the gobbler closest to the road. Went farther and eventually heard a couple more gobbles... sounded like they might be jakes. Rounded corner between two fields and there were 3 birds that had flown down, no long beards. I had bumped them just a bit but they stayed in the field. Lots of deer too. I was able to sneak a good look at them and couldn't even see the beards thru my $9 binocs. I'll shoot a jake opening morning if that's all that comes in range, but I'm not gonna set up on jakes on purpose.
The spot looked good and I did not cover the entire area. May go back there again before season opens. If I can't find at least a couple gobblers to set up on, I will turn back to last year's hunting spot and be sure to get there super early before everyone else.
One note.... will need a pocket sized map of the WMA next time. On my way back to the car I went thru a couple fields not knowing I had left the WMA and went onto some other property. Did not see any yellow boundaries or posted signs, but when I got back to the car and checked the big map I saw I had gone the wrong way. Keep that in mind if you hunt a WMA that is broken up into a lot of smaller chunks of land. Boundaries aren't always very visible, so bring a map.
I may check out another new spot if I can, but gas is expensive and I have to limit scouting trips and save gas for hunting. Last year, there were a couple other hunters in the same spot I hunted opening morning, but then I also had jakes come within 10 feet of me on opening morning and killed a bird the following weekend. I'll deal with the crowd if I know I have a good chance at a longbeard this year.
The spot looked good and I did not cover the entire area. May go back there again before season opens. If I can't find at least a couple gobblers to set up on, I will turn back to last year's hunting spot and be sure to get there super early before everyone else.
One note.... will need a pocket sized map of the WMA next time. On my way back to the car I went thru a couple fields not knowing I had left the WMA and went onto some other property. Did not see any yellow boundaries or posted signs, but when I got back to the car and checked the big map I saw I had gone the wrong way. Keep that in mind if you hunt a WMA that is broken up into a lot of smaller chunks of land. Boundaries aren't always very visible, so bring a map.
I may check out another new spot if I can, but gas is expensive and I have to limit scouting trips and save gas for hunting. Last year, there were a couple other hunters in the same spot I hunted opening morning, but then I also had jakes come within 10 feet of me on opening morning and killed a bird the following weekend. I'll deal with the crowd if I know I have a good chance at a longbeard this year.
