Turkey vacation dates/ Bag limit

[Btsmith2416]

I have a few days I can take in April and planned on hunting mostly every day. What week would you take based off of historical hunting patterns between weeks 1-3 (April 1-19). I seem to have better luck around the end of the first week and into the second but last year had the most activity middle of the first week. Trying to decide on which days to use for vacation.

I have also noticed quite a bit of a decline the last few years as far as numbers go. 2 years ago I counted nearly 50 jakes tun out of a hollow in the woods into a pasture and last year we had about 6 toms and 4 jakes. I have yet to see a Jake this year and no hatchlings last year despite watching breeding take place. I am going to implement my own bag limit to try to save some good hunting in years to come hopefully and probably won't try to take more than 1 bird, or use my bow and challenge myself on a second bird just so I can be out there with a purpose. I was wondering who all else has taken matters into their own hands and decided to cut back on how many birds you kill based on what many have seen with limited numbers in flocks.

 

[ZachMarkus]

I have seen first hand a major decline in one of the areas I hunt. I haven't killed a bird off that particular farm in 8 years by choice. I know people around there that are still hunting and trying to kill a limit every year but at the same time they are bitching about the lack of turkeys around. I just simply moved to areas that have a good amount of turkeys, it's not easy to find places to hunt but there are people out there that will let you.


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[catman529]

I used to take off the first week but after last years slow start I decided to take the 3rd week this year.


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[TheLBLman]

Pros & cons regardless date you pick.

Generally speaking, the hunting (and gobbling activity) is often better in the 2nd & 3rd week of season.

But some of the places I like to hunt,
some very accomplished turkey hunters have already cut the population of longbeards in half
by the end of the 1st week.

In my perfect world, the TN season would simply open a week or two later.

 

[Buzzard Breath]

I like the third week. I'm less concerned with actually killing a bird than I am with the whole experience. By the third week, people are starting to give up and there are far fewer hunters in the woods. In addition, the woods are starting to green up and the birds come in looking for me.

My thoughts after opening day:

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[nwsg76]

Between the 20th and 27th....is historically my best times to have birds come to call and work best.

 

[megalomaniac]

Most fun hunting in middle TN used to be April 14th. Gobblers really wanted to work to a call them.

Since the decline, most gobblers are dead by mid April in my area, so I have more fun opening weekend working henned up birds. Harder to kill, but at least you get to hear a gobble.

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[ImThere]

I like the third week. I'm less concerned with actually killing a bird than I am with the whole experience. By the third week, people are starting to give up and there are far fewer hunters in the woods. In addition, the woods are starting to green up and the birds come in looking for me.

My thoughts after opening day:

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there are plenty of people not vaccinating there kids so one of those old time, kill thousands of people type of plague is going to come back.


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[muddyboots]

I would take the first 9 days. The first 9 days here are better than all the rest.