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Spurhunter

Spurhunter

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I went Friday and Tuesday to Henderson County. Dead silent both days. Couldn't even get a hen to answer me. Didn't even hear a gobble in the distance. It's like the Great Turkey Vacuum sucked them all up. Anybody around/near Henderson County got a recent report? I'm going this weekend regardless but I'm getting pessimistic.
 
It's the same way in Fayette, 2 properties Hardeman and Chester Counties. It's getting harder for me to get motivated to go hunting
 
I'm not saying it's over, but some seasoned hunters I know are certainly beginning to mumble it. There's already reports of poults in the Corinth area which has essentially had the same weather and nesting conditions we've had in the southernmost counties.
 
It is in a lull. If it makes you feel better, Sunday, in Perry County, 2 gobbled off the limb that's all. Went down to a cut corn field, got on a HUGE flock. 15 hens, 8 gobblers, a few jakes. Very little gobbling. They didn't have to. Headed them off, and some soft clucking and purring, 2 birds followed a hen into range. So that's how I got lucky. In eastern Madison county where I live, not much gobbling, but big boy has been in my backyard with 3-4 girlfriends 3 days straight. In my opinion, they're tired of gobbling, they're breeding the hens they've got, and it'll get good again, it always does. Seen strutting in late June
 
Pretty silent here too for the last two weeks. This morning was the best since before Easter, had two gobble great from 615-715 just on the neighbors property. I still remember last year when it was like this for two weeks, just the first two weeks of the season then. They'll start gobbling again...I hope!
 
Saw some poults in Jefferson Co. while driving down the road the other day. The way the weather has been the rut may be starting soon.

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No explanation for the silence but yes many times this year it's seemed like aliens had abducted the birds. Even on days when the gobbled really good in the morning, they went quiet and could not be seen or heard in fields or woods for the rest of the day. Yes they are still there but no they are not talking. And it's been that way most of the season, so I'm not gonna say "it's over" like some people do, I've called them in all the way to the end of season and it's not over, they just are being really weird this year. I hope they start talking a little this weekend, I'll be in a completely different county.


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The farmers have sprayed and killed 98% of all the crop fields around here, about 50% are planted. There is nothing in the these fields for birds to eat so we are not seeing any in the fields. Grasshoppers are not out yet around here, I wish they would come on.....Looks like I'll be hunting til the end which I generally don't like to do.
 
Sounds like turkeys being turkeys. Every single day is different in the Spring turkey hunting woods. Googan traffic has definitely tapered off in this past week. After a string of hard gobbling super jakes, finally got on a Longbeard at 10:20 yesterday. At 1:30, after 3 hard fought hours of battle and probably 12 different repositions, finally got him and his two hens to 30 yrds, only to have to let him walk off because of no clean shot opportunity. After walking by, hens got nervous and lead him off. In that 3 hour period, I bet he gobbled no less than 125 times. After my miss 2nd week, this is the second one I have had to let walk off because of no clean shot. Been a tough pill to swallow so far. Looking forward to these final two weeks and hopefully a change in my luck. Waiting on this rain to break so I can get to the woods.
 
This time of the year, lots of birds are dead. Just that simple. The dominant birds that remain are less vocal, but still killable, especially if you can get to within 100 yards. Lots of walking and calling. And don't be surprised if a bird heard you 200 yds away and didn't answer, but the same bird does answer when you call blindly at 100 yards.
 

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