Where are “my” birds?

[poorhunter]

Very dead at all my farms so far. Hardly any gobbling or sightings. Did hear one today and actually called him in (with some help from a couple hens I was talking to) and a buddy of mine killed his first. Other than that, it's been very quiet. I saw quite a few large winter flocks so I don't think they died off or anything. Could they just be deep in the woods and not using pastures like usual this time of year? I've been taking kids and dads each day this week, so if I don't hear anything I can't really go in deep like I normally would. I have only seen a turkey twice in any field, when normally I'd see multiple birds in multiple fields every day. What gives? I remember two years ago there was no gobbling in the early part of the season, but I still would see birds in fields.

Hoping for something to change, by next week, off Monday Tuesday and Wednesday.

 

[Andy S.]

I suspect they are still deep in the woods, as there are still plenty of acorns everywhere I have been up that way. With that said, a buddy of mine that hunts Hickman county has some of the strangest birds I've ever seen, and he has been hunting them for the last 25+ years. It seems there is no reliable indicator as to what his farm will produce each spring. Some years he sees no turkeys while deer hunting, but has plenty of gobbling turkeys (both old birds and jakes) come spring, some years he sees several flocks of hens and long beards from the deer stand and then nothing come spring. I'm sure they range shift all over those hills and it is just happenstance if they end up on his land. Good luck, hope your birds present themselves soon.

 

[WORM82]

It's the same here in northeast tn. Not gobbling much and not using the fields like usual

 

[poorhunter]

Talked to a friend that lives down the road from where I was on Monday. Told me there were about 30 turkeys about 200 yards from where my car was parked at 7 am. :bash: :bash: Me and the kids I had with me were on top...At least they ARE still around.

 

[Andy S.]

At least they ARE still around.

Best news you could have received, stay after'em.

 

[Bone Collector]

I suspect they are still deep in the woods, as there are still plenty of acorns everywhere I have been up that way. With that said, a buddy of mine that hunts Hickman county has some of the strangest birds I've ever seen, and he has been hunting them for the last 25+ years. It seems there is no reliable indicator as to what his farm will produce each spring. Some years he sees no turkeys while deer hunting, but has plenty of gobbling turkeys (both old birds and jakes) come spring, some years he sees several flocks of hens and long beards from the deer stand and then nothing come spring. I'm sure they range shift all over those hills and it is just happenstance if they end up on his land. Good luck, hope your birds present themselves soon.

I've been wondering about this on my place too. They seem to be back on my neighbors and the place behind his and it is all pretty much woods back there. There are acorns on the ground an a lot of oaks back there, so I assume still plenty on the ground after the bumper crop, BUT wouldn't they all be rotten? will they eat rotten acorns?

 

[poorhunter]

I suspect they are still deep in the woods, as there are still plenty of acorns everywhere I have been up that way. With that said, a buddy of mine that hunts Hickman county has some of the strangest birds I've ever seen, and he has been hunting them for the last 25+ years. It seems there is no reliable indicator as to what his farm will produce each spring. Some years he sees no turkeys while deer hunting, but has plenty of gobbling turkeys (both old birds and jakes) come spring, some years he sees several flocks of hens and long beards from the deer stand and then nothing come spring. I'm sure they range shift all over those hills and it is just happenstance if they end up on his land. Good luck, hope your birds present themselves soon.

I've been wondering about this on my place too. They seem to be back on my neighbors and the place behind his and it is all pretty much woods back there. There are acorns on the ground an a lot of oaks back there, so I assume still plenty on the ground after the bumper crop, BUT wouldn't they all be rotten? will they eat rotten acorns?

I'm wondering the same...wouldn't they be rotten? I know there are tons of acorns on the ground in at least two of my properties I hunt.

 

[Boll Weevil]

Around here they're mostly still in big packs. Many of the birds for any given square mile could be roosting inside of just a few acres and spend nearly every waking moment together. I've started seeing a few hens peel off and maybe a gobbler or 2 taking a hike from the group by midday but it's still early.

 

[megalomaniac]

Somebody around you is dumping out corn if the birds have shifted off a piece of property that has been used as a primary breeding/ nesting for over a decade.

Either that or your property is marginal habitat, which subordinate birds used in the past and now your local population has declined to the point where they no longer need to use yours

Sent from my SCH-R970X using Tapatalk

 

[poorhunter]

Somebody around you is dumping out corn if the birds have shifted off a piece of property that has been used as a primary breeding/ nesting for over a decade.

Either that or your property is marginal habitat, which subordinate birds used in the past and now your local population has declined to the point where they no longer need to use yours

Sent from my SCH-R970X using Tapatalk

Most of the properties I hunt are within a three mile radius of each other, almost 1000 acres. One particular property that was the most amazing property I have ever seen for both deer and turkey suddenly went dead for both. I think I know what happened there...poacher. I have been seeing the same guy in the same truck driving slowly checking things out only during/right before seasons. His uncle lives right next to this property on 2 acres. This family used to be related to the owners of several properties I now have permission to hunt (properties have changed owners over the years) and they feel they have right to hunt still. This is the only explanation I can come up with. When I started seeing this guy, the deer and turkey numbers went to nothing. I haven't caught him on the places I have permission, but I've seen him sneaking around on others and have seen him riding around on a four wheel with a gun often.

 

[poorhunter]

Somebody around you is dumping out corn if the birds have shifted off a piece of property that has been used as a primary breeding/ nesting for over a decade.

Either that or your property is marginal habitat, which subordinate birds used in the past and now your local population has declined to the point where they no longer need to use yours

Sent from my SCH-R970X using Tapatalk

Most of the properties I hunt are within a three mile radius of each other, almost 1000 acres. One particular property that was the most amazing property I have ever seen for both deer and turkey suddenly went dead for both. I think I know what happened there...poacher. I have been seeing the same guy in the same truck driving slowly checking things out only during/right before seasons. His uncle lives right next to this property on 2 acres. This family used to be related to the owners of several properties I now have permission to hunt (properties have changed owners over the years) and they feel they have right to hunt still. This is the only explanation I can come up with. When I started seeing this guy, the deer and turkey numbers went to nothing. I haven't caught him on the places I have permission, but I've seen him sneaking around on others and have seen him riding around on a four wheel with a gun often.

What made me think of this was that I saw him sneaking around yesterday evening in camo and shotgun in hand.