[ZDC]

Yes I do know the time on my camera is messed up beyond belief lol

 

[hobbs4421]

I have to confess that unless I get em gobbling right off the roost, or within an hour after sunrise that I get bored and start scouting for archery season. I love turkey hunting when it works out 1st thing, but I’m not sitting for hours waiting for one unless they are gobbling and working their way in. It’s obvious that I’m more of a deer hunter than a turkey hunter, and hunting like this has allowed me to find some excellent deer hunting spots while i should’ve been waiting for a bird.

 

[vonfoust]

I have to confess that unless I get em gobbling right off the roost, or within an hour after sunrise that I get bored and start scouting for archery season. I love turkey hunting when it works out 1st thing, but I’m not sitting for hours waiting for one unless they are gobbling and working their way in. It’s obvious that I’m more of a deer hunter than a turkey hunter, and hunting like this has allowed me to find some excellent deer hunting spots while i should’ve been waiting for a bird.

I don't even get up. Had plans to this morning, then the couch looked good, then got a cup of coffee, then decided the dogs needed attention. I've pretty much got from 9:30-10:15 on a Saturday for a bird to work out in 10 minutes or less. I like to make things difficult.

 

[AjPUNISHER]

I usually get up and go when I plan to go out. This morning I had the alarm set for 3:20am, giving me time for a long hike in today. When the alarm went off, I said I don't think so, and went back to bed.
A bit warm in the season already but gorgeous day none the less.

 

[jacobh]

I’m with Chris I have no time for Turkeys. No idea why?? I’ve killed a couple but truthfully don’t usually hunt them. My dad eats them I don’t so I guess that’s why I don’t chase em

 

[Schleprock1]

I can't believe I did this.
Back in January we went on a cruise. It was supposed to be two cruises back to back but the second one got cancelled due to covid. They gave us a credit that had to be used by mid January of next year. We don't want to be down south over the summer and September through mid November are hurricane season and ARCHERY SEASON. Ended up booking an 8 day cruise leaving .... November 26th. The first week of rifle season!
I'm counting on having a repeat of last years archery season when I filled my fourth tag on November 3rd.
The good news is we have never been to Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao.

 

[AjPUNISHER]

Dad had a family doctor appointment yesterday. His blood pressure, blood work and everything else they check were all very good. Besides the expected nerve and muscle pain he has, he's doing better than the doc anticipated. He was switched to a different pain med earlier this week and it has worked much better than any others he tried thus far so that's a plus as well.

I mentioned taking breaks and one of those fold up camp chairs along on a future hunt and he quickly shot the chair idea down. He said more "stuff" to carry, and I said I would carry the chair and it's not a big deal. I guess he wants to stay stubborn but I'd push his ass out there in monster-truck tired wheel chair if that's what I had to do. He seems to have interest in going Saturday but maybe I'm misinterpreting what he said

 

[AjPUNISHER]

I can't believe I did this.
Back in January we went on a cruise. It was supposed to be two cruises back to back but the second one got cancelled due to covid. They gave us a credit that had to be used by mid January of next year. We don't want to be down south over the summer and September through mid November are hurricane season and ARCHERY SEASON. Ended up booking an 8 day cruise leaving .... November 26th. The first week of rifle season!
I'm counting on having a repeat of last years archery season when I filled my fourth tag on November 3rd.
The good news is we have never been to Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao.

I wouldn't necessarily count on being done filling tags by November 3rd, hunting and life in general are pretty good at throwing unexpected curve balls at as. Maybe you will tag out by then again but at the same time there is still time before you leave and after you get back if you don't. Still a ways off, but safe travels on your trip!

 

[AjPUNISHER]

I love other turkey hunters with lower attention spans, I've killed a few birds between 8-9am, after those guys left and I had the woods mostly to myself.

 

[12-Ringer]

Needed a break from the grind and instead of driving 90-minutes to Hickory Run to chase longberards (closest access that I have) I decided to drive 90-minutes to Belmar and chase some fluke/flounder in the Shark River. Rented a small john boat with a 9.9HP motor, was on the water at 7 and my cousin and had our limit at 8:45AM.

New Jersey regs are crazy this year...3 fish limit, 2 slotted between 17"-18" and one over 18" as to opposed past minimum limits of 3 over 18". Rationale is to protect the breeding females as they are typically the larger fish. Only issue that I saw first hand was folks over-handling and culling fish that were at or near death. I'm not sure these regs will have the intended impact.

The two of us caught 27 total with 20 of them over 17", nine of them over 20", the biggest being a 4.7lb 24" doormat. Of course that was the last fish of the day and our cooler was filled by 8:45AM. We fished 7AM-3:30PM....wish we had a livewell and were able properly cull, (as opposed to those filling coolers and buckets) but it was a great first trip of the season. Believe it or not it was 5' and 6" white Gulp jerk shads on 3/8oz and 1/2oz VMX Boxer jog heads that did most of the work; I think 21 of the 27 were caught that way. We did land a couple floating killies with a slip bobber set-up as the tide and winds slowed. The big one came on a killie, on the last drift of the day, literally 200 feet from the rental dock (lol).

 

[vonfoust]

I love other turkey hunters with lower attention spans, I've killed a few birds between 8-9am, after those guys left and I had the woods mostly to myself.

Most days I don't even make it TO the woods by 9.

 

[PAbigbear]

Finished my sixth PA triple trophy this morning at 0630. No idea how many gobbles I heard, but it was a lot. That ground shaking gobble in your face never gets old.

 

[dougell]

Finished my sixth PA triple trophy this morning at 0630. No idea how many gobbles I heard, but it was a lot. That ground shaking gobble in your face never gets old.
View attachment 7621590

Awesome accomplishment.

 

[AjPUNISHER]

Most days I don't even make it TO the woods by 9.

Not a terrible time to get out though, sometimes the toms have lost their ladies by then and are feeling lonely.

 

[superslamsam]

I have to confess that unless I get em gobbling right off the roost, or within an hour after sunrise that I get bored and start scouting for archery season. I love turkey hunting when it works out 1st thing, but I’m not sitting for hours waiting for one unless they are gobbling and working their way in. It’s obvious that I’m more of a deer hunter than a turkey hunter, and hunting like this has allowed me to find some excellent deer hunting spots while i should’ve been waiting for a bird.

This is me as well!

 

[hobbs4421]

Congrats to all you dedicated turkey hunters! If my kids were interested in getting up early and going, then I’d be all about it. Archery and gun season for deer on the other hand are my addictions!

 

[AjPUNISHER]

I never looked into PA's Spring Turkey Season harvest data before, but it is interesting.
2003......42,876
2004......41,017
2005......32,593
2006......39,285
2007......37,880
2008......44,391
2009......42,478
2010......33,876
2011......35,852
2012......36,591
2013......36,507
2014......41,258
2015......41,180
2016......35,996
2017......38,101
2018......40,303
2019......37,286
2020......34,492
2021......28,087

An excerpt from the 2020 season...
"The second tag sales continue to set records in Pennsylvania. A record 25,524 hunters bought second licenses; the fourth consecutive year second-tag sales topped 20,000. Those second tags led to 3,731 harvests, making for a 15 percent success rate for those who purchased a second tag. Last spring’s overall estimated harvest was 34,500 turkeys. 16% of turkey hunters were successful in filling their first tag."

 

[CBB]

Congrats to you guys killing birds. Ill be back in the woods for the 2nd week. After the opening morning hunt with the wife we hopped a plane out of pittsburgh and hit Anna Maria

 

[Mr. October]

Needed a break from the grind and instead of driving 90-minutes to Hickory Run to chase longberards (closest access that I have) I decided to drive 90-minutes to Belmar and chase some fluke/flounder in the Shark River. Rented a small john boat with a 9.9HP motor, was on the water at 7 and my cousin and had our limit at 8:45AM.

New Jersey regs are crazy this year...3 fish limit, 2 slotted between 17"-18" and one over 18" as to opposed past minimum limits of 3 over 18". Rationale is to protect the breeding females as they are typically the larger fish. Only issue that I saw first hand was folks over-handling and culling fish that were at or near death. I'm not sure these regs will have the intended impact.

The two of us caught 27 total with 20 of them over 17", nine of them over 20", the biggest being a 4.7lb 24" doormat. Of course that was the last fish of the day and our cooler was filled by 8:45AM. We fished 7AM-3:30PM....wish we had a livewell and were able properly cull, (as opposed to those filling coolers and buckets) but it was a great first trip of the season. Believe it or not it was 5' and 6" white Gulp jerk shads on 3/8oz and 1/2oz VMX Boxer jog heads that did most of the work; I think 21 of the 27 were caught that way. We did land a couple floating killies with a slip bobber set-up as the tide and winds slowed. The big one came on a killie, on the last drift of the day, literally 200 feet from the rental dock (lol).

NJ has crazy regs for everything. Glad you got some flatties

 

[tyepsu]

Just got back yesterday from a week of hunting turkeys with my dad in north central Pennsylvania. He got a shot at one on Wednesday, but didn't connect. It was a long shot and the bird wasn't coming any closer.

I was able to connect with this 2 year old on Friday May 6th at 11:45am. 19 lbs, 9" beard and 1 1/4" spurs. Extra special as I was hunting my parents' property along with my dad.

I'm happy I purchased the 2nd tag, as I'm already tagged out in Ohio and not ready for my season to be finished.