anybody fall hunting this year?

hawglips

Old Mossy Horns
You know, that's the 2nd bird in a year and a half that I killed while calling on my back in between snoozes. At least I was awake when this one answered me.

I'm beginning to think this may be a legitimate strategy-tactic for me as I get older and slow down some.... :)
 

QBD2

Old Mossy Horns
Congrats Hal!

I had an opportunity at a nice Va gobbler this weekend, but I let him walk on.
 

hawglips

Old Mossy Horns
I wasn't turkey hunting...100 yards with a smoke pole isn't my idea of a turkey hunt;)

Yeah, I'd have let it walk too. That gobbler will bring much more value while going toe to toe with him on his turf with a turkey call and shotgun....
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
Yeah, I'd have let it walk too. That gobbler will bring much more value while going toe to toe with him on his turf with a turkey call and shotgun....

that's why i like va's fall season. they shut it down during peak deer hunting times. it doesnt take much to plug one from a tree stand with a high powered rifle.
 

hawglips

Old Mossy Horns
Had a chance to go again today so, I went. But it was cold...
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My face mask had strips of ice on it, and my water bottle was like drinking a slushy.

And since it's gun season, you got to wear blaze orange.
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About 12:25 I found the only turkey sign I saw all day. So, I set up against a cedar tree and did some cold calling. Less than 10 minutes later I heard a one note yelp answer me, and so I pivoted around to face where I thought I heard it from. About 3 minutes later I called again, and it answered again with one note - but a lot closer. So, I faced where it was coming from, and called back to it.

Within 2 minutes I saw him walking in. I let him keep coming and he stopped when he saw me, so I let the 28 CZ eat.

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CRC

Old Mossy Horns
that's why i like va's fall season. they shut it down during peak deer hunting times. it doesnt take much to plug one from a tree stand with a high powered rifle.

Thats only because in Western VA many gun deer seasons are just 2 weeks long.
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
Thats only because in Western VA many gun deer seasons are just 2 weeks long.

you need to look at the history and facts a little closer. they shut it down in the eastern counties when the season starts with a gun, it just reopened yesterday

there are reports somewhere detailing that they shut it down because of too many "incidental kills" i dont have the energy to find it.
i have no idea if it was political or biologically driven.

va spends a lot of effort surveying turkey hunters with detailed surveys. they know what the hunters are doing and also importantly thinking about the sport.

i'm trying to find a nice way to tell you you are wrong crc. but i am not going to argue with you.
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
Had a chance to go again today so, I went. But it was cold...
IMG_3226_zps2bchtdqu.jpg
My face mask had strips of ice on it, and my water bottle was like drinking a slushy.

And since it's gun season, you got to wear blaze orange.
IMG_3228_zps2fdk9l1g.jpg


About 12:25 I found the only turkey sign I saw all day. So, I set up against a cedar tree and did some cold calling. Less than 10 minutes later I heard a one note yelp answer me, and so I pivoted around to face where I thought I heard it from. About 3 minutes later I called again, and it answered again with one note - but a lot closer. So, I faced where it was coming from, and called back to it.

Within 2 minutes I saw him walking in. I let him keep coming and he stopped when he saw me, so I let the 28 CZ eat.

IMG_3234_zpsmmiu0zfp.jpg


IMG_3232_zpstbvgzx50.jpg


IMG_3237_zpss7vid94n.jpg

Congratulations Hal.
 

turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
you need to look at the history and facts a little closer. they shut it down in the eastern counties when the season starts with a gun, it just reopened yesterday

there are reports somewhere detailing that they shut it down because of too many "incidental kills" i dont have the energy to find it.
i have no idea if it was political or biologically driven.

va spends a lot of effort surveying turkey hunters with detailed surveys. they know what the hunters are doing and also importantly thinking about the sport.

i'm trying to find a nice way to tell you you are wrong crc. but i am not going to argue with you.

Not trying to stir the pot and get CRC excited but west of blue ridge you can kill turkey and deer both during the 2nd most hunted week of deer season opening week ML also the most hunted day is Thanksgiving and turkey and deer legal that day with rifle add to that when rifle goes out ML comes back in and you can kill deer and turkey for weeks with ML I know for sure that during those 2 ML seasons many turkeys fall to deer hunters not my cup tea though but once upon a time it was I've seen many a dead longbeard on Thanksgiving day most all my family and friends though will not shoot hens with rifles anymore but they'll drop longbeards. You are 100% right on the surveying and managing VA does a good job the areas I hunt in western VA the fall hunting has little to no effect on populations just not that many people live there
 

turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
Congrats on the bird always exciting to gte one in fall love to hear them walking in the fall leaves was there any with him kinda odd for him to be all alone maybe thats why he answered and came on in. Saw the temp and your telling of the water bottle is so true many times I've climbed to top of Mtn sat then after 3-4 hours of nothing I go to open my water and Vienna Sausage and both be froze especially in the late Dec Ml season we had snow last 2 days in Dickinson Co snowed pretty hard for while Fri. I've yet to see a gobbler only hens I got one more chance New years Weekend got 4 days see how it goes due to me having to work Christmas day going to have Christmas dinner that weekend with the family so may as well hunt while there
 

hawglips

Old Mossy Horns
Congrats on the bird always exciting to gte one in fall love to hear them walking in the fall leaves was there any with him kinda odd for him to be all alone maybe thats why he answered and came on in.

Could be. There is always something to think about with turkey hunting.

How about this to think about: Both fall turkeys I killed this year came in alone. Both only answered my calls with one note yelps as they were coming in - a total of three turkey vocalization syllables combined between the two birds. Both were after 6 + hours of moving and calling with zero response or sightings or any turkey contact at all. Both responded and came all the way in to my calling during the early afternoon. Both came to my cold calling set-ups in an area I just decided to stop and call in because I felt good about the spot and wanted to switch things up some. I'd killed a couple fall birds before with cold calling setups in areas I knew birds were nearby. But all of these were new experiences for me in fall hunting. You just never know....

I've only been seriously hunting fall turkeys the last 6 or 7 years. So, I'm not that experienced with it. But the more I do it, the more I enjoy it. And I consider calling up and killing a fall bird (sans canine) of any sex or age to be significantly tougher than a spring gobbler - generally speaking. I'm sad that I don't have any VA tags left for Jan, but I'm happy that I've got one more tag to try to fill in one day of hunting next week out west. I know I'm sort of odd, but I look forward to fall turkey hunting as much as I do spring gobbler season.
 

turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
I don't think that is odd at all I used to really love fall hunting where I grew up in VA. we didn't have a deer season in my county or the counties that surrounded me so turkey was the the game probably the only reason I don't do it much is the drive its 3 hrs and 45 min to get home from here so I just hunt when I'm in. I used to shoot any fall bird I got in range but I don't shoot hens anymore just personal thing I know it doesn't hurt population or make any difference and they eat just fine juts a thing for me. No doubt fall birds are tougher to call in but you found what you needed and that is birds that were alone they are easier but from what I've found even then they don't get real vocal up in he day kinda like in spring they are vocal early in AM then taper off. Most people don't realize the time and energy t takes to consistently kill fall birds especially in Mtns its lot land to find grouped up birds. I'm jut guessing but I'd say the single note yelps cold have been they got separated from their group and was happy to hear another bird was coming in off yelp to re group for hunts like that you gotta be tuned in easy to miss hearing them. Looking forward to hearing how your west hunt goes I've been that way lot in spring and always wanted to go in fall I know 1 thing Rio and Merrims hens are so much more vocal than easterns in spring and from what I've been told its like that in fall could be very exciting hunt
 

hawglips

Old Mossy Horns
I used to shoot any fall bird I got in range but I don't shoot hens anymore

I don't have any problem shooting hens in the fall where I have to hunt in VA. Since it's a long drive, with no chance of scouting, and since it's common that I don't even find turkeys, I'm grateful to play with whoever I find. If I had a place closer to home where I could keep an eye on them, I might be more discriminating.

Looking forward to hearing how your west hunt goes I've been that way lot in spring and always wanted to go in fall I know 1 thing Rio and Merrims hens are so much more vocal than easterns in spring and from what I've been told its like that in fall could be very exciting hunt

My brother/guide out west found a flock of gobblers this week, so I'll be hunting those, with jakes as a backup. I'm hoping they will be in the same general area. They are rio/merriams mixes, so I expect they will be if they haven't been pounded too hard before I show up. No hens allowed on this hunt - guide's rules. He killed one of the toms (called the intact flock over to him) but said the flock still had about 20 gobblers in it. So, I'm optimistic.

But I only have one day, so no do-overs if they aren't there or won't cooperate.
 
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turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
I got same problem with VA 3/hr and 45 Min drive it makes for tough hunting I am lucky enough to have family/friends to give me up dates before I get there only real reason I don't shoot hens is I'm not biggest turkey eater in world I still enjoy breaking up a flock especially early when the jennies can't wait to get back together there are plenty of em around though last time wa sin VA had flock feeding in garden couple even came down and eat under the bird feeder I can just sit and watch forever. Good luck 1 day is better than none glad to get some turkey conversation in Dec intstead all that deer nonsense :)
 

hawglips

Old Mossy Horns
I got to the locale with about two hours of hunting time left, and after about an hour had some hens respond to my calls. Long story short I called up two groups and had over 100 turkeys file by. I was hoping for a tom and finally had some show up.
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Mind boggling to be among that many birds... And quite the finale to 2016.
 

turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
Congrats that is one beautiful bird. I bet they made one heck of racket being in middle of winter flock like that had to be amazing.
 

hawglips

Old Mossy Horns
Yes I owe him big-time. The birds were vocal, and we heard lots of different sounds. Watch some of the hymns sparring, and lots of other neat stuff.

The video turned out really good. You could see the hands and Jake's filing by but he missed the kill shot, because it was behind a tree from his angle.
 

hawglips

Old Mossy Horns
Check out what he had in his crawl. It was jampacked. And he had more fat on him than any turkey I have ever cleaned.



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woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
Clean them up, mix with corn bread and a little moisture (soup wine whatever ) and you have your stuffing!
 
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