2023 Turkey Season

[RDG]

The CT 2023 Turkey Opener did not go as planned.

It was chaos, Had a coyote come into my setup, hens flying down, Tom's flying up... Gobbles everywhere... crazy AM

I didn't get the Tom I was after but this Jake will do for now... not a bad beard for a young bird.
He'll eat just fine

 

[HorizontalHunter]

What's the story with that new green sticker MA is requiring? Another hurdle for MA hunters? These aren't available at retail store license spots, right?

I have a few. If you PM me your address I will put in tomorrows mail for you.

Bob

 

[TrackDayRdr]

I have a few. If you PM me your address I will put in tomorrows mail for you.

Thanks Bob, but I was just curious. I appreciate your generosity!

 

[steveg241]

Hi All. An update on my first turkey hunt. Went out for about 5 hours and saw three turkeys. My hunting partner called in two hens that did not have beards first thing in the morning. We walked away and they were near the decoy when we got back. I waited by a tree to take a shot if I could see a beard but they would not come over. Went to a second spot and saw a Jake less than 100ft from the road and within 500ft of two houses from the parking lot. It was like he knew it safe to be there.

Over all it was a good first hunt and got to hear and see some cool birds. I did have plenty of the green safety stickers which I picked up at the Mass Wildlife turkey seminar I attended. I didn't get to shoot but it was pretty cool to have wild turkeys come after making some calls.

 

[basskleff]

Thanks Bob, but I was just curious. I appreciate your generosity!

I picked up the green sticker today at a district Mass Wildlife office on r140N side in West Boylston on Wachusett Resevoir.
Check your local one.
Now I went out early Tuesday Ware River Watershed and saw no rangers, but I'm going to another spot tomorrow, and it would be just the thing to be checked.
Ridiculous. What is it suppose to remind you to be sure of your target and what's beyond?
Having said that, in Covid craziness of 2020, I was at Ware River in the bush looking down a side field's hill with my decoys out 25 yards.
And 2 young guys come in as a team on walkie-talkies. I see the spotter guy right next to me in the bush. He's coaxing his buddy to come up from the bottom of the hill slowly and get ready for a shot at these gorgeous looking, plump hen and young tom. Those were my decoys. I would have been hit. Apparently, he didn't have his NWTF green sticker.

It would have made all the difference.

Not to mention the dummy probably would have taken a hen illegally along with the tom, and 2 birds at once.

 

[basskleff]

Hi All. An update on my first turkey hunt. Went out for about 5 hours and saw three turkeys. My hunting partner called in two hens that did not have beards first thing in the morning. We walked away and they were near the decoy when we got back. I waited by a tree to take a shot if I could see a beard but they would not come over. Went to a second spot and saw a Jake less than 100ft from the road and within 500ft of two houses from the parking lot. It was like he knew it safe to be there.

Over all it was a good first hunt and got to hear and see some cool birds. I did have plenty of the green safety stickers which I picked up at the Mass Wildlife turkey seminar I attended. I didn't get to shoot but it was pretty cool to have wild turkeys come after making some calls.

Sounds great.

I forwent an easy shot right on 122N in Petersham. I think it was 2018, maybe 17- my first turkey season.
We hunted our heavy wooded spot early. And then decided to drive around.
My friend spots a huge tom, gorgeous just off the shoulder in a culvert- on the 122N side as I'm driving south.
I wheel around and get out. Full cammo. But I'm thinking about the paved road, the legal shot (rather illegal), the fact that I think it was technically frontage of Harvard University research land- sanctuary in other words.
And, my friend says "Blast him!!! Blast him!!!". I didn't take it. and tried to get him further away from the road, but he slipped away. I felt like blasting my friend, he was such a nutjob about it.
I thought about it today.

 

[Mark from MA]

My buddy got a 20# Tom this morning. He's retired so he has the time.

 

[basskleff]

I had a nice hunt this morning in a MA WMA.
I got there super early. I was proud of myself; probably the earliest I'd setup.
Unfortunately in that sitting spot from 4:30am-6:30am, no gobbles. That's a sad sound.
So I decided to take a paved fireroad within the park, on my way out. that starts just before the entrance gate. I met a dog walker with his male American Lab named Max. I have a female American Lab named Esther.
He said there were turkey just up this paved fire-road beyond a utility pole. So my instinct was good.
I hunted the fields in there walking and calling with a mouth call, light packing, just a hen decoy in a bag, my full cammo, and my over-under "new" used Ithaca 1970s SKB model 500 ( great gun with a pheasant kill of mine on its resume), and I was at the edge of woods and going through in some cases, calling.
I got to the end of this field into some really dry, cracky reeds and found a tom gobbling just beyond in a roll off, heavily wooded slope/ravine. He was within 100 yards from me.
But I knew my most direct route through the reeds was noisy. Now, I will say the cover and height of the reeds was an advantage, I thought, as I approached the end to the roll-over down the wooded gulch. It would have given me extra cover.

But I was trying to thread that balance of keeping him interested and gobbling, before he shut-up and headed off, and not making too much noise, which ironically would have made him shut-up and head off. It was hard.
I was slowing myself down through the reeds and thinking about movement while I called a couple of times, but it was so much damn noise in this dry stuff.
I got over the roll over into the wooded ravine. He had gotten quiet. But I did hear 1 or 2 more gobbles beyond 100 yards, as I gave a couple of calls.
I tried tracking in the woods a little.

I analyzed in my mind, and I thought, you learn, and next time, given the same scenario, sit down in "those reeds", be still for about 5 minutes and then call. Stay down. Hope he answers.
I've crawled on my belly in the woods for these bastards. I could picture doing the same here at this rollover of the field into the wooded ravine.

I think you'll agree with me, that a turkey is born, deserving to get shot and eaten. That's their purpose in life.
"They deserve to get shot." I love that one. Said it to my life-long-hunter friend all the time.

 

[Garddogg56]

My grandson gut'er done up here in Maine on youth day with a couple of Jakes

 

[RDG]

My grandson gut'er done up here in Maine on youth day with a couple of JakesView attachment 747724

Nice Job!!

 

[whacko]

Just got my nh turkey permit. Gear is all packed and ready. Nh opener tomorrow!

Found these on my ammo shelf lol. Bought a loooong time ago and I remember thinking 8 bucks for 10 rounds was "spendy"

 

[whacko]

I had a nice hunt this morning in a MA WMA.
I got there super early. I was proud of myself; probably the earliest I'd setup.
Unfortunately in that sitting spot from 4:30am-6:30am, no gobbles. That's a sad sound.
So I decided to take a paved fireroad within the park, on my way out. that starts just before the entrance gate. I met a dog walker with his male American Lab named Max. I have a female American Lab named Esther.
He said there were turkey just up this paved fire-road beyond a utility pole. So my instinct was good.
I hunted the fields in there walking and calling with a mouth call, light packing, just a hen decoy in a bag, my full cammo, and my over-under "new" used Ithaca 1970s SKB model 500 ( great gun with a pheasant kill of mine on its resume), and I was at the edge of woods and going through in some cases, calling.
I got to the end of this field into some really dry, cracky reeds and found a tom gobbling just beyond in a roll off, heavily wooded slope/ravine. He was within 100 yards from me.
But I knew my most direct route through the reeds was noisy. Now, I will say the cover and height of the reeds was an advantage, I thought, as I approached the end to the roll-over down the wooded gulch. It would have given me extra cover.

But I was trying to thread that balance of keeping him interested and gobbling, before he shut-up and headed off, and not making too much noise, which ironically would have made him shut-up and head off. It was hard.
I was slowing myself down through the reeds and thinking about movement while I called a couple of times, but it was so much damn noise in this dry stuff.
I got over the roll over into the wooded ravine. He had gotten quiet. But I did hear 1 or 2 more gobbles beyond 100 yards, as I gave a couple of calls.
I tried tracking in the woods a little.

I analyzed in my mind, and I thought, you learn, and next time, given the same scenario, sit down in "those reeds", be still for about 5 minutes and then call. Stay down. Hope he answers.
I've crawled on my belly in the woods for these bastards. I could picture doing the same here at this rollover of the field into the wooded ravine.

I think you'll agree with me, that a turkey is born, deserving to get shot and eaten. That's their purpose in life.
"They deserve to get shot." I love that one. Said it to my life-long-hunter friend all the time.

You have more balls than me......I'd never "walk and call".......good way to get shot especially on a wma. I'm not chastising you......you do what you do......and you probably have killed waaaaay more Tom's than me.....I'm just to afraid of getting blasted moving around and calling. I set up my blind and decoys and that's where I stay lol

 

[whacko]

Got to our field edge an hour before legal and set up the blind and decoys. Jake and hen setup. Heard 3 Tom's start gobbling just at sunrise.....all from 3 different directions. Had a good feeling. Started calling and getting answers.......this kept up for 2 hours and one tom sounded closer and closer......then farther and farther. Shit. Same old thing for me......I can get em to answer but can't seem to pull them in. I suck at turkey hunting.

 

[CATI]

Is it legal to park off in the grass off the highways behind the guardrails to access places to hunt? I see a couple people doing it. Risk of getting towed?

 

[HorizontalHunter]

Got to our field edge an hour before legal and set up the blind and decoys. Jake and hen setup. Heard 3 Tom's start gobbling just at sunrise.....all from 3 different directions. Had a good feeling. Started calling and getting answers.......this kept up for 2 hours and one tom sounded closer and closer......then farther and farther. Shit. Same old thing for me......I can get em to answer but can't seem to pull them in. I suck at turkey hunting.

Most people call to much and too loud. Try tapering off your volume so it sounds like the hen is going away from him. Also toss in a gobble or two for competition. Be careful with gobbles though. There are a lot of rooms out there that think that they are Daniel freaking Boone and think that they can sneak up on a wild Turkey. I never had a gobbler call. I just used my box call.

Field edges are great on a day like today when the birds want to dry off after a rainy morning. Pressured birds wise up pretty quickly.

I stopped Turkey hunting years ago after a second close call. Cover your back with a large tree to rock outcrop.

 

[whacko]

Most people call to much and too loud. Try tapering off your volume so it sounds like the hen is going away from him. Also toss in a gobble or two for competition. Be careful with gobbles though. There are a lot of rooms out there that think that they are Daniel freaking Boone and think that they can sneak up on a wild Turkey. I never had a gobbler call. I just used my box call.

Field edges are great on a day like today when the birds want to dry off after a rainy morning. Pressured birds wise up pretty quickly.

I stopped Turkey hunting years ago after a second close call. Cover your back with a large tree to rock outcrop.

Thanks for the advice. I'm on private posted land (with permission) so I'm not overly concerned about getting blasted.....but I'm still cautious. I've considered stalk and spot on the gobblers but am always worried about getting f***ing shot

 

[HorizontalHunter]

Thanks for the advice. I'm on private posted land (with permission) so I'm not overly concerned about getting blasted.....but I'm still cautious. I've considered stalk and spot on the gobblers but am always worried about getting f***ing shot

I used to walk the wood roads and game trails and listen for a response. Then I would set up and call them to me. I never did, nor meant to suggest, spot and stalk. Gotta get set up fast though as sometimes a hot gobbler will come running in.

I remember one smart late season bird that I called in. He was about to walk behind a good sized oak tree so I figured that I would shift my shotgun when he went behind the tree. He went behind the tree and then stuck his head back out from behind the tree and busted me propper with the shotgun in mid swing. He took off keeping the tree between us and I all I could do is just sit there laughing my ass off.

 

[northny]

Yesterday was opening day. 2nd day of heavy rain and higher winds. Still saw 3 jakes (200 yards away marking across field with heads down). Doubtful they could hear me as the were upwind. Saw four deer

Today get a few hour break from rain and wind. Still overcast

8 am got a gobble response behind me. He came in with a hen but stayed 80 yards out. I called another hen into decoys (no joking, I call gay, I get a lot of single hens into decoys) . She sees gobbler and trots to him.

Then she leads him back to my decoys!

18# 13 oz. 8 1/4 inch beard

 

[northny]

My hunting partner hung in and got a Tom at 11:30 in a drissel. Jake out of group of three. Just got text

 

[basskleff]

You have more balls than me......I'd never "walk and call".......good way to get shot especially on a wma. I'm not chastising you......you do what you do......and you probably have killed waaaaay more Tom's than me.....I'm just to afraid of getting blasted moving around and calling. I set up my blind and decoys and that's where I stay lol

Yeah, some good thoughts. No other cars this particular WMA. Kind of surprising.
This is my 7th season out, and I think unless maybe one goes west into 413, if it's central, the toms do what you've found. I've had hens in springtime 2 feet from me in the field, me covered, in the bush staying still and in one place, with 2 toms gobbling from in back in the woods. The hen clucking and moving her head back and forth.
And my gorgeous decoys out 15-20 yards in front. And I wasn't going to interest them in coming out. She went right into the woods behind me. Toms don't come out by and large.

I have to agree with RDG above about getting more proactive in the woods.
Besides when you really hunt, and track and put effort and go in deeper in the fields and woods, what are the chances the yahoo dopes who would take a stupid kind of shot you're talking about are stable and patient enough to get there in the first place and sit for hours?
But maybe I'll pack don my orange carter's wool cap until I hear a gobble. And besides, I was upright in open fields though near woods line most of the time.

 

[northny]

And I wasn't going to interest them in coming out. She went right into the woods behind me. Toms don't come out by and large.

One of the men who taught me a lot about turkey hunting told me that sometimes the Tom’s will run you and your decoys over, other times “you have to go into woods and pull them out by the tail feathers”. This was after two frustrating days of being engaged with gobblers who were on a ridge but would not come into field on either side of ridge. The next day I snuck in early and set up in the woods / brush on one end of the ridge. No decoys, and I set up about 20 yards from an opening about 10 feet wide. That was as far away as I could get and see the opening, and that was about all I could see. I felt stupid as anything, but it didn’t take long to get him to hook up and he came right down the ridge and started strutting right in the opening. I rinsed and repeated the next morning.

Sometimes I think it is just an old smart gobbler that has been shot at that stays in the woods. However Some years they ALL stay in woods and I think it is lack of competition from other Toms. Then there are years ( with a lot of birds around) where even the BIG guys are in foot races to get to my decoys In the field. What do I know

The only thing I know for sure is if a Tom is already hooked up with live hen(s) he may respond to my calls and see my decoys, but he isn’t coming over or out of the woods. So I go to plan B. A nap. I’ll snooze in the woods till 10 or so. By then the hen(s) have begun sneaking off to their nests, and the Tom is wondering around alone again and I have better chance of calling him in. 10-11:30 has been a good window for me.

now I have to get some sleep as I’m heading out in 6 hours

 

[northny]

Fifth day of rain and overcast. Little to no wind. Had seven deer in sight at sun rise (not that I could see the sun).

Quiet morning no gobbles. These two short beards were strutting about 150 yards out, then raced each other to decoys. I took these pics as they were leaving. I finally got ONE gobble from the trailing bird using fighting purr. Just like deer you can’t get a big one if you kill a little one and go home.

Time for plan B.

 

[steveg241]

I agree it is time for plan b. I got out again today for about 3.5 hours and no gobbles. That was all the time I had today so I had to head out. Next time I will get there early and do some hiking to a far off spot.

 

[RDG]

I agree it is time for plan b. I got out again today for about 3.5 hours and no gobbles. That was all the time I had today so I had to head out. Next time I will get there early and do some hiking to a far off spot.

A suggestion.... don't just head to a spot way deep in the woods and sit.
Call on your way there... doesn't have to be a hen call... try owl or crow calls and try to get a shock gobble out of one. It's funny that sounds that will get one to gobble.
Once you locate one it's easier to find a spot, setup and start calling.
I cover a lot of ground this way.. doesn't always work but when it does, it's pretty sweet.

 

[steveg241]

I just picked up an owl call this week. I will try that heading into the woods and cover ground until I hear a gobble.

 

[DrNVP]

anyone use binoculars hunting turkey in MA? Thinking about buying a compact 6x or 7x...not sure if there's a benefit. Rookie turkey hunter here

 

[ccm75]

All quiet in Berlin.

 

[whacko]

A suggestion.... don't just head to a spot way deep in the woods and sit.
Call on your way there... doesn't have to be a hen call... try owl or crow calls and try to get a shock gobble out of one. It's funny that sounds that will get one to gobble.
Once you locate one it's easier to find a spot, setup and start calling.
I cover a lot of ground this way.. doesn't always work but when it does, it's pretty sweet.

I've had Toms gobble at the sound of my truck door shutting.

 

[42!]

they know when it's safe

 

[Mark from MA]

Was out working in the yard late last night, Tom was roosted across the street from my house.

I don't have a license, nor could I hunt anyway because I had to work, so I called my buddy, and he went in this morning...hopefully he gets a shot.......