[Strut10]

Took a whirlwind trip to 3A...……….arrived about 4:00 PM Sunday to hunt Monday and scoot the 145 miles back home after lunchtime.

Mostly went to visit a couple good buddies that I hadn't seen for several years at turkey camp. I took a fellow who was also in camp out this morning. After raining all day and night, morning came up PERFECT for turkey hunting. We hit a piece of Tioga public that I have some familiarity with. Put about 3 miles on our boots and heard...……………….nothing. Only saw one hen dropping the whole 3 miles.

Between the other 5 guys in camp, a total of one bird which gobbled twice at considerable distance, was all that was heard.

Any idea if this was just a bad day that looked really good ?? Or are there that few birds up there this spring ??

 

[Six-Gun]

I can't speak to that Tioga stretch specifically, but I have absolutely had bad days that looked like they were going to be great just like you described. Suns up, temps never dip appreciably, winds are low and...no gobbling after fly down or at all. I can't imagine bird numbers have dipped that low that they simply aren't up there.

 

[Shakenbake]

I just got back from 3a in Potter for a couple days. It was the same 2 birds in the distance on fly and quiet rest of the day. We didn’t even see any in the fields as we drive around.

 

[Fullfan]

Mercer County had 3 gobbling at 0540, daughter made sure a long beard got a ride in the truck at 0605

 

[bigguy54]

Congratulations to her!! :thumbs:

 

[PAlimbhanger]

You have described this past Saturday, yesterday and today almost to the letter here where I"m at. Gobble on the roost 2 or three times then shut up. No gobbling late in the morning either. The past 2 days saw 2 gobblers together heads red. One lone one today his head was red. I'm not seeing any roaming hens either. There are gobblers in these areas I know for sure as I heard them before the season started and the pressure has been moderate. I will say it will turn around but vacation will end before it does for me, so the guys that hunt every day or guys that have vacation coming you will be okay.

 

[338/378wm]

Took a whirlwind trip to 3A...……….arrived about 4:00 PM Sunday to hunt Monday and scoot the 145 miles back home after lunchtime.

Mostly went to visit a couple good buddies that I hadn't seen for several years at turkey camp. I took a fellow who was also in camp out this morning. After raining all day and night, morning came up PERFECT for turkey hunting. We hit a piece of Tioga public that I have some familiarity with. Put about 3 miles on our boots and heard...……………….nothing. Only saw one hen dropping the whole 3 miles.

Between the other 5 guys in camp, a total of one bird which gobbled twice at considerable distance, was all that was heard.

Any idea if this was just a bad day that looked really good ?? Or are there that few birds up there this spring ??

The dreaded hen curse now Strut. It will get better. Besides that glad to see how you and your guys make your camp work during any hunting season. Are your guys affected by the new opener of deer season?

 

[Six-Gun]

Mercer County had 3 gobbling at 0540, daughter made sure a long beard got a ride in the truck at 0605

Freakin’ sweet!

 

[Strut10]

Are your guys affected by the new opener of deer season?

Everyone who was in camp is affected...………. To a man, EVERYONE is overjoyed and embracing the change. Yep.

 

[mauser06]

That's the story of last season and now this season so far for me.


I kept telling myself it would heat up last year but it never did. Just got warmer temps, more foliage, more bugs, earlier starts and harder to wake up.

This year, if it stays bad during my next vacation I am liable to give up. Hunting silent turkeys isn't my thing.

Starting next Wednesday I am off through Memorial Day. Plenty of time for things to change...but I honestly don't have my hopes up.

 

[Satch]

Mauser,
That doesn't sound like you! Where is your sense of optimism?
They will start to gobble and respond to your calls tomorrow!!

 

[mauser06]

....I know it doesn't sound like me....I've taken plenty of tags to the ends of the seasons to fill them. After like 24 days last season and now the first 7 days of this season, I'm frustrated and burnt out. Hunted my old faithfuls. Tried a number of new places. Got some private permission.

I KNOW the birds are there. I honestly don't know what the deal is. I really wonder if the fisher invasion isn't it. Last year I called in 2 Jake's which charged AT me, stopped and proceeded after the Jake's....this year I had another not far from the Ohio line charge my decoys seconds after I set them out. I don't know.

I will keep plugging away when I get back home and into the woods....but if it stays quiet, I'm liable to focus on fishing and landscaping...

 

[PA boxcall]

You went too far east, heard they were on fire last two days in Potter.

 

[Strut10]

You went too far east, heard they were on fire last two days in Potter.

I think somebody was yanking your chain.

Talked to the guys after lunch today. Nobody heard a PEEP. Nothing.

 

[Strut10]

You went too far east, heard they were on fire last two days in Potter.

P.S. I didn't hear any when I was sittin' on the front porch of your camp, either, so...………………..

:grin2:

 

[PA boxcall]

Tags were filled. You were sitting in the hot seat, then felt compelled to leave for greener pastures.

 

[VaPa hunter]

That's the story of last season and now this season so far for me.


I kept telling myself it would heat up last year but it never did. Just got warmer temps, more foliage, more bugs, earlier starts and harder to wake up.

This year, if it stays bad during my next vacation I am liable to give up.

There might be some good days mixed in here and there, but most likely it won't heat up. Welcome to the new norm of turkey hunting. This is isn't just Pa either, it's a lot of places.

I used to have vocal birds that would gobble and gobble and work there way right into my setup. Very few and far between anymore. You have to really grind it out for birds anymore and completely change your tactics.

My buddy that is almost done with the US super slam says turkeys have evolved, and you cannot hunt them like you did even 5-10 years ago. I'm starting to agree with him more and more.

It could be as simple as a poor hatch the last two monsoon like springs....but I'm not so sure anymore.

 

[limbhnger10]

........ I honestly don't know what the deal is. I really wonder if the fisher invasion isn't it....

...I've seen NUMEROUS fisher where I hunt in Erie and Crawford counties the past 2 years..and direct decreases in turkey...The PA GC and PA NWTF needs to get on the ball with increased Fisher season and bag limits IMO..

..I've seen fishers in action while spring turkey hunting(stalking me till they smelled me and hens on nests) and woodchuck hunting in June/July and the only thing that I could tell on that 2 occasions was that the hen saw the fisher and poults barely made it in trees..who knows what went on in the woods.

 

[Strut10]

You have to really grind it out for birds anymore and completely change your tactics.

My buddy that is almost done with the US super slam says turkeys have evolved, and you cannot hunt them like you did even 5-10 years ago. I'm starting to agree with him more and more.

I'll respectfully disagree.

I've hunted turkeys from here to Texas and Wyoming and old Mexico. Henned up gobblers are henned up gobblers wherever you find them...………...no matter WHAT color their tail feathers are...……...no matter if they've ever even seen a human before. They're ignorant. Always have been. Always will be.

Killed my first spring turkey around 1980-81 or so. Other than being 40 years of experience better at it, I hunt them and kill them the same way now as I did back then. Ain't planning to change my tactics any time soon.

 

[pchunter1231]

...I've seen NUMEROUS fisher where I hunt in Erie and Crawford counties the past 2 years..and direct decreases in turkey...The PA GC and PA NWTF needs to get on the ball with increased Fisher season and bag limits IMO..

..I've seen fishers in action while spring turkey hunting(stalking me till they smelled me and hens on nests) and woodchuck hunting in June/July and the only thing that I could tell on that 2 occasions was that the hen saw the fisher and poults barely made it in trees..who knows what went on in the woods.

I ruined my hunt last week because of a fisher. That fisher was climbing up a tree that had birds roosting in and i ran down through the woods and scared the fisher off and the turkeys. I have found numerous dead turkeys the last few years in their roosting areas. I found 2 skeletal remains of turkeys this morning in one of their roosting sites. All i know is when i got my first fisher on camera 5 years ago in Perry County, the turkey population in that area has gone done dramatically. Others have noticed that too in other parts of the county. Some of my friends are getting families of 4-5 fishers on their trail cams the last couple of years. So there must be something to that but according to our biologists fishers are eating them.