Turkeys???

[Mark Anderson]

Well we are into the second week of thunder chicken season here in MO and this has been the most frustrating season ever. In six mornings I have heard a total of three gobbles, and have only seen one hen on my way back to my car on the second morning!!! I used to pride myself in coaxing a wary tom into range but this year I have lost all mojo it seems. 

[lowell]

I'm going tomorrow for my second season in a different county and hoping I have the mojo!!!!

  My secret is sit and wait then sit longer!!

[Mark Anderson]

Different country? Where are ya? The sit and wait is usually how I get one before anybody else. At least the last few years it has been. It took a while for me to learn the patience thing. Our day of hunting ends at noon so about six and a half hours is all the time I have to sit, but even then I have just not even seen anything at all this spring. I think theast few years of cold wet springs has hurt the population a bit.
Mark

[sailordad]

i dont know about Mo.
but here in Mn. the season has been giong for a few weeks already
i dont get to hunt for 2 more weeks,but i have been doing alot of scouting and calling in the mean time
i have already noticed a HUGE decline in gobbling.
i know as the season gets further along and more and more hens are sitting on eggs the toms seem to gobble less
not that they are not interested in breeding,they just get less vocal.
but i have noticed over the years that gobbling activity can come and go from one day to the next
i have hunted early in our season and heard very little gobbling sometimes,sometimes theygobble like mad
i usually hunt late in our season,and have had the same thing happen.sometimes they will gobble like mad all day long,the next day they may not make a peep
find your self a known well used travel route and sit by it and make some soft subtle calls.dont over call,something alot of hunters do.
i find that 2-3 soft clucks or yelps about every 45 mins to 60 mins works best.the key there is SOFT calling,and seldom calling.
even better if you can find where they like to gather and be social in the morning,set up near that

good luck

[lowell]

commadore.... I said county.... not country   I'm in Illinois in the good ole USA.

  My son shot the only one gobbling this morning with one of those loud things....I think it's called a shotgun!!     Hope there are some there tomorrow morning that were just bashful today!!

[Gerrod Hampel]

Actually....2nd morning of our season here in Indiana, I shot my first one ever!  I used my 20 ga. flintlock fowler that I built back in 1997.  Question though...any thoughts on mounting the fan and beard to a plaque?  I read an aritcle recently in another traditional archery mag about layint it out, etc.  I've laid out fans before, but I've never mounted them to a plaque.

A local taxidermist said to hot-glue the fan to the plaque.  Any body ever do this?  Any other thoughts?

Thanks!  I'll try and post a picture or two.  Unfortunately, my camera poo-ed out on me before I could get a good pic with the bird and the gun, but my dad got an alright pic with me, the bird and the gun.