Turkey Hunting
Over and Over Again
It come down to a pile of gear in the dining room, a couple of gun cases, a bag of laundry, and in this case a large unwieldy carcass to get stuffed in the freezer. Spring Gobbler Season is over. Five hunters with only one gobbler between us for 21 days of hunting– that is about as wretched as it gets. Looking back on it, I think we were done in by good weather. That sounds like a lame excuse, but let me explain. If you rewind the tape, I was able to get back down to camp really early … More . . .
Humiliated by Turkeys
I have spent a good bit of the last 25 years teaching folks how to be humiliated by turkeys. That was based on a good 20 years experience before that being humiliated myself. Not everyone I have taught to hunt turkeys gets it. I am not sure I even get it. I just introduced another fellow to the sport, and I am not sure he gets it. You have to understand, Foxtrot Charlie is not just an accomplished big game hunter, but he comes from a long line of big game hunters. He has a grandfather pictured with Elmer Keith … More . . .
Report from The Turkey Opener
Scratch one Gobbler. Today was the Kentucky Spring Gobbler Opener. The morning hunt was a bit of a scratch. Moose and Mooselette saw nothing out at Dead Skunk Hollow. Angus had a herd of hens at Blackberry. A gobbler came in but didn’t get close. Angus chanced a shot and the gobbler fled; it was too far. I went to the Honey Hole. I had one hen working out of Left Leg Creek that kept coming to my calls, but kept running away. After Moose and Mooselette came in, there were some gobbler over in Hundred Acre Wood. Moose tried … More . . .
PODCAST: Encounter at Dead Skunk Hollow
Last Sunday, I was able to get out one last time and record material for a podcast before season starts. Actually, it was KY’s Yute Season, but my Yute was with her mother and was unavailable for hunting with her grandpa. It was a shame. I seldom see turkeys this active on the weekend before the start of Spring Gobbler Season. I witnessed two things I have never seen before. First off, just before sunrise, I noticed my glasses were getting dirty. When I got them off, they were wet. After I put them back on, I realized I was … More . . .
Strong Harvest Expected
Kentucky Today is reporting that a strong harvest is expected for Wild Turkey hunting season.That is extremely good news. Here’s the article: Strong Harvest is Expected for Wild Turkey Hunting Season Here’s the text: This post has already been read 330 times! Related posts: KY: Record Harvest for Modern Gun Deer Season Know Thy Game, Know Thyself From the KDFWR: Outstanding outlook for the hunt But then again. . . KDFWR Turkey Study Underway Which is harder: Deer or Turkey? The Role of Personal Ethics in Hunting Indiana DNR Rule Changes
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Spring Rules are Out
Part of my ritual of spring is getting a hold of the spring rules and reading it cover to cover. Mooselette? Foxtrot Charlie? You better get cracking. This post has already been read 341 times! Related posts: The Role of Personal Ethics in Hunting Spring Turkey Rules are Out! KY Spring Rules are Posted It’s Out! KDFWR Releases Spring 2020 Rules Spring Rules are Out The Run-up to Spring Kentucky Fall Rules Are Out Kentucky Fall Rules are Out
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PODCAST: Foxtrot Charlie @ The Honey Hole
Foxtrot Charlie is a buddy of mine. He’s been a big game hunter for decades, and only recently got interested in domestic offerings. I invited him to Deer Camp last fall. He had a ball. I invited him out for Spring Gobbler. He came out with me to the Honey Hole to get his first introduction to the hardest game on the North American Continent. Here is my 90+ minute visit with him while we listened to the turkeys doing their thing. Podcast — Foxtrot Charlie @ The Honey Hole This post has already been read 499 times! Related posts: … More . . .
PODCAST: Peyton Place At the Honey Hole
This was my first time out to the Honey Hole this year. The turkeys have been very active due to a warm end to the winter. I had hens and gobblers sounding off over a 10 acre patch with me in the middle. It was a wild morning. I even had a hen pitch down off the roost and walk right up my back side. So here is the Podcast. I hope you enjoy it. Podcast — Peyton Place @ The Honey Hole This post has already been read 541 times! Related posts: Requiem for the Honey Hole Turkey Season … More . . .
Another Trip to Turkey Camp
I went back down to Turkey Camp yesterday. I had several projects that needed work, and I wanted to get out and listen to the turkeys. First off, let me describe yesterday morning’s scouting trip. Starting at 20 minutes before sunrise, a large flock started going off near the Honey Hole. I could not count all the gobblers; they were all going off at once. However, there were several hens in there as well. I think this is the final incarnation of the winter mega flock. The mass gobbling ended abruptly about 10 minutes after sunrise. It sounds like the … More . . .
Return to Turkey Camp
This is the earliest I’ve tried to return to camp in 20-some seasons. A good deal of it is because I’m retired now. In the past, I had to wait until the weekends. Last year, I was still feeling the chemo and had to wait until someone else could go down with me. Every year, I start looking for a day with highs of at least 50F and no precipitation. Last year, that was late February. Some years, it’s been the 3rd weekend in March. The place was intact when I got there. The winter had been mild and there … More . . .
When Should I Start Scouting?
It just turned over 90 days until the Spring Gobbler Opener in Kentucky. It is 12F and the wind is gusting to 24 MPH. Believe me, today is not the day to start scouting. So when? It all depends. Scouting New Property My big question is how much pain is involved and what is it worth to you? Turkeys are generally not silent. On a still morning in winter, I can hear hens flying down a good 300 yards out. Driving 50 miles for a chance to hear that sounds reasonable. 200 miles? That’s up to you. Looking for sign? … More . . .
The Turkey Trigger Tripped
I’m not one of those guys who dreams of turkey hunting all year. By the time mid-May comes around, I’m pretty well done with the whole thing. Don’t get me wrong; I love turkey hunting. It is just such a frustrating and humbling process that I get tired of getting my nose rubbed in it. It is not like I really have any choice in the matter. The state shuts down the season and the gobblers shut down themselves. There are things to do, and camps to be made. fishing to be done. Move along. There is nothing more to … More . . .
Turkey 2023: The Post-Mortem
“Hunting 16 of 22 days and only getting one bird? Shaman, ol buddy! What went wrong?” Nothing went wrong. It all fell together. It just did not fall together in a pleasing way. Now that I’ve had a couple days in the recliner and a couple nights of 10+ hours of sleep, the lightbulb is beginning to flicker again. Look, the only thing “wrong” with this season was me, my health. I deliberately limited myself to one hunting venue simply because I did not have the energy to go elsewhere. The Honey Hole is a 1/2 mile walk from the … More . . .
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