Another Ontario Turkey season in the books

glang1

glang1

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Ontario's wild turkey season ended yesterday. I hunted hard in WMU's 63A & the western edge of WMU 64. What a strange season IMHO! I didn't get skunked, but only bagged one jake. Heard toms gobbling almost every morning I was out hunting, but they just never seemed interested in my calling. The morning I got the jake, 8 hens & 4 toms came into the field I was sitting in. It was the boss hen that lead the group to my decoys. As luck would have it, they came from my right side, & my decoys were setup to my left. The 8 hens passed 5 feet right in front of me! I thought sure I would be busted before the toms got close enough for a shot! The brush & grass was so tall that I only had a small window to shoot through. I took the first tom that made the mistake of crossing my field of fire first. It was about 5 yrds from the muzzle of my 12ga :eek: Turned out to be a jake. The rain, bugs, & cool weather made for a tough season in my area. Seemed to be less birds around too.

What did you learn, if anything, during the 2009 Spring turkey hunt? I learned to never forget your bug spray :D, & roosted ain't roasted!

George
 
This was my first season and I learned a few things as well. Sit still!!! Keep your ears and eyes OPEN!! My box call works way better than my push-pin, and always be ready in case the buggers wander in from the wrong side un-announced. I did get skunked, but managed to get a jake and a hen to come within shooting range on seperate occassions. The jake wandered in from the west when all the turkeys were yappin' towards the east. He didn't make much of a sound till he was in range and surprised me, so I got busted. The hen I called in off a field when she was too far to identify. She got within 15 or 20 yds and I got busted. All in all, not a bad season, will try again next spring.
 
Glang1 - yer hunting right in my neck of the woods! :D

This year I did get a decent tom but still learned lots.

Some things that I figured out this year:

- My buddy is a great turkey hunter. I used to think he was just lucky :)
- Just because you know roughly where they are roosted doesn't mean you can call them in
- Be ready, they can show up from anywhere
- Damn, turkeys have good eyes. A thick fence line 400 yards from the birds will not conceal you. You can't sneak up on a turkey!
- Even if you think you are barely calling, you are probably over calling
- Kill every coyote you see!! (got one :evil: )

Lastly, I learned that hens on eggs don't (at least not always) roost at night. They sit on the nest. We found a nest and when I drove past it on the fence line one morning at O'dark:30 I shined the flashlight on it and she was sitting on the nest.
 
daveg01 said:
This year I did get a decent tom but still learned lots.
Click to expand...

Yeah I think I heard your shot :p Do you use a 20ga?

Some things that I figured out this year:

- My buddy is a great turkey hunter. I used to think he was just lucky :)
- Just because you know roughly where they are roosted doesn't mean you can call them in
- Be ready, they can show up from anywhere
- Damn, turkeys have good eyes. A thick fence line 400 yards from the birds will not conceal you. You can't sneak up on a turkey!
- Even if you think you are barely calling, you are probably over calling
- Kill every coyote you see!! (got one :evil: )
Click to expand...

I like all your points, especially the one about the yotes :sniper:
I saw one, but it was out of shotgun range. I tried a few lip squeeks, but it just wasn't buying it.

Lastly, I learned that hens on eggs don't (at least not always) roost at night. They sit on the nest. We found a nest and when I drove past it on the fence line one morning at O'dark:30 I shined the flashlight on it and she was sitting on the nest.
Click to expand...

I have always wondered about that. I logically figured they would stay on the nest at night. Does anyone know the truth about this?

George
 
phishstik said:
My first season I learned: DO NOT FALL ASLEEP :eek:
Click to expand...

Sometimes....welll....you gotta! When can you get yourself in a more peaceful place for a nap.

I feel asleep moose hunting about 7 years ago on the bank of a small river. I only woke up because my buddies were headed back to camp and the boat motor woke me up!

I had moosetracks go right by me. They MIGHT have been there from before, but I'm not 100% sure.

:D
 
daveg01 said:
Glang1 - yer hunting right in my neck of the woods! :D

This year I did get a decent tom but still learned lots.

Some things that I figured out this year:

- My buddy is a great turkey hunter. I used to think he was just lucky :)
- Just because you know roughly where they are roosted doesn't mean you can call them in
- Be ready, they can show up from anywhere
- Damn, turkeys have good eyes. A thick fence line 400 yards from the birds will not conceal you. You can't sneak up on a turkey!- Even if you think you are barely calling, you are probably over calling
- Kill every coyote you see!! (got one :evil: )

Lastly, I learned that hens on eggs don't (at least not always) roost at night. They sit on the nest. We found a nest and when I drove past it on the fence line one morning at O'dark:30 I shined the flashlight on it and she was sitting on the nest.
Click to expand...

I'm going to have to vote you wrong on that one. You can sneak up on a turkey. I've done it many times. This year I snuck up on eight of them, and dumped a 20 lb tom from 25 yards.
I snuck up on a hen one day just for fun....I followed her all over the field in a ghillie suit about 10-15 yards behind her. At one point, I got so bold as to light up a cigarette and smoke while whe was doing her pecking about....It was F'N HILARIOUS!!
Everytime she'd turn her head, I'd freeze....she'd look at me for a minute with this WTF look on her face and keep moving along. She totally didn't realize that the "bush" behind her had been behind her the whole time.

Anyway, turkeys see movement for the most part, if you're cammo'd well and still, they won't see you.
 
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