Don't waste time, get your 2015 applications in before February 1st. After March 2nd, A base license is required for every resident and nonresident who hunts in Michigan . Hunters may purchase their spring turkey license only after they have obtained a base license for the year 2015. Drawing results posted Mar. 2nd. Visit www.Michigan.gov/huntdrawings. Report all poaching. 800-292-7800
It's cold but snow depths have been lighter than last year.Unless you live on the North west coast of the state. Snow came and stayed. Friends in Grayling have spotted large flocks of birds on his properties this winter. Several large Tom's visit the area every day. The same is true in Oakland County, so far large flocks cover the cut fields.
I'll probably try to arrow a good tom again this year, hopefully with more success than all past years. I've bowhunted turkey 2 years, when not in school, and have shot 1 that I was unable to recover in an old and grown over apple orchard, and I missed a big tom that snuck in on me a couple years ago. It's not easy shooting them with a bow, but I always love a challenge!
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With the recent warm weather, the birds are more visible. The woods have standing water , that makes it easy to get a grasp on the turkey populations . Most cut and plowed fields are holding folks of turkeys. The DNR reports a slight dip in numbers this winter. I have visited several out fitters and selection of sale outerwear from last fall is thin, with the spring camouflage already being put out on the floor. Get your applications in by January 31.
February is not too soon to scout for spring toms. On feedlots and in stubble cornfields,seeds underneath the ice and snow, are accessible to turkeys. Glass these areas to get an idea of how birds have wintered,what condition they're in, and how many turkeys may be in a particular area. Turkeys will gobble with snow on the ground . That's why on sunny warm 35-degree mornings you should be listening . This will help you pin point more birds from location . There's a good chance that bird will still be partial to that tree or grove. Come spring.Also look for turkey tracks in the snow to reveal fly-up and fly-down locations, travel routes, and pinch points. These are excellent ambush spots, and perfect spots for blinds, come spring.
Looking for a new turkey call or one to replace an old and worn out favorite . The out door rama at the Suburban Show Place , in Novi is a great place to start. Manufacturers national and local , will be at the show. You can try them out before you buy them . I look forward to the show.so I can pick up several calls I can't find anywhere else . Don't forget to stop by the Great Lakes Bass booth and say hi to Dan Kimmel .
I talked to a few friends this week end. In Standish and Grayling. The birds are still grouped up in hens with young, toms and year old hens with no young . The groups have not mixed yet. Many birds are showing up to feeders most every day. Friends in Standish tell me that some days there are so many turkeys. That the deer won't come in to feed. The birds chase them off.
. Even with the newest shotgun loads, there is a fine line between which your pattern consistently kills a turkey, and after which you can't ethically shoot. Don't assume because your gun shoots a deadly pattern at one distance that it will shoot a pattern almost as good 5 or 10 yards father downrange. At 40 yards I put 105 pellets in a 10 - inch circle, then at 50 yards 76 pellets and at 70 yards 68 pellets. Judge effectiveness by the worst pattern a load shoots at a given distance. Figure out what works best for you, before you have that gobbler standing in front of you.
It's March 2nd, and the results are available for the 2015 spring turkey season. My son and I were selected for hunt 108, first hunt area K. When you site in your shotgun for this years season. Make sure you use the load you will be hunting with . You may not get the same results that I did, it depends on the gage of shotgun, load size and which choke you have. A 20 gage will have less shot in each shell,than a 16 gage, 12 gage or 10 gage will have. I've killed many birds with all four shotguns.
YELP! All you need to do with a box call to make perfect two-tone yelps is hold the call and run the lid. A lot of hunters don't bring the lid out far enough, or they pick the lid off the call. Close the box, let's call it 6 o'clock . Open the call to 4 o'clock to get plenty of that first high note. Now rock the lid slightly and gently so the left edge angles down as you come across the sidewall. Relax your grip as you come straight across, and the low note will be there. Close the box (6 o'clock ). Don't lift the lid to start the next yelp. GO straight back out to 4 o'clock and do it again. Most hunters work to hard at it. The cadence should be smooth, like breathing.
The snow just may stay a little later than usual this year. That means the turkeys will still be flocked up, and there will be many sets of eyes watching. Be extra still this spring to assure your chances, to tag your tom. You may want to use a strutting tom decoy, to get the other toms worked up and come in hot. Even though light hours are right for breeding. The snow and cold temps may push the breeding season back a week or so.
When looking for birds/area what are you trying to find? What types of signs are you looking for? I'm on state land and have a general idea of what to look for, but I also like to try and find someplace off the beaten path in hopes that nobody else has looked there.
Thanks!
If you have an idea of where and what area you plan to hunt. Start scouting those ares now. Drive the dirt roads at dawn and one hour before dusk. Look for bird crossing roads and fields,make a few calls.Turkeys will be close to the roost before it gets dark. And be on the ground shortly after dawn. What ever way they are moving at dusk, they will be moving the opposite direction at dawn. The first thing turkeys want after they fly out of the roost is water. Look for mature trees with big long branches, something that looks to be easy to fly into and out of. Tracks and droppings or turkey feathers are good signs . When you find birds, don't beat the area up. Turkeys have more than one roosting area . And will move if pressured to much.
The dominant gobbler often lingers in the roost long after other toms have already flown down . When this gobbler is good and ready, he will pitch off his roost and fly down to the forest floor. Where he will strut,gobble occasionally , slowly work his way to open green fields. As the crow flies, the difference from roost tree to the fields is less than 300 yards. His travel distance is closer to a quarter mile.
Fellow hunters from Southern Michigan. Are reporting a lot of turkey movement, the flocks have broken up gobbling can be herd all day. North of 72 there is still some snow in the woods. Open fields and the sides of hills and ridge's. Where the sun can hit and warm up the ground turkeys can be spotted. Good luck this season and have a safe and productive hunt. Remember, leave the land like you found it!!!
If your call takes a soaking , moisture can raise the grain on the rails and paddle of your call. After the call is thoroughly dry, examine it closely under a bright light to see where the wood grain might have lifted. If so, take it down using 240- grit sandpaper or smaller. Apply vary light pressure . ( you don't want to alter the shape of the radius of your paddle). Make sure your rails are true , smooth out the burrs, and reapply chalk.
Reports from across all of lower Michigan , are that the turkeys are gobbling and strutting . Even north of 72 as far as Black lake. The birds have broken up in to smaller groups . With this warmer weather coming in this and next week, it should be a great opening week. Most of the hunters I have talked to have already set blinds up, or are setting up their blinds this week. In the area that they scouted prior to the first week of the season . Morels hunters and those biting blood suckling insects shouldn't be much of a problem this year. Good luck , take only what you need and leave the land like you found it.
Opening day has come. Has anyone filled their tag . The rain and wind most have made it difficult. Still, I have a few reports of tagged toms.
First week of turkey season northern Michigan started out cool and by Wednesday evening it was 17 and snowing. We awoke to 1.5 inches of cold white stuff Thursday morning, the wind gusts were 20 to 25 miles an hour. By the afternoon, the weather started to change for the better. Friday and Saturday were sunny and in the 50s with lite winds. We lit up toms all three days. But they were henned up and could not be called into shotgun distance. A few birds were taken, in our area . All and all it was a good time.
Several nice toms were taken, the last half of season 1 and the beginning of season 2. With warmer weather coming. More and more tags should be filled this spring. Sources tell me a large 30 lb plus is strutting around the Mancelona area. It's been seen several times. Southern lower MI. Has also had it's share of toms taken so far this season.
As the weather warmed up for the second hunt. More toms were tagged across the state. Hens are starring to nest and lay eggs. Making those toms look for more crying hens, and making it easy for hunters to call in excited toms. The last hunt may be the best in years. Especially in northern lower Michigan .
With the 2015 spring season just about rapped up. The last half of the spring season was better than the first half. The cold weather stalled the nesting by a least 10 days. Witch put hunters at a disadvantage in the first hunt. Several nice toms were taken this year in Jackson, Oakland , Monroe and Eaton Counties. The northern lower Michigan countries also produced many birds this past season . Congrats to all who were successful this spring , we will see ya all next fall.