Time Is running out and it's getting close. Make sure you know which zones you want to hunt in, and getter-done. From what I have seen all across Michigan, in the last 3 months. This spring should be one of the best spring season's in past years. Having a closed season north of Midland, may have been a great idea. Bigger flocks are now being seen than ever before in, Clare,Houghton Lake and west as far as Kalkaska. As long as the weather and snow falls stay resenable. The birds should have enough forage to sustain a healthy diet. The big rave this year is hand gun hunting with a 4-10 pistol. Colt, Smith and Wessen and Rugger. All make a model.
Man, I have not hunted turkey in years, but I am wanting to take my son out this spring! Now you got me thinking birds.
My son and I go most every spring. We hunt we fish we cook and eat. It is good quality time..
Gotta get my application is this weekend.
Good luck finding a handgun to turkey hunt this spring. There is not much left to pick from at many of the outfitters. If you do not have one, you better order it soon. Good luck this season!
Call me old school, but I am ok using a traditional 12 g. shotgun (or .410 for my boy). However, I am depressed about the lack of guns/ammo available right now.
I wish I could say that I never imagined this day would come, but I tried warning people on this board over the past several years that the current moron in the White House is a Liberal Leftist, hell bent on creating a socialist utopia here in our Great Nation!
There is a dioxin advisory on wild turkeys harvested in or near the floodplain of the Tittawassee River downstream of Midland. If you choose to eat turkey taken from this area anyway, at a minimum the skin,liver and gizzard should be removed and discarded. Health assessors from the (MDCH) and the (MDNR) determined that samples taken from wildgame contained high levels of dioxin and dioxin like compounds. As a result, the (MDCH) advises that huntres and their families follow these recommendations.
In the next couple of days we will all findout if we scored the area that we wish to hunt in. I have not had any reports lately from any of my contacts across the state, on any turkey sighting. As soon as I do, I will post them.
If your looking for a new turkey call this years Outdoorama may be one of your best spots to check and compare a few calls. The Deer/ Turkeyhunting show in Lansing would be another good choice. Both are this week end Feb. 23~24. Being able to compare calls before buying, may payoff and be a key factor in bagging that big tom this spring.. Remember to have atleast two different type's of calls. I use a box and a diaphragm call. I like diaphragm calls from HS Strut. Make sure you get calls that are easy to use. Most of your 3 and 4 diaphragm are going to be tough to use, and may be vary trying. When use for long periods. I use my box call to lure the bird in close then switch to my diaphragm call for close calling. This way I have both hands free and stay vary still.u
It's well known that the longer you can sit still, the better chance you have to bag old tom. Having everything organized is key. Vests and packs are an important piece of gear. Make sure that it is lightweight and durable. Some come with seats and back rests. You can't have to many pockets. Plastic water bottle is also a smart choice. I use a beltpack, I can usually find one with a half dozen pockets, and enough belt left to put my knife , GPS and rangefinder on it. I believe the lighter you travel the better. If your choice is a vest, make sure your straps are padded and adjustable.
Has anyone found out if and where your going this year? Still lots of snow on the ground every where. There has been a lot of coyotes seen in and around the state. In my parks there are fewer coyotes, Then there have been in the past three years but more calls of sightings.
Now that we all know when and where we will be hunting this spring. It's time to get ready. My son and I drew 109 hunt area K. My son and I have been invited to hunt in three different camps this year, Dublin, Falmouth and Kalkaska. We are going to hunt the hole week of 4-29/5-5 and hope to attend all three camps. Good luck this year. Have a safe hunt.
With all that snow in the kalkaska area starting to go away. The birds are starting to show up in dirt fields or on the sides of ridges where the sun melts some of the snow. Most of the flocks are still large in numbers. In the Falmouth area, birds were seen most of the winter through the area. Numbers this winter about average , Some big toms being seen near Dublin and Irons.
Even with the light hours getting longer, the weather is still going to be a factor this spring. It's cooler longer this season and the snow keeps coming. It may just be one of those seasons where the weather breaks and the action starts quicker than normal. Second hunt may be as good or better then first hunt this year. Remember to keep an eye open for mushroom hunters, mushrooms may also produce fast this year.or it may be a poor year for mushrooms.
Wild turkeys divide onto groups of young poults and hens during winter. Another group is composed of gobblers. Gobblers often subdivide on to Jake groups and mature toms. This is not hard and fast rule, because groups often join together in feeding locations. Wise old gobblers can be like bucks, and hang tight to a particular area. It is crazy how often the long bearded gobblers , will have a small safe haven that is not hunted. Make sure you get permission to hunt private property.
I'm thinking of getting a thunder cluck-n-purr. Has anyone, any experience with this call? Is it ready to use, or a waste of my time? I already have over a dozen different calls. I only use two of them . The rest are used around the fire or during card games at camp.
Still lot's of snow in the woods north of Clare. Im told 2 new inches came Monday and Tuesday. Birds are still flocked up for the most part. More light hours are going to brake up flocks. For now it is into smaller groups. But romance dose not seem to be in full aray yet.
As the light hours get longer. The alpha female will stray away from the flock, as well will all the other mature females. That's usually the time the young jakes, get the slip from mom. Hoping to find old Tomas turkey. The female selects who she will mate with. Then after, she will nest by her self. Only leaving the nest to feed and drink. The plots grow quickly, soon mom and family are back with the flock. Some females come back with no young. Predators take a lot of eggs out of the nest. Young polts, are also taken in the first two weeks.
Exercise away the pain. Hunting often has an adverse affect on our bodies. Due to hours of being hunched over in stands or blinds, our backs can be affected. To avoid this you need to exercise your core. This strengthens your back muscles, which lessens the aches and pains that develop while you're out waiting for that trophy .
Still a lot of snow in the woods, in Grayling and Kalkaska. Before the rains came in. There was 3 ft on the ground. The birds do not have to many place's to walk on the ground, so they walk the roads. Leaving them good targets for traffic. More south of Gladwin. Birds are spread out pretty good. Even after that storm that hit centrel lower Michigan in the last couple of days. Didn't seem to stir them up much. Just in the last few days, the grass got green. Means everything else is growing to. The turkeys will start looking for sprouts in fields. There is a small flock being watched north east of Ann Arbor. I am told that it is getting bigger every year. I've not seen turkeys in my parks , for a few years now. To Many predators and egg stealer's. To few nesting spots.
There is a lot of water, to go along with a lot of snow north of Clare , all the way to the U.P.Most of my scouts tell tails of wet forests. Most area's that always hold nests of turkey eggs are unusealy empty. May be a late mate.I know that western U.P. . May have got 8-10 inches Thursday . APRIL 18.
I have a scout in Howell, he tells me that there are a few groups of birds. That have moved in and staked a claim. He also tells me the birds are about 2 weeks behind. Closer to Travers city. I'm told that, their are a few spots for birds. But not many general sightings. At his time of year they usually see more birds.
I leave Saturday April 27. Too head up to hunt camp. Has any one scored or gone turkey hunting yet? I know the whether hasn't been the best for hunting. Next week should bring better chances. It's going to be in the 70s for most of the week. The birds sightings across the state have been far and few. With all this water and snow.
Lots of Bird's , from Howell to ST John's. Falmouth areas farmers fields are green and the birds can be seen eatting the tender shoots Still some snow on the ground in the woods north of Clare. Many lakes around Grayling, are still ice covered. We stopped in most of the outfitter shops on the way up to Kalkaska vary early Saturday. Top subject? Turkeys, this has been the best year for birds and business. So far there are enough birds to go around. A few vary large toms have been taken. It's only since the warm up, that the birds have gotten real active. Should be a really interesting week coming up.
Wow, what a great 2nd hunt. With the weather warming up like it did. The woods lit up with yelps and gobbles. All that snow north of Clare disappeared and the courtship begone. Just last week, the snow covered the forest floor. Now that is gone the hens have areas to nest. lots of big toms taken around Rose City. Lake City and Cadillac area produced several nice toms this year, and lots of Jake's. Our camp took two Jake's. We saw a lot mature toms and several groups of two and three Jake's, wandering around looking for romance. Hunt 234 should be vary productive this season I haven't seen this many birds in the past six years. Southern lower Michigan farm belt produced some nice toms as well.
Most of the hunters I talked to this season. Had a run in with coyotes. Some had their decoys damaged. Others just had nosey varmints come in early in the morning before light , to investagate their yelps and shock calls. We had one rush our position just before dawn. It ran at us , and stopped just 10 or 15 feet from us. Wasn't it surprised when we turned out not to be a turkey.
Privet land produced some reel nice toms this year. Just north of Oakland Lake, is a nice peace of privet land owned by a friend. He havested a vary nice 25 lb gobbler. Nestled down in the Clam River valley. Is the town of Falmouth Mi. Some of the sweetest farm land. I know of 2 nice long beards taken on privet land.Violations of turkey hunting regulations, including application violations, are misdemeanors. REPORT ALL POACHING call 800-292-7800