Any other turkey reports?

[Matagi]

Am I the only turkey hunter here? The turkey talk seems dead here so any reports?

I hunted thursday in a spot over looking most of Snata Ysabel and Mesa Grande. Got up on a high ridge looking down into thousands of prime turkey land but not a single gobble. Walked down into an area where turkeys normaly roost and waited, and waited, and waited... Nothing. Hunted the area until 9Am and made the trip back to the truck for a cold soda and snack. While munching on a apple, I hit the boat paddle box call and right awy I get a gobble over 400 yards away onprivte property. Tried calling him across the road but no good as I watched 5 hen make their way toward the area where the gobble came from.

So So far I am 2 for 4 and will be out tomorrow andmonday on MCC property. It seems that mst of the gobblers are henne up and happy so a few weeks more, the toms should be in their second phase.

 

[Ghosthunter]

I think most archery hunters are waiting for the snow to still melt up on top of the mountain so the
Turkeys will move back into the Laguna. We hit a private spot up by Julian last weekend with our bows for the first time in the rain and walked right into a group rusting and before we could set up they were flying.
My friend Larry and my son Justin set up and I hauled ass down this creek and circled back on the birds.
I got within 100 yards of them; there were several hens, two or three Jakes and one big tom. I was trying to gain some ground on them I had four deer walk out between us and now I was just screwed.

I watched the birds feed away from me and I was just pinned down. I finally tried to position myself so the deer would go the opposite way when they seen me but they ended up running right up the hill to the turkeys and actually standing right in the middle of all of them which made every hen go on alert.
I chilled for awhile and watched them feed over the hill and the deer finally walked off. When I peaked over the top of the ridge I could only see the big tom moving thru the trees out of shooting range.
I set up and called on them for a few hours and had most of the hens working my calls but I never heard a gobble all morning. Our friend Tom and his Dad hunted a private area they have in Julian and shot a nice tom Sunday morning.

You are on fire keep up the good work, I will be after them this week and weekend. I like to let things settle down and focus on archery first which has been a bitch with the snow up top and I still think we got a week or two before it is really on fire, Good Luck

 

[socalhntr]

I was up on the hill Sunday morning and didn't hear or see a thing! Not a single track, feather, or dropping!!! This is a spot that has held birds ever since they appeared on the hill. ??? There was no snow either...

 

[Matagi]

Got out sunday, had birds off the roost and had 5 jakes and 3 hensland in my lap. Closest I have ever got set up to a roost. The jakes hung around for what seemed hours when a deep raspy gobble came from the creek bottum below. Called a little and had all the jake and hens sounding off like it was a giant orgy going on. That drove the lone long beard mad and I could hear him getting closer. All of a sudden boom! another hunter set up below me nailed the big tommy. Who ever said private property was easy?

On monday started off in a area near the zone where I killed the last two gobblers. Had birds right off the roost gobbling to my coyote howler. Got into position and had another deep gobble come from a different location. Since I knew the original gobbles came from jakes, I set up to call the lone gobbler. Off the roost they went silent and I was almost trampled by 30 bird deep covey of quail. Sat for a few hours only to get a few gobbles here and there.

Set up in two more different area but didn't see any thing roaming around. Called it a day and will be back on sunday and monday again.

 

[BIRDCOLLECTOR]

I only saw a hen when I went. All the jakes and gobblers were sitting pretty on private land, as if they knew what was going on!

 

[Matagi]

Well I have to say that this was one of my best turkey seasons in a long time. Last week, I was able to finish off with a three bird limit by getting a nice 19lb bird with 6.5 in beard and 3/4 in spurs. I first thought the bird was a jake but it had a nice full fan and decent spurs, just a short beard. I was working a stubborn old tom that struted just out of sight when this gobbler started gobbling off almost a mile away.

Tom or no tom, I hope every one else had a great season. Now back to chasing hogs with my pups.

 

[NBK]

Strong work Matagi!

 

[Lungpopper]

There was an article in the paper about your accomplishments this year.
Nice job.

 

[BuckHunter]

Way to go man. Post a few pictures for us.

 

[threetoe]

Three weeks ago my sweetie and I were set up in our ground blind with the bows on public land. We were delighted to have some jerk hear us calling and the responding gobbles. He parked on the road then get out of his truck, tried to "Flush Them Up" and busted at LEAST 5 TOMS who were working us.
We had been working those birds for hours and if my experience is right, one was coming HARD!!
We watched as he ran up the hill and was gone!
DAY OVER!


There are WAY to many inconsiderate a-holes in the field!!! It's all about "ME".

Besides, this economy has killed us to the point that we cannot afford MCC.



Congrats on a good season.

 

[Matagi]

Wow tahts a tough break. I had the same prblem 4 years ago before I joined MCC. I remember the days when there were no turkey hunters here and the turkey population was just starting to get big enough to find them on public land. It was great hunting multiple areas and being the only hunter out there. It was also great hunting the Eagle Peak Pheasant Hunting club also.

One more week left to go. I did manage to get out today for a little pig hunt with the pups and low and behold we did manage to find a new area holding hogs.