Folks are saying how little gobbling and responses from calling they are getting this year. But to me it has been a great year in that although I too have had the no gobbling hearing or responses like others, I see others getting discouraged or just giving up. But to me this is turkey hunting. I think GN touched on it a little on another thread about how he has noticed it in other Sates he has hunted and some reasons.

Today I spent all morning in the rain and called in 2 hens and then a Jake and hen. When that Jake and hen came in soaking wet the expression and action showed how miserable they were in the rain. So he and his girl friend were issued a free pass. So myself soaking wet, cold, tired, what a great day. Yesterday I was at an area where I heard and seen nothing, another great day.

No one that I know of can say why turkey's are acting the way they are this year. Like others I got my thoughts and previous experiences why but still just that, only the turkey's know why.

I just hate to see a couple friends at the Q take it to where they are cussing and making excuses to the point where they are frustrated and yes you could say depressed to the point of giving up.

I will admit I am spoiled today with the blessing of huntable turkey's. But wish I could take my 2 friends back to the old days and then I am sure they would have a different perspective on the turkey's acting or not gobbling and or responding.

But the not responding I believe they are responding more then most think and folks are not sitting still long enough to see the bird slowly sneaking in. I was blind calling the other day and all of a sudden looked and seen 2 longbeards strutting on the ridge I was on 60 yards out. They stayed there for at least 30 minutes strutting, they never uttered a sound except for spitting and drumming. It was beautiful with the sun shining on them just right. Till they came in I was in the same still position (except to call) for almost an hour and a half. If I had moved a hand at the wrong time I am sure they would have picked it up and I may never have know they were there. The best part was after they left and quitting time when I tried to get up.

The only hunt that was pure gobbling from roost to gun was the day my wife was with me. One bird came in to where the wife was out of position 3 times on that bird that came up over a flat we set up on. Each time he putted and went back down but was able to coax him in again to 25-30 yards of the wife. Then another bird came in gobbling and met up with the first one. One of the birds we could hear walking around to the wifes side, and the other came around to my side. I asked her if she seen hers, she said no, I said I got the other 35 yards in front of me, she said shot him, which I did. She said we had to come out of there with at least one bird.

Down to one tag now but it has been a tough season with not much gobbling action. But I may be numb to it since fall hunting them fall gobblers is even worse then the spring so far as gobbling goes.

But I have convinced one of my friends to not give up and he is going again tomorrow.

May all your days spent in the turkey woods be rewarded with the spirit of the hunt even though those birds are giving us fits.


Earl

Ramble on. You speak the truth. Every morning I get in the woods is educational and sometimes very entertaining. Killing a bird is certainly why I am up at 3:30 am and in my spot before 5. Some days though I think I'm there to hear the whippoorwill or the owls. This morning I was reminded of how bull frogs can make music. I've seen deer, coyotes, fox, squirrel, mink, owls, turkeys, songbirds and likely other animals I'm forgetting. Wood ducks, forgot about them. I've also been treated to hundreds of gobbles, some distant, others close. Predators cut a few hunts short and I got the short end of the stick since birds didn't continue in to my gun. I'm not sure I would change too much of the hunts so far.

Today I sat silent till an hour after sunrise then I played injun. I found some silent birds. They were not that far from me 600 yards or so. It was good to heft a longbeard to the truck.

SPOT ON!!!! There isn't enough space to type to try and explain the "weird" year we are all experiencing, but to give up and call it quits would never be an option. Same as you were saying earl I have seen multiple longbeards not gobble this year but strut in the same spot for 30-45 minutes. We still have plenty of hunting time left and all you need is that one good day and it could change everything

Thank you Earl.

I just started hunting in Virginia last year, but in Pennsylvania where I live, there are a lot of days when birds are silent, or just sound off on the roost and clam up when they hit the ground, it can be discouraging, but that's turkey hunting. I don't let it bother me much, if I know there are turkeys in an area I'll stick with it until quitting time or take a nap during the late season and head back out in the late afternoon, you have to be in the woods to succeed. Many of us will sit for hours to kill a deer or hook into a striper, I'm not sure I understand why guys get depressed about having to wait on a turkey? Maybe that's what separates the hard-core turkey hunters from the casual hunters?

Everybody should do whatever makes em happy. But for me, a counterpoint...

If I wanted to sit in the woods to wait for something to walk by so I can kill it, I'd go deer hunting. Shoot, the season just ended up here in NOVA. For me, it's much more important HOW he dies, than IF he dies. Otherwise, I'd sneak around in the dark and shoot em off limbs. I go out west in September to hear elk scream at me and I hit the hills in April to hear turkeys do the same. I'm not about to sit in one spot all morning, so that I might shoot a turkey that maybe was responding to something I did, or maybe just wandered up. I'll go find one that'll play, or I won't shoot one. If that means I don't shoot as many, so be it.

Quick edit to add: I agree that not going is ridiculous!

Maybe the switch'll flip this weekend...but it ain't lookin' good!

Well if it makes you boys feel any better.. The Rios me and a few others on here chased in NW Oklahoma this past week were no better than these dang VA easterns.. Not much roost gobbling.. wouldn't come in Gobbling (except one Jake).. some would sneak in silent .. most would just be following young hens around and you would just have to be lucky and in the right setup.. some of them that I could see would tuck tail and run when I would call to them .. now I know I'm not the best caller in the world.. but come on man.. 5 of us killed 8 in 4.5 days .. but it was tough..

Reminds me of what I tell people about hunting deer. Now days you see quite a few deer when out. In the 70s I might go an entire season and not see a deer. Things change but those who are really hunters gut it out. Here at APG we use to see 10-12 deer every time out. Now you're lucky to see a deer.

Stick with it, I will.
Vic