The lack of a real winter in many places seems to have the off their cycles in many areas we are loaded with birds they are just way behind their normal yearly cycle from past years it look like. They will break up before the end of the season when they do then things will be rocking.

I went out to the black hills last week and it was tough hunting. Not much happening on the south dakota side and we had some better luck on some BLM land in Wyoming but even then it wasn't easy. Had one bird come in range in 6 days and that's the one we got.

Having several properties to hunt within a 20-35 min radius definitely helps with success rate. When options are limited and there is little to no activity it can be discouraging to most hunters. I am fortunate enough to have access to about 18 private properties all of which have birds so I basically have the option of picking and choosing the birds I want.

covid killed them all !! Or covid caused the deaths of thousands. Everybody off work last season and killed all the gobblers.

Not many getting killed by the standard methods here but plenty of hunters after them, during the bad weather seen 100s out feeding just no interest in anything but the flock right now.

Here is a link to the Missouri Harvest Map. I tagged out here in Nw Mo. Counties close where I hunt all done pretty solid. Better then past couple years.

Missouri Turkey Harvest Map

I find this year it has been much harder to bring in birds. I already shot my two birds. However, I have been out with my son this week and last weekend and it has been a different story.

Normally at this time of the season I have had good luck luring good size Toms without too much problems but this year many are still sticking to the hens.

Our best run was last Saturday with 4 nice Toms within 15 yards, but they stayed together and my boy wouldn't take the shot...frustrating it was. It took us 3 hours to bring them in and at the end it still didn't happen. Will be at it again tomorrow and hopefully he will be able to fill his tag. Tough year for sure.

Birds are there just not on the move now the hens are still in tow, spent about 2 weeks in the Black Hills this spring total. During the early storms that pushed them into the open areas they were all over the place just not workable then. Now that the snowpack is gone they hang together in the thick areas, life is good for the gobblers now. LOL

I put on well over 1,500 miles scouting for birds seen more in the last 2 days then the previous weeks out there, seen a gobbler with several hens today and a string of jakes and hens yesterday about 8 of them. They gobble on the roost but get quiet soon after fly down making them tough to set up on, when you do they walk off with the hens they have with them. You can chase gobbles all morning and never see a bird.

I can think of 3 shot that remember hearing the whole time out there so not a lot of birds getting killed.

We are already seeing poults down South. Turkey numbers on public land are down significantly. Private land birds are always plentiful, but we manage them. 3 birds off one 2500ac. And 6 birds off a 5000ac tract. My son saw one hen with 11 poults and a different hen with 13 poults. This property is trapped year round. Another property 2 hens were seen with poults, one had 5 the other 7...this property is not trapped. Already had a landowner call and say this is the first year he’s ever seen poults and gotten pics of hens with poults on camera.

I believe I’ve heard Georgia will shorten their season and reduce the limit next year. It’s a shame too. If they’d just eliminate the use of fans and decoys they could change the population in one season and make money by fining those that don’t comply. Reducing bag limits and shortening season will take years to accomplish anything unfortunately.

The introduction of TSS might have a impact on calling in the future also, I know since side by sides became popular open road calling is avoided more.

Wow you must have some different turkeys down there if they commit suicide every time they see a fan or decoy. I will keep that in mind if I ever hunt in Georgia.

Prn, if you watch any hunting show or any YouTube videos you’ll see what I’m taking about. In fact, you already know it. I can put a fan in the hand of a 6yr old and tell him to make any sound other than talking and he’ll kill a turkey. Decoys and fans up your percentage to about 75% most of the time, especially on field birds. I know folks that couldn’t call in a turkey inside an aviary, but with a fan and or decoys they limit out. So yeah, take away the crutch and get back to calling in birds and the population will rebound real quick.

I have used multiple fans up with a combination of decoys and they are effective in bringing in dominant birds. These birds often won't respond to calls but will just about run in to investigate fans up when they see them. In fact, I shot my second bird this way.