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Went turkey hunting today

2K views 24 replies 9 participants last post by  SilasW 
#1 ·
Today was opening day for turkey hunting here in northern illinois. I went up by galena to hunt. The weather was bad. It was cold and rainy and a bit of snow. Last night there were big thunderstorms and there was a lot of wind damage to the trees in the woods. I didn't see one dam turkey and I looked for 5 hours. Does the weather have anything to do with that? Cold? Wind? Will they be out more on a nice day? What's the deal? Give me some info please.
 
#2 ·
I have no idea how turkeys behave with changing weather, but your post inspired me to check on turkey hunting regs in AZ. I didn't realize that we actually have turkeys here (other than the ones we elect), but they're around! The problem is, we have an annual limit of one bird, have to buy a general license ($57) plus a turkey tag ($38). I can buy a bunch of Butterballs for a heck of a lot less, and most likely it will cook up better.

What are the limits and costs in Il?
 
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#3 ·
Hey thanks for the reply, here in Illinois its cheaper. A permit is $25 for each turkey and you have a limit of 3. Besides that you need a habitat stamp that's $5 , and your hunting licsence. A regular licsence is $15, but they have a veterans special. Veterans can get a hunting/fishing licsence combo for $6.50. So I can happily say its cheaper than yours. I gotta say they are a elusive bird, at least I couldn't find any. Lol. I have till Friday to bag one of those critters. Today I took the day to regroup and do a little more research on them. Galena is a 3.5 hr drive and I'm doing it everyday, so I need to get one fast. If you know what I mean. My son was disappointed we took off today, his mother made him go to school. Anyway he will be off the next 3 days, he will forgive me. We trekked all over up and down the raveens. I'm kinda sore. Lol. But those permits I bought 4, 2 for me and 2 for my son. Our next hunt is closer to home about 15 mins drive. We went scouting Sunday for them and he found a flock of about 12. There was a big tom there with all his girls. We plan on getting him and one of his biggest girl. Or at least that's the plan. I gotta say I had fun Monday walking in the woods looking for them, just for the fact I had some 1 on 1 time with the boy. I'd pay your prices for the thrill of the hunt and being with the kid. It's fun. But we told everyone we will put Easter dinner on the table, if I have to sneak to the store and get a butterball I guess I'm gunna have to. I love turkey and I have a taste for it now. Hopefully that drives us to get that bird tomorrow. Wish us luck, we will need it.
 
#4 ·
Well I'm hoping you are having better weather than we are in the east. "It nasty out". I've never seen turkeys move after a storm, it's always been before the front come is, or a day after it passed. You didn't say much about your experience in hunting the thunder chickens so I don't know if what I'm going to say is a help or not. So here goes.
The weather this time of year (as you've noticed) is variable, which means you can run into chiggers, ticks, and mosquitoes. Take some OFF. These critters have eyes better than eagles and movement spooks them. I purchased a leaf-o-flauge poncho from Wal-Mart. Fits like a poncho with a hood, comes with a face cover (same leafy material), folds into a small bundle for in my day pack and covers everything when I put it on. (just under $50.) So far I have had 6 foxes, 10 deer (two in the freezer), numerous squirrels, birds, and other critters come to within two feet of me while wearing it.
As far as the hunt, when possible I go out in the evening and scout, trying to find where they roost, then be close by in the morning. Gentle calling and listening. When they answer, I set out a decoy, move off the trail, cover up with my poncho and the game is on.
Good luck to you. Take some pictures.
 
#5 ·
I've never seen turkeys move after a storm, it's always been before the front come is, or a day after it passed.
This is true for 99% of the animals out there, even fish, you'll have better odds just before and a day or two after a weather front goes through. Just like us they don't like the nasty stuff, windy days are rough too. They'll sit in place because they rely on their eyesight and sound a great deal so with everything moving on a windy day and all of the rustling of leafs and such they're less likely to move around much.
 
#6 ·
There's not really much to tell about Mondays hunt. I didn't see any birds. I plan on being up there at 530am. I'll go look at those leafy clothes. I think they call them 3d camo. If we are talking about the same thing. Tomorrow's suppose to be in the high 50's to low 60. So I'm betting my odds will be better. At least I'm hoping.
 
#7 ·
here's a you tube of the poncho. I think wal-mart is out of them online. I hunt a lot of low land and marsh edge so the brown really does blend in.
they guy is long winded but you get the idea.
 
#8 ·
Yeah they had those at Bass Pro and gander, but they were top and pants. Gander has the whole suit for $50 and bass pro were $50 each piece. I already spent my budget for hunting. But I'll probably get some for the next hunt. The only thing in Illinois is I can spend as much as possible on cammo but I also have to wear that blaze orange vest, or 400 cubic inches of blaze orange. I get it, they want us to be safe. But you can see that from a long distance, and turkey's gave very good eyes.
 
#10 ·
My experience with turkeys is just their unpredictability. They seem to change movement patterns all the time. But they do have to eat and will do so when, even, bad weather seems to calm a bit. Be patient, try calling 'em in----doesn't work so well for me. Good Luck.
 
#11 ·
Took the drive to galena this morning again and showed up about a hour be four I could hunt. I heard a whole lot of toms out there gobbling. It was great. Got dressed up in my gear and started my hunt. Went toward the sounds slow made some calls. I even got answered back a few times. But I could not find them. I looked all over. And then all of a sudden sometime between 8 & 830 am they all stopped talking. The only sounds were birds. I saw scratch marks all over. I just could not locate their position in the woods. My son and I must have walked 10 miles or at least it felt like it. We started to pack up at 11 to come home. My biggest problem is I can't find them. I hear them, even talk to em. I just can't find em. I got 2 more days at this park, in galena then got a week off to regroup, do research and back at it on the 25th. I'll be at a army base about 15 mins from my house. I actually went scouting and found 2 good flocks of turkey's here. I just want to put a bird on the table for Easter. I'll say one thing when we do finally get one, its gunna feel great.
 
#13 ·
Your right gd, but I think you have to know where there at to place the decoys. I can't even find em to do that. Well I font feel that bad. They have a sign in sheet and so far noones got one yet. So I'm still in.
 
#14 ·
If you can hear them then they should be able to hear you calling them.
 
#16 ·
I put the wrong 2nd picture in. Here's a better one. also the story. Set up by open field before sunrise. Heard them before they came down and as soon as they hit the ground, across the field, started mating. This was the only Tom and he was strutting to beat all. Strutted across the field and died suddenly.
 

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#17 ·
Nice turkey bird. I'm jealous. I'm back at it again for the next 5 days. If I get one ill post it.
 
#21 ·
My son and I went today to hunt the bird. It was non stop rain. We both were cold wet and hungry, I'm not kidding either. We decided to go back to section 1 to check it out. It was about 930 am. We are walking down a service road talking, guns on safety just looking. We turn a corner around some big rocks and there was this big round tom eating. I stopped my son stopped all 3 of us looked at each other. The bird was 20 feet away. I said its a tom my son yelled get it, the bird ran. He ran over a burm down a hole the up again. My son ran high and after it I ran down the burm just in case he decided to change direction. It looked like he was. All of a sudden he was gone, we both lost him. We searched but didn't find him. We just got caught off guard. We paused and we were both surprised to see him. Both of us coulda shot him if we were ready. Well anyway it was pretty fun chasing him, kinda revived the fight in us. We are going to stake out the area tomorrow for him. It's gunna be rain most of the day I think. Gotta say it was a good day, even tho we didn't get one. Not gunna give up till Wednesday when our season is up.
 
#22 ·
That there is funny. Cause it has happened to all of us. I ain't never heard of people trying to run a turkey down to kill it. I imagine you get a lot of; "How did that work out for you?" Snicker snicker. I once was walking out a woods in the evening and I approached the standing corn a huge buck jumped over my shoulder. About five minutes later I ducked. Two hours later my heart stopped trying to beat through my chest.
 
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#23 ·
Never tried running down a turkey. I did come up behind a raccoon that was walking down a logging road one deer season. For some reason trying to run him down seemed like a good idea. I took off after him and got pretty close for a second or two. He hauled ass of course. Occurred to me shortly after, that was probably best for both of us. Still don't know what I was thinking.
 
#24 ·
They are way too fast for me or my son, but we wanted him bad. Almost had a heart attack. Well my turkey season is up, it ended Wednesday. Both of us came out empty handed. The last day we tried running and gunning, walking around and calling. I got too say it works. The males were coming out looking, only thing they were too far ahead of us when we saw them. But a couple did dash out in front of us and by the time my son got a shot off they were gone. We're both a little disappointed but had a good time. I can't wait for the next turkey season. Here in Illinois the fall turkey is archery only I believe. So were talking about getting a bow. We did sign up for deer permits in Dec. but we are thing of getting small game permits just for honing our skills. This was our first turkey year and its definitely eye opener. Turkey's are pretty hard to get and they are smart. My son was chasing one down a grass road and the bird kept looking back to see if he was still chasing it. Once they hit the woods, they're gone, invisible. It's like they go thru a door and teleport to a different part of the woods. The main thing was, I had a good time with the boy and he with me. I'm dead set on getting one, can't wait till fall or spring.
 
#25 ·
When the weather is rainy or wind turkeys head for the fields. An over night thunderstorm can leave them tougher to work. They have been hanging on to a limb in a rocking tree all night. They are gonna be worn out and moving slower that morning. A gobbler will sound off on the roost first thing in the morning. He may stay up there for as long as an hour or so. when the hens hit the ground he'll be after them. When they yelp and group up (flock) the gobbler find them. about mid morning the hens will go to their nests, leaving the gobbler alone. That's a good time to work one if you can find him.
Gobblers are used to hens coming to them. Calling and making him come to you is not something he's really used to. When he does come in he'll be looking for the hen. A decoy placed about the mid range of you gun's effective distance can be a great help. Just Don't line your self up in eyesight of the turkey. You want to distract him with the decoy so he's looking a different direction. It's easier to call one up hill than down. but, that's not to say it can't be done. Turkeys do crazy stuff.
These are all common tactics that I'm sure lots of hunters already know. There's tons of info out there. Good luck!
 
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