Spring Turkey Season 2013

[Got Fish??]

 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.

[bigjc]

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.

[Got Fish??]

My son and I go most every spring. We hunt we fish we cook and eat. It  is good quality time..

[bigjc]

Gotta get my application is this weekend.

[Got Fish??]

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!

[bigjc]

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! 

[Got Fish??]

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.

[Got Fish??]

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.

[Got Fish??]

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

[Got Fish??]

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.

[Got Fish??]

 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.

[Got Fish??]

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.

[Got Fish??]

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.

[Got Fish??]

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.

[Got Fish??]

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.

[Got Fish??]

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.

[Got Fish??]

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.

[Got Fish??]

 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.

[Got Fish??]

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 .

[Got Fish??]

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.