Spring Turkey Hunt 2015

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Don't   waste time, get your  2015 applications   in before February   1st. After March 2nd,  A base license  is required for every resident and  nonresident who hunts in Michigan . Hunters may purchase their spring turkey license only after they have obtained a base license    for the year 2015. Drawing results posted Mar. 2nd. Visit www.Michigan.gov/huntdrawings. Report all poaching. 800-292-7800

[Got Fish??]

 It's cold but snow depths  have been lighter than last year.Unless you live on the North west coast  of the state. Snow came and stayed. Friends in Grayling have spotted large flocks  of birds on his properties this winter. Several  large Tom's visit  the area every day. The same is  true in Oakland County, so far large flocks  cover the cut fields.

[1javelin]

I'll probably try to arrow a good tom again this year, hopefully with more success than all past years.  I've bowhunted turkey 2 years, when not in school, and have shot 1 that I was unable to recover in an old and grown over apple orchard, and I missed a big tom that snuck in on me a couple years ago.  It's not easy shooting them with a bow, but I always love a challenge!

1jav

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With the recent warm weather, the birds are more visible. The woods have standing water , that makes it easy to get a grasp on the turkey populations . Most cut and plowed fields are holding folks of turkeys. The DNR reports a slight dip in numbers this winter. I have visited   several   out fitters and  selection of sale outerwear  from  last fall is thin, with the spring camouflage already being put out on the floor. Get your applications  in by January   31.

[Got Fish??]

February  is not too soon  to scout for spring toms. On feedlots and in stubble cornfields,seeds underneath the ice and snow, are accessible  to turkeys. Glass these  areas to get an idea of how birds have wintered,what condition  they're in, and how many turkeys  may be in a particular area. Turkeys  will gobble with snow on the ground . That's why on sunny warm 35-degree mornings you should be listening . This will help you pin point more birds from location . There's a good chance that bird will still be partial to that tree or grove. Come spring.Also look for turkey tracks in the snow  to reveal fly-up and fly-down locations, travel  routes, and pinch points. These are excellent  ambush spots, and perfect spots for blinds, come spring.

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Looking for a new turkey call  or one to replace  an old  and worn out  favorite . The out door rama  at the Suburban  Show Place , in Novi is a great place  to  start. Manufacturers  national  and local , will be at the show. You  can try them out before you  buy them . I look forward  to the show.so I can pick up several  calls I can't  find anywhere  else . Don't  forget to stop by the Great Lakes  Bass booth and say hi to Dan  Kimmel .

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I talked  to a few friends  this week end. In Standish  and Grayling. The birds  are  still grouped up in hens with young, toms and year old hens with no young . The groups have not mixed yet. Many   birds are showing up to feeders most every day. Friends  in Standish tell me that  some days there are so many turkeys. That the  deer won't  come in to feed. The birds chase  them  off.

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. Even  with the newest shotgun  loads, there is a fine line between which  your  pattern consistently  kills a turkey, and  after which   you can't  ethically  shoot. Don't assume  because  your gun shoots a deadly pattern at one distance  that it will  shoot a pattern almost as good 5 or 10 yards father downrange. At 40 yards  I  put 105 pellets   in a 10 - inch circle, then at 50 yards 76 pellets  and at 70 yards 68 pellets. Judge  effectiveness  by the worst pattern a load shoots at a given distance. Figure out what works best for you, before   you have  that gobbler standing in front   of you.

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It's March  2nd, and the results  are available  for the 2015 spring turkey  season. My son and I were selected  for hunt 108, first hunt area K. When you site  in your shotgun for this years season. Make sure  you use the load you will be hunting with . You may not get the same  results   that I did, it depends   on the gage of shotgun, load size and which  choke  you have. A 20 gage will have less shot in each shell,than a 16 gage, 12 gage or 10 gage will have. I've killed many birds  with all four  shotguns.

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YELP!    All you need  to do with a box call to make perfect  two-tone yelps is hold  the call and run the lid. A lot of hunters don't bring  the lid out far enough, or they pick the lid off the call. Close the box, let's call it 6 o'clock . Open the call to 4 o'clock  to get plenty  of that first high note. Now rock the  lid slightly  and gently  so the left edge  angles down as you come across  the sidewall. Relax  your  grip as you come straight  across, and the low note will be there. Close the box (6 o'clock ). Don't  lift the lid to start  the next yelp. GO straight  back out to 4 o'clock and do it  again. Most hunters work to  hard at it. The cadence  should be smooth, like breathing.

[Got Fish??]

The snow just may  stay  a little  later  than usual  this year. That means the turkeys will still be flocked  up, and there will be many sets of eyes watching. Be extra  still  this spring to assure  your chances, to tag your tom. You may  want to use a strutting  tom decoy, to get the other toms worked up and come in hot. Even though  light hours  are right for breeding. The snow and cold temps may push the breeding season back  a week or so.

[MIBasser]

When looking for birds/area what are you trying to find?  What types of signs are you looking for?  I'm on state land and have a general idea of what to look for, but I also like to try and find someplace off the beaten path in hopes that nobody else has looked there.

Thanks!

[Got Fish??]

If you have an idea of where and what  area you plan  to hunt. Start scouting those ares now. Drive the dirt  roads at dawn and one hour before dusk. Look for bird crossing   roads and fields,make a few calls.Turkeys will be close to  the roost before it gets dark. And be on the ground shortly after dawn. What ever way they are moving at dusk, they will be  moving the opposite  direction   at dawn. The first  thing turkeys want after they fly out of the roost is water. Look for mature  trees with big long branches, something that looks to be easy to fly into and out of. Tracks  and droppings or turkey feathers  are good signs . When you find  birds, don't  beat the area up. Turkeys have more than one roosting area . And will move if pressured to  much.

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The dominant  gobbler often  lingers in the roost long after other toms have  already  flown down .  When this gobbler is good and ready, he  will pitch off his  roost and fly down to the forest  floor. Where he will  strut,gobble occasionally , slowly  work his way  to open green fields. As the crow flies, the difference  from roost  tree to the fields   is less than 300 yards. His travel  distance  is closer to a quarter  mile.

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Fellow  hunters from Southern  Michigan. Are reporting  a lot of  turkey movement, the flocks  have broken  up   gobbling can be herd all day. North of 72 there is still some snow in the woods. Open fields and the sides of hills and ridge's. Where the sun can hit and warm up the ground turkeys can be spotted. Good luck this season and have a safe and productive hunt. Remember, leave the land like you found  it!!!

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If your call takes a soaking , moisture can raise  the grain  on the rails and paddle of your call. After the call is thoroughly  dry, examine  it closely under a bright  light  to see where the wood grain  might  have lifted.  If so, take  it down using  240- grit sandpaper  or smaller. Apply  vary light pressure . ( you don't  want to alter  the shape of the radius of your paddle). Make sure  your rails are true , smooth out the burrs, and reapply chalk.

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Reports  from across  all of lower Michigan , are that  the turkeys are gobbling and strutting . Even north of 72 as far as Black lake. The birds   have  broken  up in to smaller groups . With this warmer weather  coming in  this and next week, it should be a great opening week. Most of the hunters  I have talked to have already  set blinds up, or are setting up their  blinds this week. In the area  that they  scouted  prior  to the first  week of the season . Morels hunters  and those  biting blood  suckling  insects   shouldn't  be much of a problem  this year. Good luck , take  only what you need  and leave  the land like you found it.

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Opening  day has come. Has anyone filled  their  tag . The rain and wind  most have made it difficult. Still, I have a few reports  of tagged  toms.

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First  week of turkey  season northern  Michigan started  out cool and by Wednesday  evening  it was 17  and  snowing. We awoke to 1.5 inches  of cold white stuff Thursday  morning, the wind gusts  were 20 to 25 miles an  hour. By the afternoon, the weather started  to change  for the better. Friday  and Saturday  were sunny and in the 50s with lite winds.  We lit up toms all three days. But they were  henned up and could not be called into shotgun distance. A few birds were taken, in our area . All and all it was a good time.

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Several  nice toms were taken, the last half of season  1 and the beginning  of season 2. With  warmer weather coming. More and more tags should  be filled this spring. Sources tell me a large 30 lb plus is strutting  around the Mancelona area.  It's been seen several times. Southern lower MI. Has also had it's share  of  toms taken  so far this season.