2022 Turkey Hunting Thread

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  • BigCountry14

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 17, 2013
    1,668
    Is any one heading out this weekend for the winter season? I normally don't mess with them until Spring, but like to hear about others trips.

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    Brickman301

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 23, 2015
    2,530
    FREDERICK, MD
    Is any one heading out this weekend for the winter season? I normally don't mess with them until Spring, but like to hear about others trips.

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    Thanks for the reminder, I totally forgot about the winter season. With that said, I might try to go out.
     

    gwchem

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 18, 2014
    3,434
    SoMD
    I'm going to try. Not expecting much, with the incoming weather. I'll have to try the state forest, so my neighbor and I planned to walk some power lines.
     

    Virgil Co.C

    Active Member
    Aug 10, 2018
    615
    Yes sir ! Taking off work heading North . Supposed to be cold and snowy. Do a lot of run and gun .A lot of walking and glassing . I hunt them different than spring well because it is different. They are flocked up and easier to spot . Get them to scatter and call them back in , that’s the theory. Decoys ehhh we will see . I only use them early spring usually. After that first week not so much . Found it more productive to make em look . Windy I will get on the field , use decoys . So many scenarios morning time shall tell. Good luck to all going out. Be safe it’s going to be cold
     

    308Scout

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Mar 27, 2020
    6,544
    Washington County
    I'll be out Saturday. I enjoy hunting them across the seasons and the changes in strategy and tactics that each season entails. I remember crossing paths with a couple of novice VA hunters who came up to MD a few years ago for the winter turkey hunt on public land. They were posted up and trying to call them in using loud and frequent spring season calling with snow on the ground in January. Very politely tried to clue them in that their approach probably wasn't going to work out all that well in winter. Didn't see a bird that day, but will remember it well.
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    I wish. I will be out in the spring, but too busy and I don’t fancy my odds. So I’ll focus on the stuff I do have a good chance of success on. Like replacing my wife’s burned out garage door motor and hauling the literal couple of tons of stacked rounds down front so I can tarp them and then split them in a few weeks to burn next winter.

    As much as I “taught myself” deer hunting (okay, plenty of reading and many helpful tips from members here over the years have led to steady improvement). I feel clueless on Turkey hunting. Yeah, I have the general idea. But with no one to be going “oh, yeah that’s a good Turkey call” I feel like I am shooting in the dark. Along with no good idea on what areas are good to hunt them.

    I’ve got SOME ideas. Just that I haven’t had a ton of time to hunt them. So the, I think total, 4 days I’ve tried have amounted to nada.

    I had a gobbler responding to me the first spring day I tried hunting them, but he didn’t want to commit. I managed to bust a flock out of a tree one find January day an hour after daylight near where I thought they were roosting (spoilers, they were still roosting and took off when I snuck to within 60yds of them).

    The other couple of times, nothing.

    I’ve sure as shit seen plenty of turkeys. I see one around my house in the spring once or twice a year (neighbors also have some domestic turkeys that gobble away all spring). I’ve run across them hunting deer in potapsco several times (but can’t hunt them there). Also in Patuxent hunting deer several times (just never seen them in season there). In Greenridge a couple of times deer hunting.

    I do plan to hit public land to Turkey hunt this spring. Hopefully I’ll have a few days I can get out to hunt. If I thought there was a way to call in turkeys to my property I would. But I am pretty sure they don’t frequent it, even in the spring.
     

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,810
    I did a bunch of fall turkey when I was younger. I prefer the spring season and save my tags for that. I rarely have the time to double up in the spring, but I have managed to a couple times. I'm not much for the winter season. Not for me.
     

    fscwi

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 21, 2012
    1,536
    I was archery deer hunting the edge of a field last Saturday in MOCO and had a flock of about a dozen get up into roost in the woods behind me about 4:30. Depending on weather I may be out there again this Saturday, who knows maybe they will be hanging around that area again.
     

    BigCountry14

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 17, 2013
    1,668
    I did a bunch of fall turkey when I was younger. I prefer the spring season and save my tags for that. I rarely have the time to double up in the spring, but I have managed to a couple times. I'm not much for the winter season. Not for me.
    So the fall and winter season no longer impacts the spring (not that I agree with it), so you can actually take 3 per year now.

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    Derwood

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 2, 2011
    1,075
    DC area
    What is the general hunting approach/tactic in the winter season? Scout and ambush? Sounds like they don't respond to calling this time of year.
     

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,810
    What is the general hunting approach/tactic in the winter season? Scout and ambush? Sounds like they don't respond to calling this time of year.

    Probably much like fall hunting. Kee-kee runs, feeding purrs and clucks. Hang out near roosting areas, especially in the afternoon.
     

    Virgil Co.C

    Active Member
    Aug 10, 2018
    615
    Went today . Wet in the morning ,little snow 1/2 hr or so. Temp dropped throughout morning. Mainly glassed for birds and put a few miles in. Existing snow was crunchy. Did not see any birds or hear any shots. Ya know it was a great time I had fun was with my oldest boy and didn’t go to work. Wish I could do it again tomorrow.
     

    Archeryrob

    Undecided on a great many things
    Mar 7, 2013
    3,063
    Washington Co. - Fairplay
    I went out to pick up some crap off tree stands last weekend and three gobblers let me walk up to within 20 yards. They we running off and I was like "I bet this crap doesn't happens in 6 weeks!!"
     

    Virgil Co.C

    Active Member
    Aug 10, 2018
    615
    Haven’t heard anything yet through daily movement. Haven’t scouted yet either as far as getting up early to go listen.seeing birds here and there in fields .not flocked up per say but not single birds either.
     

    gtodave

    Member
    MDS Supporter
    Aug 14, 2007
    14,159
    Mt Airy
    I heard clucks and gobbles the last Saturday of duck season (when it was like 15 degrees). There was a flock roosted behind us a hundred yards away or so.

    That said, I hear gobbles every 20 minutes or so here. Damn bird won't shut up. The hens are laying, and will hopefully sit together soon.

    18839523_10212787712717405_8966867131050310266_o.jpg
     

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