2017 Bird Reports

Congrats to all involved in the youth hunt. Let's start with Period A and follow the season with Hunting reports, conditions, pics of birds killed. Good luck to everyone!

Helped call for a good friend of mine this morning.  First time turkey hunting and he connects on this 23lb gobbler with a double beard. Only had 3/4 inch spurs.  What a great morning to be out in Washington County.  My buddy is addicted now, he wants to come out next weekend with me.  

 This guy tried to sneak by me silent. 22# 11" beard 1 1/4" spurs.My first spring Tom.

This is the 3rd year my daughter got to play "hookey" on her birthday and turkey hunt with me.  

Forgot the decoys at home & realized when we got there I only had 1 shell in my vest!  Changed up our original plan and set up unknowingly within 150 yds of 4 toms.  3 long-beards came from the left and one from the right.  Done by 6 a.m.  23#, 11 1/8" beard and 1" spur.  Her first tag is in two weeks!

Had some time to get myself out on Saturday. Set up on field edge 100 yards from birds in tree. Had one hen and strutting Tom decoys. Hens flew down walked by decoy set with no stopping. Tom comes out from woods Heads straight for decoys. Let him get 25 yards. Just under 24 lbs; 10 1/4 beards 1 1/8 spus. Lot of nice birds this year. Have to wait 2 more weeks before next week tag. 

Took son out 2 nd week. Had four toms gobbling there heads off less than a 100 yards from are set up. Here birds fly down still gobbling. Had two toms come out to field in front and the other two flanked us. Mad a few calls both toms see hen decoy one runs back in woods, and the other one comes running to decoy.   Let the bird get to decoy and make a good shot. 23 lbs 9 1/2 beard 3/8 inch spurs

Took daughter out for 1st week for her tag. Had a nice Tom come in hot to two hen decoys at 7 am . Well placed shot at 20 yards. 24 1/ 2 pounds 10 1/4 beard 1 1/8 Spurs 

Started out the year well. Took a young girl and mother out with our shadows of the wolf youth and learn to hunt program.  The young girl connected in the morning with two toms coming into decoys,.Than went looking for a bird for her mother. Ended up stalking within 80 yards of the bird, did a few calls and the Tom comes in to 18 yards. Moms bird on left, 24 lbs 10 inch beard, 1 inch spurs. Daughters bird 19 lbs, 10 inch beard, 1 inch Spurs. Can't figure the weight difference. Birds shot in same area. Had a fun weekend.

waupaca co:

hunted hard thurs. pm through yesterday, nothing thursday but wind and rain, friday was a very nice calm but cloudy morning had a gobbler behind blind about 80yds in shut up when he hit the ground, 7:30am i hear 2 gobbles out to right of my set i glass the field edge and see 2 toms running right at me, i get the gun up and poke it out the blind both toms are running around decoys bobbin and weaving next to each other i finally get a clear shot at ones head and pow!  bird flops back i cycle another shell and look out as the bird runs at me then takes flight back into the swamp, wth! swing and a miss!  really!  go back and look for him but just hear him gobble on next property to the east, well that was dum! go set back up and hunt till 1pm I had 2 other toms come through but stayed out of range, they didnt like the tom decoy i guess. also saw 2 hens but not as many birds overall as I normally see. saturday out early heard one gobble and saw 2 hens hunted til 10:30am, went and set up at another spot saw and heard nothing, went in ate lunch set up at another spot sat in the cold wind til 6:30pm said screw this, walked down trail along big corn fields and i see 2 toms feeding my way set up fast just as i sit i hear leaves crunching here come 10 or so jakes/hens yelpin and cackling in thick cover they didnt like something and started cluckin and trottin off, ok! now im leavin head back out and still see 2 toms in field set up again and see a hen coming my way she gets about 10ft  and starts purin cuttin yelpin the whole 9 was a very cool experience being that close and hearing all the different noises a turkey can make, toms never came. set back up at that spot sunday am in cold wind and mist and had a gobbler goin even after fly down gobblin my way and crossed behind me about 40yds but never came up over the ridge, set up trying to cut him off and saw or heard nothing, was a tough weekend and birds were really strange but i blew my chance so i cant complain to much onto C in zone 2 with a buddy hopefully he gets the job done.   good huntin all and congrats to all who have shot one already!

Miserable weather for this second season here in SW WI, best two mornings I was not able to hunt. Got it done in the mist and high winds this morning.  Birds still seem a little bunched up in some areas. Not going to bother this afternoon, hopefully next two nights we can get my 12 yr old daughter on a bird.  

Good luck to everyone. 

Edit: forgot pic. Nobody to snap the photo, but the strong tail wind helped out.

Finally got it done yesterday morning. The birds have been really henned up, but this guy and two of his buddies broke off from the main flock. Big mistake. Dane County.