Is it over?

PalsPal

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Oct 1, 2012
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TN
From the lack of posts on here it sure appears so :) !

But, checking the toolbox, 1700 turkeys were killed over the weekend, so it's obviously not over.

Last week was a great week as I got two and my dad got one.

Saturday was the first trip to middle TN that we can remember where we did not hear a single gobble.

Resting up a little the first of this week has felt good, but I want to play a few more times before its nothing but memories!
 

DeerCamp

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Jul 28, 2020
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3,777
Henderson County - Had 4 Gobblers blowing up every 10-20 seconds for about 2 hours Friday morning. But it tends to shut down on the weekends here from hunting pressure.

Had some hens out yesterday, haven't seen and bearded fellas since Friday
 

30-06 type of guy

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Oct 5, 2012
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583
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Columbia/hardin co
Mid day Wednesday-Friday was good just across the line. Saturday nothing on roost but I called them up within 30min in range but they wouldn't cross the line. Sunday they were on fire for 30min. Had one at the end of my barrel but he wouldn't come up the bench for me to see him thru the weeds.
 

Gravey

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Jul 20, 2005
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38,957
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Christiana (Rutherford County)
It never got started in our area of Hickman :rolleyes: - no birds
Hunted our lease in Hickman Saturday morning and heard 4 birds. Came back to some I was on early that wouldn't play and had one at 45 yards. Could've killed him but was waiting on him to get closer. He went behind something where I couldn't see him and when he cleared was at 57 and never got any closer.
 

JCDEERMAN

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Jul 19, 2008
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NASHVILLE, TN
Hunted our lease in Hickman Saturday morning and heard 4 birds. Came back to some I was on early that wouldn't play and had one at 45 yards. Could've killed him but was waiting on him to get closer. He went behind something where I couldn't see him and when he cleared was at 57 and never got any closer.
Wish you could have sealed the deal! This is the first time in 21 years we have not heard a gobble on our property. I've had 4 cameras out since the beginning of March and could count the number of turkeys on camera combined on two hands. We've seen 2 hens on the property all year combined. This is on 700 acres of land. No poop, no tracks, nothing. It's sad.
 

Gravey

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Jul 20, 2005
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Christiana (Rutherford County)
Wish you could have sealed the deal! This is the first time in 21 years we have not heard a gobble on our property. I've had 4 cameras out since the beginning of March and could count the number of turkeys on camera combined on two hands. We've seen 2 hens on the property all year combined. This is on 700 acres of land. No poop, no tracks, nothing. It's sad.
That's crazy! We're about 5 miles off the Bucksnort exit.
 

Ocoee Ridge Runner

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May 4, 2013
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98
Location
East TN
I've located one in South Cherokee that gobbles two or three times on the roost and goes quiet the rest of the morning. It's a long steep hike in to where he is at but I'm going to give him a couple more attempts.
 

bgant

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Jul 15, 2019
Messages
35
Wish you could have sealed the deal! This is the first time in 21 years we have not heard a gobble on our property. I've had 4 cameras out since the beginning of March and could count the number of turkeys on camera combined on two hands. We've seen 2 hens on the property all year combined. This is on 700 acres of land. No poop, no tracks, nothing. It's sad.
Have you seen an uptick in armadillo activity? Just curious. I've been all over Cheatham WMA this year and other than finding a gobbler on the roost opening morning, I've not found tracks, scat, scratching, or any type of sign. But what I have found everywhere in that place is armadillo sign. And I mean everywhere! Not saying armadillos are single handedly destroying the population at Cheatham, but I get the feeling they're playing a big part robbing nests.
 

Bone Collector

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Sep 9, 2009
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Murfreesboro, TN
I didn't want to ay anything, because I didn't want to jinx it, but I have been hunting Rutherford and Wilson counties mainly. I have not had a morning hunt where I didn't hear gobbling. Birds have been plentiful this year. I let one walk to try to get a bigger one and If I had not I'd be done, but I am glad I am not. I hope they continue to gobble the rest of the year. Seems they start earlier here and I hear gobbling most mornings so long as a bird is in the area even late in the season.

I got sick this weekend, but hope to be back at it for the last 2 weekends. Hopefully I can get #3 and help my nephew(s) get another.
 

JCDEERMAN

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Jul 19, 2008
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NASHVILLE, TN
Have you seen an uptick in armadillo activity? Just curious. I've been all over Cheatham WMA this year and other than finding a gobbler on the roost opening morning, I've not found tracks, scat, scratching, or any type of sign. But what I have found everywhere in that place is armadillo sign. And I mean everywhere! Not saying armadillos are single handedly destroying the population at Cheatham, but I get the feeling they're playing a big part robbing nests.
I waged war on armadillos about 10 years ago. It is a rule for everyone to carry a rifle on our place no matter what you're doing (specifically for them). When we go to weed-eat our fruit trees, the UTV's look like an army brigade heading out there. Seriously, I bet we've killed a couple hundred. The day I waged war on them, I killed 7 the first 15 minutes. We have seen a huge reduction in them the last year or two. I'm hoping this big ice/snow storm we had earlier this year killed off quite a few. Though, the last two times I've been down there, I've killed 3. All in random spots - 1) while checking a camera 2) while fishing 3) while pissing off our front porch
 

megalomaniac

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Oct 28, 2005
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14,596
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Mississippi
Have you seen an uptick in armadillo activity? Just curious. I've been all over Cheatham WMA this year and other than finding a gobbler on the roost opening morning, I've not found tracks, scat, scratching, or any type of sign. But what I have found everywhere in that place is armadillo sign. And I mean everywhere! Not saying armadillos are single handedly destroying the population at Cheatham, but I get the feeling they're playing a big part robbing nests.
Cheatham problem is the mass influx of hunters opening week. That place gets hammered (surprisingly by NRs) early. Have a buddy who hunts there regularly, and he has been seeing 4 NR plates for every resident. That pressure shuts birds up fast. Last week may be better as pressure drops.

Used to be a great place to hunt when hunt days were limited years ago.
 

hooks

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May 14, 2019
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50
Location
Maury County, TN
Cheatham problem is the mass influx of hunters opening week. That place gets hammered (surprisingly by NRs) early. Have a buddy who hunts there regularly, and he has been seeing 4 NR plates for every resident. That pressure shuts birds up fast. Last week may be better as pressure drops.

Used to be a great place to hunt when hunt days were limited years ago.
4 NRs for every resident is about right. It's not just opening week either. Had a pretty steady influx even into the third week this year.
 
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