Dogwoods

[muddyboots]

Man the dogwoods have bloomed in the last two days here. Dang I like hunting before they bloom. Be a little tougher here this year.

 

[WORM82]

Yep it's getting greener by the day. I would rather hunt before the green up.

 

[Spurhunter]

Yep it's getting greener by the day. I would rather hunt before the green up.

Why? I've never heard anyone say this. I don't like trying to move on a bird when the woods are bare.

 

[PalsPal]

Yep it's getting greener by the day. I would rather hunt before the green up.

Yep. I have applied the old saying on car mirrors to gobbling birds after greenup, "gobblers are CLOSER than they appear" !

 

[muddyboots]

Yep it's getting greener by the day. I would rather hunt before the green up.

Why? I've never heard anyone say this. I don't like trying to move on a bird when the woods are bare.

I love hunting before green up. Calling works way better. I would have loved to have hunted the last two weeks. Hunting would have been amazing. Gonna b tough here now.

 

[Andy S.]

I have applied the old saying on car mirrors to gobbling birds after greenup, "gobblers are CLOSER than they appear" !

Ditto, as well as closer than they sound, due to the foliage dampening their gobble to some extent.

 

[Setterman]

I do not understand the pre green up mentality I love it far more after there's some leaves and cover plus the birds behave better

 

[chebuck]

I do not understand the pre green up mentality I love it far more after there's some leaves and cover plus the birds behave better

I'm with you. Seems like about the third week of the season is prime time for calling one in for me in the past years.

 

[Andy S.]

My favorite times of the spring are mid greenup time (transitioning to full foliage), and full foliage. I can setup ten times better when there is foliage that allows me to get away with more movement, as well as take more risks that I'd never take pre green up. The closer I get, the shorter distance I have to call them to the gun.

 

[muddyboots]

I do not understand the pre green up mentality I love it far more after there's some leaves and cover plus the birds behave better

Location location location. My best hunting every year is before green up.

 

[Spurhunter]

I do not understand the pre green up mentality I love it far more after there's some leaves and cover plus the birds behave better

I'm with you. Seems like about the third week of the season is prime time for calling one in for me in the past years.

My favorite times of the spring are mid greenup time (transitioning to full foliage), and full foliage. I can setup ten times better when there is foliage that allows me to get away with more movement, as well as take more risks that I'd never take pre green up. The closer I get, the shorter distance I have to call them to the gun.

Glad y'all weighed in. I was starting to wonder if I was crazy!

 

[Southern Sportsman]

If anybody keeps a hunting journal, go back and review 2012. It was 93 degrees on opening day here and dogwoods had been in full bloom for weeks. It was green everywhere. I have never called to more receptive gobblers in the early season. Seemed like a bird came in to every setup.

Before that season I was worried that we would "miss" something because spring was so early. Now, i'm a huge fan of early springs.

 

[PickettSFHunter]

When the oak leaves are the size of a squirrels ear, it's time to hunt lol that's what old timers always told me. It's usually around the April 15 timeframe in my area and that's when my favorite hunting time is.


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[REN]

I to like when leaves start coming in makes it much easier to set up. The down side is some of the fields I hunt start getting to tall and they quit using them which stinks


Joshua 24:15
"But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."


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[Woodsman10]

I don't care either way, I'll be hunting every day regardless. As far as calling up and killing a gobbler, the greener the easier. Early season when mature hardwoods are wide open its hard to get a gobbler to come in, especially in flats or river bottoms. My rule of thumb is get to where the turkey will be in range when I see him. If he can see 100 yards through open hardwoods he will usually hang up.

I never complain about early green up or late green up, it doesn't effect the gobblers mood or breeding. Basically it's a length of day thing for turkeys. Although I tend to believe that it can fluctuate such as 2012 when it was full green by the opener, and 2011? Maybe was like a month late. Overall length of day controls thier breeding.

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[Woodsman10]

But to me the prettiest time to hunt is when the dog woods are full bloomed, and ever tree has small light green leaves. It'll be that way in a week or two.

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[muddyboots]

Figured for sure this was old Muddy's annual season starting to late, turkeys are done thread :roll: Judging by what he has seen and said, I reckon that can't be very far off :) Always amazed at the number of those I run into each year who believe that very same thing. I personally prefer early leafout. Makes maneuvering on gobblers as well as blending in on a set up more effective. It also weeds out a lot of those who don't know any better after the first week of season ;)

They aren't done. Just my favorite part of the season has past here. I love hunting them early. They are with hens daylight til dark now. I ran 2 cameras for a month. Lots gobblers without hens up until March 24th. Most all pics now they are with hens.

May not be that way where you hunt. I just know how it is here. I would love too hunt two weeks ago. And IMO the season is too late for my liking. I would much rather it open earlier than stay open longer.

 

[ridgehunter]

I love hunting before the dogwoods bloom,sometimes I am done myself and start calling for other people.But a long time ago a good turkey hunter that got me in to turkey hunting,told me to take my vacation when the dogwoods start blooming because thats when the turkeys are the hottest.I have found this to be true and thats what I did for years.

 

[Gravey]

I prefer a little more green so I can ease around with more cover.

 

[bowhunterfanatic]

I do not understand the pre green up mentality I love it far more after there's some leaves and cover plus the birds behave better

Location location location. My best hunting every year is before green up.

It's not just you. Our birds cooperate much better before green up as well.

 

[knightrider]

this thread is hilarious, gobblers are gobblers from march to may, the only things that change is how you approach them from early to late season. the foliage only allows me to get closer to them its not a hindrance in any way!!! :rotf:

 

[Southern Sportsman]

this thread is hilarious, gobblers are gobblers from march to may, the only things that change is how you approach them from early to late season. the foliage only allows me to get closer to them its not a hindrance in any way!!! :rotf:

So you dont think it affects gobblers when more hens go to nest and are no longer breeding?

 

[knightrider]

this thread is hilarious, gobblers are gobblers from march to may, the only things that change is how you approach them from early to late season. the foliage only allows me to get closer to them its not a hindrance in any way!!! :rotf:

So you dont think it affects gobblers when more hens go to nest and are no longer breeding?

guess you missed the approach part? ive never seen a gobbler that wasn't interested in breeding at any part of our season its all in your approach a turkey is just that a turkey.

 

[muddyboots]

this thread is hilarious, gobblers are gobblers from march to may, the only things that change is how you approach them from early to late season. the foliage only allows me to get closer to them its not a hindrance in any way!!! :rotf:

So you dont think it affects gobblers when more hens go to nest and are no longer breeding?

guess you missed the approach part? ive never seen a gobbler that wasn't interested in breeding at any part of our season its all in your approach a turkey is just that a turkey.

I see several at the end of the season that aren't interested in breeding.

 

[catman529]

I love turkey hunting when the woods are bare all the way till they are a dense green jungle. If there's a bird gobbling in there somewhere, I'm game

 

[Setterman]

If anybody keeps a hunting journal, go back and review 2012. It was 93 degrees on opening day here and dogwoods had been in full bloom for weeks. It was green everywhere. I have never called to more receptive gobblers in the early season. Seemed like a bird came in to every setup.

Before that season I was worried that we would "miss" something because spring was so early. Now, i'm a huge fan of early springs.

That year was a hideous slaughter I honestly could've killed 20 birds that season. I've never seen anything like the suicide gobblers every day in the woods

After that year I realized early, late, or normal hunting is always good. I just change my approach each year, and have gobbling birds basically the entire season