I'm coming to TNDeer to lick my wounds. Hunted hard (4/18-20) on the Yuchi WMA Turkey Hunt that took six years (5 Priority Points), to get drawn for. Scouting the week before, I found three good areas I liked. However I ended up only hunting one of those areas all three days because it was FULL OF GOBBLERS!
I didn't hunt the exact same location any of the three days, adjusting locations slightly each day in an effort get better position on a gobbler. But I was always within 1/2 mile circle. Every morning I listened to 4 or 5, up to 6 or 7 gobblers sounding off - so many it was sometimes hard to distinguish how many you were listening to. Obviously I was sometimes hearing the same birds each subsequent day, but based on my relocations, often not. I have no doubt that over the course of three days, I was in calling distance of at least 10-12 gobblers. On two mornings at daylight, I was set up less than 100 yards, or closer from a gobbler.
Every day they sounded off like demons between 6:30 and 7:30 (Eastern), then they went dead silent and seemingly disappeared like ghosts. I saw multiple hens, one morning I even had a hen literally "bed down" 15 or 20 feet away from me for 30 minutes, only sauntering off when I had to finally straighten up.
I am far from a great caller, but I don't think I'm the worst either. Only one time did one gobbler respond to a call, then he ghosted me. I never laid eyes on a gobbler for three mornings - except when I walked up on three in a field while walking out on Day 1, at the required Noon quitting time. It was highly frustrating - but, that is the definition of turkey hunting, right?
I was just absolutely amazed at the number of birds on Yuchi. And the habitat was amazing. The best looking deer/turkey habitat and management I think I've ever seen on a TWRA management area. Of course it's small, only 1,400 acres, so that makes such management easier. But I was still very impressed by the work they've done there - and obviously the turkey population REALLY likes it!
Congratulations to those who had more skill (or more luck) on Yuchi than I did. I guess I will begin the Priority Point building process again. If you don't know, you'll likely need a minimum five points to get drawn for a Yuchi turkey hunt. I'm not sure I will be "turkey hunt able" (or even alive) by then, but it's very convenient to where I live, so why not.
Thanks for letting me vent. I hope everyone else is shootin' them in the face!
BTW, prior to the hunt I got good intel from other TNDeer members. "Thanks" for that! If anyone gets drawn next year and wants to know where I was, I'll be happy to share.
SOUND UP ON THIS
I didn't hunt the exact same location any of the three days, adjusting locations slightly each day in an effort get better position on a gobbler. But I was always within 1/2 mile circle. Every morning I listened to 4 or 5, up to 6 or 7 gobblers sounding off - so many it was sometimes hard to distinguish how many you were listening to. Obviously I was sometimes hearing the same birds each subsequent day, but based on my relocations, often not. I have no doubt that over the course of three days, I was in calling distance of at least 10-12 gobblers. On two mornings at daylight, I was set up less than 100 yards, or closer from a gobbler.
Every day they sounded off like demons between 6:30 and 7:30 (Eastern), then they went dead silent and seemingly disappeared like ghosts. I saw multiple hens, one morning I even had a hen literally "bed down" 15 or 20 feet away from me for 30 minutes, only sauntering off when I had to finally straighten up.
I am far from a great caller, but I don't think I'm the worst either. Only one time did one gobbler respond to a call, then he ghosted me. I never laid eyes on a gobbler for three mornings - except when I walked up on three in a field while walking out on Day 1, at the required Noon quitting time. It was highly frustrating - but, that is the definition of turkey hunting, right?
I was just absolutely amazed at the number of birds on Yuchi. And the habitat was amazing. The best looking deer/turkey habitat and management I think I've ever seen on a TWRA management area. Of course it's small, only 1,400 acres, so that makes such management easier. But I was still very impressed by the work they've done there - and obviously the turkey population REALLY likes it!
Congratulations to those who had more skill (or more luck) on Yuchi than I did. I guess I will begin the Priority Point building process again. If you don't know, you'll likely need a minimum five points to get drawn for a Yuchi turkey hunt. I'm not sure I will be "turkey hunt able" (or even alive) by then, but it's very convenient to where I live, so why not.
Thanks for letting me vent. I hope everyone else is shootin' them in the face!
BTW, prior to the hunt I got good intel from other TNDeer members. "Thanks" for that! If anyone gets drawn next year and wants to know where I was, I'll be happy to share.
SOUND UP ON THIS
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