15 May Muzzleloader
A photo from the 06 muzzleloader season from a member that puts in the time both scouting and hunting.
FamilyWell it's done. I never know quite what to do with myself once the season is over and/or I've filled all the tags I can. It all went by so fast, although that first morning nearly one and a half months ago sitting with one of my kids on the edge of the timber waiting on that first gobble seems much more distant than that. I've probably hunted more days this spring than any other in the past. The weather, fewer birds, less gobbling, and more hens (or so it seemed) made it one of the toughest springs I can recall for some time. But the kids and I had several memorable hunts and even managed to wrap our tags around several gobbler legs... we also had a few close calls and a couple of clean misses while hunting three different states but boy, was it a hard road. I'm not completely certain how many days I hunted or accompanied another hunter or one of my kids, but I do know that I didn't get much work done in April...I'll pay for that later this summer I'm sure.
From my perspective, the turkeys appeared to behave the same whether I was hunting Missouri or Oklahoma or Kansas...and the Kansas gobblers I hunted this past weekend acted no different from those I hunted a month ago. The only difference I could tell was the weather. The first time was very windy and cold...rain followed by freezing rain and sleet, mixed with a little snow for good measure. You had to pack on the clothes like you were November deer hunting in order to sit still for very long. My most recent Kansas hunt was the exact opposite, weather-wise anyway, but the turkeys did not appear to act any different than they did a month ago...gobble good on roost...gobble a little on the ground...then nothing...and more nothing...and hens all over the place. We found the first nest April 16...the hen was setting on 13 eggs. I found the last nest May 11...the hen was not around that I could see but there were 9 eggs. I even heard from a Missouri conservation agent of poults observed with hens as early as the third week of April.
But it was a good spring...and one the kids and I will be revisiting for a good while...and hopefully we learned something in the process too. We did a lot of walking, enjoyed some new properties, and had some nice chats around the fire. We also had some very entertaining encounters with deer and other critters that my daughter is still laughing about. I didn't always have a camera with me, especially when I was hunting by myself, but I've included a few photos of the season. My thanks to all MAHA staff...for providing us members with some great properties to hunt and for managing the club in a manner that provides us with such fine opportunities to pursue our passion. Now...time to go fishing!
btw...I warned my son that if he insisted on dressing that way around camp that he might find his picture on the website...
Thanks Matt for a great account of your spring season and pictures we all like to see. You are not alone at experiencing a tough spring hunt. Almost all except the lucky few that his the short windows of good weather had hard hunts. Mud inaccessible roads, snow, wind and rain were the common experiences this spring.
Always interesting to read how the birds worked. It was common this spring from all the member feedback both posted tot he update and that which was not to have the theme that each bird was earned. Few lucky hunts this year. Any time nests are found with egg count and put to dates helps understanding how henned up the toms are at any given time. Thanks for that tidbit.
Those Against UsMake No Mistake – HSUS Has Targeted Hunting for Extinction (Click for more) The Humane Society of the United States plans to pick off your hunting and trapping heritage – and it is only getting started. A recent online message from HSUS President Wayne Pacelle spells out what aspects of the traditional lifestyle are next on the hit list. From the US Sportsmen's Alliance, May 14, 2007
More Than Harvest
From one of our late winter land runs. Just happened to catch this one while looking over a potential lease.
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