May 2007 Updates page 5
12 May
Fall Seasons Vacation Planning
Trends to consider for scheduling the all too valuable vacation days.
Recent fall weather patterns most will agree have been warmer than what memory serves over past seasons. The warmer temperatures combined with standing crops, especially corn, have made early season upland bird hunts difficult with both dog and hunter heat fatigue as well as poor scent conditions. Come the second week in December is what most will agree will be the early timing for the more predictable cooler winter weather with increased daily moisture (dew/frost) and overall precipitation. Those that have hunted the last couple of opening weeks have fallen into two camps. The first are those that simply believe the birds are down and the habitat poor. The other group is the one that recognizes early hunts for break-in time and an excuse to get out. This latter group hunts the hardest during the last half of the season.
Deer hunters have been counter what had been common belief and many found the warm early archery season temperatures and standing corn to their advantage. These hunters largely compose those traveling from the warmer southern states while the northern state hunters find warm days in stand contrary to good deer hunts. Several discussions have included comments the deer during warmer weather are less likely to move as far when bumped, likely to return to more predictable patterns, just as easy to scout as other times and more. One observation from this side of the telephone recently as well as having some long standing is that the deer hunters that have the most enjoyable hunts are the ones that hunt the portion of the rut they have the most familiarity with in their own home state rather than the hunter that may hunt early rut back home and hunts peak rut elsewhere.
A secondary consideration for this fall was this past April’s unusual freeze that caused many corn farmers to loose their first planting. That plus pre-emergent corn herbicides time in soil effectiveness and high corn values caused many to replant their corn fields later than desired making it more likely to be in the fields longer to reach maturity this fall.
Duck hunters of long standing will tell no one can predict the migration peak until it happens. This comes from an old timer of 70 seasons, of which 58 were with shotgun in hand. Dad made him wait until he was old enough to shoot and they each shared a single shotgun back then when a box of shells needed to mean 20 – 25 birds in the bag. We have in the past used the MDC historical wetlands counts as a measure to predetermine future peak migration and found the cold winters the peak has been as early as the third week in November and on warm winters no real measurable peak or as late as the third week in December. Both Canada and central mid-west winters were examined. It has been the recent case the warm winters have tended to make the later part of the waterfowl season more productive. That combined with recent dry falls leaving wetlands not as wet as desired until later in the season makes schedule vacation time during the last half of the waterfowl season a more likely prospect for a better hunt.
Fall turkey hunters, the few that we have, rarely have any concern about weather or crops.
Missouri Turkey
"...The reason was the poor nesting and rearing season for turkeys in 2005. Add that to the poor weather for the rest of the season and fewer turkeys are harvested.....The number of spring turkeys harvested from April 16 through May 6 in 2007 was 44,947. That is 6,071 birds below last year and 11,935 birds below the previous record set in 2004...."
The Marshall Democrat News, May 11, 2007, Thomas Davidson/Saline County Conservation Agent
15 May
Muzzleloader Deer
A photo from the 06 muzzleloader deer season from a member that puts in the time both scouting and hunting.
Family
Well 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 turkey 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 Us
Make No Mistake – HSUS Has Targeted Hunting for Extinction.
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.
