tterns are changing

I'm hearing fewer and fewer gobblers in the morning these last few days. They seem to have scattered around the area. I still here some each morning but they are not bunching up as before. I saw two hens this morning as well. First I've seen in about two weeks. They were not together either. They were several hundred yards apart. One was being bird doged by a young gobbler.
 
I suppose the hens are all nesting but I'm concerned about how the poults will fare after the extended downpours that we have been having here. There's been flooding and relentless rain right in the middle of nesting season. This is the third season in a row that we've had similar condtions. All the hunters I have spoken with in NY & NJ all claim that they are seeing and hearing fewer birds this year. My neighborhood is an exception because hunting is not allowed here and the birds have access to food all year round. We'll see how well the birds will do around the States.

The freshest tracks still have feet in them.

My season has been one big bust!!!  I should have filled my tag up north last week when a jake came charging in silent from 200+ yards out to my call, but I let him go.  I think I made a big mistake and there will be no turkey in the freezer this year the way it's looking now!  It's by far the quietest and worst season I've ever had since I started hunting birds 15 years ago!

Mike Stephenson
aka Topgun----30-06

I had a good season this year. The first day i got to see a turkey fight. the loser of the fight ran right to me and the guy i was calling for. I told him to shoot but he wanted to see if he could get the winner. He passed a 2 year bird saying it is only 1 hour into the season i have plenty of time. Famous last words he chased that big old tom for 5 days and never got him in range.
 Second weekend of season i called in a bird for my cousin. He took a 20 lb. tom.
Last weekend of season the rain washed out the road to my best spot.
I wonder what effect the rain will have on the nesting hens.