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MHF US Northwest => Hunting Idaho => Topic started by: hooknhunter on Mar 29, 2011, 11:58:33 AM

Title: Turkey in Idaho.
Post by: hooknhunter on Mar 29, 2011, 11:58:33 AM
Anyone going after a Turkey here in Idaho?  I am planning on going out, just can't decide if I am going to go close to home, or if I want to run up to central Idaho.
Title: Re: Turkey in Idaho.
Post by: Archery Central on Apr 06, 2011, 12:02:32 PM
yea your going out with me - this is Matt,
Matt
Title: Re: Turkey in Idaho.
Post by: drobertsinMaryland on Apr 06, 2011, 05:18:21 PM
Good luck out there fellas. 8)
Title: Re: Turkey in Idaho.
Post by: Brentster7189 on Apr 06, 2011, 11:31:49 PM
I just got my box call today, I'm excited to try something new, I just need to figure out where I want to go...where those darn things are hanging out!
Title: Re: Turkey in Idaho.
Post by: Raquettedacker on Apr 07, 2011, 05:19:29 AM
yea your going out with me - this is Matt,
Matt



      Welcome to the site Archery Central and  Brentster7189.  I hope you guys enjoy it here.....
Title: Re: Turkey in Idaho.
Post by: hooknhunter on Apr 07, 2011, 08:08:09 AM
I just got my box call today, I'm excited to try something new, I just need to figure out where I want to go...where those darn things are hanging out!

I can tell you this much.  You'll have a lot better (more enjoyable) time and lot better chance of killing a bird if you can get on some private land.
Title: Re: Turkey in Idaho.
Post by: Archery Central on Apr 07, 2011, 12:55:37 PM
yea that's the truth, private land if you got access, I don't..... :(
Matt
Title: Re: Turkey in Idaho.
Post by: hooknhunter on Apr 10, 2011, 12:25:10 PM
I went and did some scouting yesterday.  Very disappointing.  My "guage" is an area I've been hunting and scouting for years.  The fewest birds I've ever seen there is 3 toms and about 10 hens.  Yesterday, there was 1 tom and 0 hens.  I did see some birds on private land, but the private land I usually hunt is locked up for me this year.  Looks like it is going to be a very tough year. :( :( :( :(.  I haven't given up though. 

Once I got home, I was putting the ATV away and it started making a noise in the clutch area.  Perhaps I'm losing a belt.  I'll try to get it figured out this week.  Seems everything I've touched in the last 24 hours as gone to heck.......
Title: Re: Turkey in Idaho.
Post by: Brentster7189 on Apr 10, 2011, 11:46:41 PM
Good luck with your ride.  Sorry to hear about the birds, any reason why the number would be low?
Title: Re: Turkey in Idaho.
Post by: hooknhunter on Apr 11, 2011, 09:08:15 AM
Good luck with your ride.  Sorry to hear about the birds, any reason why the number would be low?

Hard winter, hard winter in 2007 without a great rebound in populations, birds are lower than normal due to late spring.  We seem to be about 1-2 full weeks behind the norm.....
Title: Re: Turkey in Idaho.
Post by: Archery Central on Apr 11, 2011, 09:29:09 AM
thats not very good.... I am planning on going scouting this week one day I think, did you see lots of snow? is that why you think it's going too be a late spring? I have an appt. on Friday, but will be available after 12a.m. hooknhunter.. let me know if your up for at least going on a drive on opening day, do you plan on going out opening weekend? or you can call me.....
Matt
Title: Re: Turkey in Idaho.
Post by: hooknhunter on Apr 11, 2011, 11:54:38 AM
Kill-switch,

There was lots of snow.  More than I've ever seen this late.  I think there are birds, I just think they are really low.  Those on private land are going to slay them, I think.  I talked to one of my land owners where I usually get in.  He already has people lined up.  I should have called a month earlier.  He said he has had only a few birds on his place.  While I was there Saturday, I saw about 30 birds on his place at least 5 of which were toms, which is somewhere between normal and 1.5-2x of normal for his place.  He said he hadn't seen more than 1 tom until that day.  I think they are just now starting to move up good, which is why (I think) there was only 1 bird on my "gauge" location.  Right now I am un-decided if I want to go out this week end or not.  I could be persuaded if I knew we could get on birds, but it will probably be the usual opening weekend ZOO, which is not much fun IMO.  I'd like to wait until Thursday of next week then hit it for a day.  I tried to call you on Saturday afternoon, but you didn't answer.

Are you going to scout out some of your usual spots we talked about?  Either way, call me and give me a report when you get back.
Title: Re: Turkey in Idaho.
Post by: Archery Central on Apr 11, 2011, 07:04:32 PM
bad service out here, sometimes the phone rings and other time's it doesn't..... :o retarded.. anyway, yea I was thinking Wed. I would go look around and make a decision than, but I think we should do Wed. next week so basically in 9 days... I hate opening weekend also, don't ever go out than unless it opens in the middle of the week.... try and call me about 7:45 p.m. tonight, dinner is running alittle late, forgot too take meat out, so hot water too unthaw....
Matt
Title: Re: Turkey in Idaho.
Post by: hooknhunter on Apr 12, 2011, 08:08:33 AM
Wednesday's are out for me.  I was hoping we could make it Thursday.
Title: Re: Turkey in Idaho.
Post by: Archery Central on Apr 12, 2011, 10:15:26 AM
I could do a thursday.... that would be fine...
Matt
Title: Re: Turkey in Idaho.
Post by: hooknhunter on Apr 16, 2011, 02:37:18 PM
God blessed me this morning with a great turkey hunt!  My son and I have both been sick all week and my son backed out this morning at the last minute.  My wife asked if I was taking my rain gear and I said "No, if it rains hard enough that I need it, I'll just come home.  I don't need pneumonia". 

I didn't expect much as I was going into a new area that is public access and is normally hammered with people.  I found a gobbler on the roost and moved into within about 150 yards.  The lay of the land and the vegetation was perfect for the direction I was coming in.  By the time I located the bird I was past him, so I had to come in from his back side, which was good.  I'm pretty sure they get called to from the other side a lot, but not too often from the back.  I was worried others would hear the gobbling and move in on me, but it never happened.

So I set up about 150 yards away in a bit of a saddle and I had a plan for him to come in from around some brush.  As normal, the turkeys didn't do what I wanted, so when they flew down, they headed through the brush and came in behind me.  I could see them coming through the brush, but I couldn't move.  When the birds came in close, I had both of them at 10 yards, right behind me.  The tom saw my jakester deek and started putting in an inquisitive way, but they didn't run off.  I waited..........

I heard him drumming, so I knew he was strutting, but I could also tell that he had moved off a bit (but I couldn't see them because I didn't dare turn around), so I decided I needed to make a move.  I rolled to my right and turned around.  The hen was still there, in sight, and inside 20 yards.  I was BUSTED!  But she didn't fly?!?  The tom must have seen her looking at me and must have heard my clothing ruffle as I turned, because he popped up over the hill at about 30 yards.  I gave him a full load of 6's and the rest is history.   It started raining just as I got to the truck... :) :) :) :) :) :)

(http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t142/nmhahunter/Turkey%202011/P4160002.jpg)

(http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t142/nmhahunter/Turkey%202011/P4160013.jpg)

(http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t142/nmhahunter/Turkey%202011/P4160003.jpg)

Title: Re: Turkey in Idaho.
Post by: bogmanjr on Apr 16, 2011, 02:53:15 PM
Good deal, congrat's.
Title: Re: Turkey in Idaho.
Post by: hooknhunter on Apr 16, 2011, 02:58:31 PM
Thanks.
Title: Re: Turkey in Idaho.
Post by: Brentster7189 on Apr 16, 2011, 08:33:10 PM
Congrats on a great day!  The only thing I killed was some grass before it rained.
Title: Re: Turkey in Idaho.
Post by: Archery Central on Apr 17, 2011, 11:28:12 AM
hopefully i will be wacking one with the bow this week... congrats....
Matt
Title: Re: Turkey in Idaho.
Post by: ramrod on Apr 18, 2011, 12:17:47 PM
Congrats hnh ;D   great story!! i love the light tips on the back and tail feathers. someday im gonna get me 1 of them perty western birds  ;D
Title: Re: Turkey in Idaho.
Post by: hooknhunter on Apr 18, 2011, 02:01:33 PM
White tips?  Those are dark for here!  If I could upload a picture right now I'd put a picture here of a bird my wife shot a few years ago.  It scored 59.5 and had really white tips.  It was the prettiest and the largest turkey I've been associate with.  I also have another picture of one that is really white.  Both would make this one look very dark!  I'll try to remember to put it here later.
Title: Re: Turkey in Idaho.
Post by: BlueDuck on Apr 29, 2011, 11:14:04 AM
Congrats on the nice bird hook.  The place I like to hunt is still under a foot or more of snow.  But I should have access in a week or two.  Love them turkeys.....
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