# Turkey Numbers



## Packout (Nov 20, 2007)

Been out scouting a bit in UT and Sanpete Counties for my daughter's hunt this weekend and have had some trouble finding birds. I've always been able to find birds before in the areas I scouted. Not a huge problem as she is only 12 and the tag will get us out on some hikes together. 

Have any of you guys who had the LE tags noticed less numbers-- maybe winterkill?

..


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## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

Yup,
I started finding dead birds last February.

http://utahwildlife.net/forum/15-upland-game/170882-turkey-winter-kill.html


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## katorade (Sep 23, 2007)

Areas I hunt, have been hammered, I've seen less toms and several small flocks have disappeared. I've seen a steady decline in flocks starting in 2014. Avererage flock numbers.
2014: 15-25 birds
2015: 12-20
2016-8-12
2017:5-10

This is based on what I've seen in a few different areas on multiple flocks. This winter didn't help, predators, hunters, dispersion. Some of these flocks hardly get hunted. These flocks aren't birds that get transplanted in the winter by the fish and game. Causing lower spring turkey numbers in specific areas. Is there such thing as a turkey cycle? Like how rabbits cycle?

Turkeys Suck, they're everywhere. But there not, they're hard to kill, but they're not.


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## #1DEER 1-I (Sep 10, 2007)

katorade said:


> Areas I hunt, have been hammered, I've seen less toms and several small flocks have disappeared. I've seen a steady decline in flocks starting in 2014. Avererage flock numbers.
> 2014: 15-25 birds
> 2015: 12-20
> 2016-8-12
> ...


I agree with your assertion. Aside from a couple specific areas that's what I've noticed as well. For about 3 years now I've watched specific flocks go down hill. There's one flock that 3 years ago I could go see 100 birds or more in one group, the next year I saw fewer, the next year only a few birds, and this year no birds at all. Another area probably had 60-70 birds frequently, now I run across a track every now and then. This year, two of the areas I usually hunt seemed about the same, one of my normal areas I saw one gen where I usually always see birds, and only one flock that is mainly down in the fields actually has been growing again and doing good. A few years back the DWR moved a lot of them by that flock seems to be making a come back. Currently if this wet weather continues to hold out, nesting and poult survival may not be great either. Wet and cold aren't a good combination for nesting upland or poults trying to survive their first 6-8 weeks.


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## Packout (Nov 20, 2007)

Good input. I am surprised by the drop off, which started a few years ago. Seems winter may have sped it along in the areas I looked at. 

We will still go and spend some time afield. It is her first hunt, so killing isn't a requirement. 

..


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## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

Was out Sun. scouting in our super secret turkey spot with about 20 others guys:shock: Numbers are down in this area as well. Numbers seen last year was down and sign this year is substantially less again.

Plan on doing some exploring down south a ways. Glad to have 30 days to hunt!


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## Kwalk3 (Jun 21, 2012)

I haven't noticed a decline in my area. The birds are distributed a little differently and in more fragmented groups, but I would say the overall number of birds is stable or a little better than last year.


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## SureShot (Oct 2, 2007)

gdog, sounds like you have a secret spot similar to mine.


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## sawsman (Sep 13, 2007)

We saw more birds this year in the area we hunt, than we ever have before. Southern.

Interesting..


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

I think you guys are seeing the result of several different facts. First off, it is normal for turkey and other upland game birds populations to fluctuate from year to year. Also, the "flocks" that you see in the same spots year after year may be at different stages of "breaking up" from their winter flocks resulting in smaller/larger flocks. Also, as most of you are suggesting, overall flock numbers may be in decline or even completely disappear in some areas. Sometimes it takes several years for population numbers to slowly reach a sustainable level(in some areas that number may be zero). Remember, all of these birds have been transplanted and many areas are just not quite the right habitat for the long term survival of turkeys. Sometime we can't even figure out why a good looking turkey area won't support birds. For example, the La Sal mts. appears to be great habitat, but many many transplants have failed. 
Now as to winter kill, turkeys, when in good turkey habitat, are extremely resilient and survive harsh winters much better than mammals. If we have had winter kill here in Utah, it is going to be in proportion to the unsuitability of the habitat in which they are forced to live. I worry more about this wet spring weather we are having than I do about any heavy harsh winter. Low hatchling/poult mortality rates due to cold wet weather is the major factor in turkey numbers for the following year.
The good news is that we have turkeys and they are here to stay in many areas. The total normal number will vary from year to year, but that's just the way it is with upland game.


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## plottrunner (Apr 3, 2008)

We too saw more birds this year. We went out 3 times hunting, we were in birds all three times and harvested a decent tom on the third trip. No pre-scouting and didn't even hunt our usual haunts do to the drive distance. We were also in the southern region.


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Turkeys seem to be everywhere now days. I think the general trend is up over last year and the year before that and the year before that ect. What a success story they have become in utah.

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## wyoming2utah (Sep 12, 2007)

I know some people won't like me saying this, but the turkey success story in Utah has kind of replaced the pheasant hunting downfall. It would be nice to see the pheasants make a big comeback, but the habitat has just changed dramatically.

For me, bird hunting has never been of great allure...turkey hunting, though, is a lot like elk hunting. So, for me, the increase in turkey numbers has been great! I remember as a kid when turkeys were first introduced into the Cedar City area, it was fun to see a few. I also remember how their numbers would jump up and down dramatically seemingly on a yearly basis. Now, though, that Rios have been introduced and the Merriams and the Rios have hybridized, it seems that the turkey populations have gone through the roof!

Though I haven't been out this year yet and I don't know how to compare numbers from this year to years past, overall turkey numbers to me are way up!


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## #1DEER 1-I (Sep 10, 2007)

wyoming2utah said:


> I know some people won't like me saying this, but the turkey success story in Utah has kind of replaced the pheasant hunting downfall. It would be nice to see the pheasants make a big comeback, but the habitat has just changed dramatically.
> 
> For me, bird hunting has never been of great allure...turkey hunting, though, is a lot like elk hunting. So, for me, the increase in turkey numbers has been great! I remember as a kid when turkeys were first introduced into the Cedar City area, it was fun to see a few. I also remember how their numbers would jump up and down dramatically seemingly on a yearly basis. Now, though, that Rios have been introduced and the Merriams and the Rios have hybridized, it seems that the turkey populations have gone through the roof!
> 
> Though I haven't been out this year yet and I don't know how to compare numbers from this year to years past, overall turkey numbers to me are way up!


Ahh pheasants, how I miss the few them. I am not very old but even when I was younger pheasant hunting was better than what it is now. Even in or valley farming practices have changed and the birds are all but gone. I saw only one gen with chicks last year down where we feed our cows, and only one wild rooster while hunting. This spring I have only seen one rooster and 2 hens although on several occasions. It seems they are the last 3 pheasants left in the general area I usually hunt and feed our cows. I agree turkey hunting is very enjoyable and it's great to see birds across the state....but the cackle of a long tailed rooster will always hold a special place in my heart and memories and it's sad to think those days are all but gone. It's even sadder to see places I've hunted and killed pheasants are now homes and asphalt roads.


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## Tall Tines (Apr 16, 2017)

swbuckmaster said:


> Turkeys seem to be everywhere now days. I think the general trend is up over last year and the year before that and the year before that ect. What a success story they have become in utah.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk


It's about the only success story the DNR has in this state... well that and carp I suppose


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Tall Tines said:


> It's about the only success story the DNR has in this state... well that and carp I suppose


Chucker
Fishing has never been better. 
Deer and elk are also doing good imho. 
Bears numbers are at an all time high. 
Dwr is doing pretty good imho

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## Kwalk3 (Jun 21, 2012)

Tall Tines said:


> It's about the only success story the DNR has in this state... well that and carp I suppose


And mtn. Goats, and elk, and bison......., and I'm sure there are more, but let's not let get facts get in the way of a DWR bash fest.

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## Kwalk3 (Jun 21, 2012)

SW, I think we had the exact same simultaneous reaction to the post above. Lol.

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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

The eurasion Dove program is doing well. Dove hunting year around, love it 


-DallanC


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

DallanC said:


> The eurasion Dove program is doing well. Dove hunting year around, love it
> 
> -DallanC


Love those especially the ones eating the grapes in my dad's vinyard. Yum

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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

His "vinyard" is a 1/4 acre full of grapes of different varieties he's never picked any and actually done anything with them because the Eurasian doves eat them all. Ha good food plot to hunt with a pellet gun though. 

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## Tall Tines (Apr 16, 2017)

swbuckmaster said:


> Chucker
> Fishing has never been better.
> Deer and elk are also doing good imho.
> Bears numbers are at an all time high.
> ...


The deer are doing well due to the ideal winter/spring conditions we've had over the last few years. You can't say management had any part in that. Have you seen the rifle deer hunt? That's a disaster on so many levels. The elk get the ever living poop hunted out of them for 6 months of the year on a lot of units (the Wasatch unit is a prime example of what I'm talking about). Bears are doing well, but so were cougars at one point in time, and they've managed them almost to Extinction. I see the bears following right behind them if history repeats itself (again, the Wasatch and other HO units for example). The chukars on the other hand, don't get near the same hunting pressure these other animals do. Only a few guys out there really get after them, and with a lot of utahs desert habitat favorable to these birds, numbers should rapidly expand. Bison are doing well, but with limited hunting pressure, I would hope they would be doing good. As well as any OIL species should be. But for the most part LE and GS units are managed terribly. From the bucks/bulls to the antlerless. Our saving grace and upward number trends were largely due to our favorable winters and springs the last few years. Which is why they hit the panic button so fast this year. Bad winters = tag cuts. They like to kill the animals via hunters. When winter kills the animals, it's a lot harder it get a payout to put into their pockets.

Turkeys in this state do awesome. Habitat is favorable, lots of private land to hide on and most guys really have no clue how to hunt them (it's shocking hunting from the sideXside doesn't produce better results). I'm glad turkeys are doing well. Without them, there's a lot of space in our mountains that would go unused and inhabited. Plus, they are fun to get out and chase during a time of year that would be otherwise, pretty slow.

Fishing and fish numbers is a whole separate subject.


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## Kwalk3 (Jun 21, 2012)

Tall Tines said:


> The deer are doing well due to the ideal winter/spring conditions we've had over the last few years. You can't say management had any part in that. Have you seen the rifle deer hunt? That's a disaster on so many levels. The elk get the ever living poop hunted out of them for 6 months of the year on a lot of units (the Wasatch unit is a prime example of what I'm talking about). Bears are doing well, but so were cougars at one point in time, and they've managed them almost to Extinction. I see the bears following right behind them if history repeats itself (again, the Wasatch and other HO units for example). The chukars on the other hand, don't get near the same hunting pressure these other animals do. Only a few guys out there really get after them, and with a lot of utahs desert habitat favorable to these birds, numbers should rapidly expand. Bison are doing well, but with limited hunting pressure, I would hope they would be doing good. As well as any OIL species should be. But for the most part LE and GS units are managed terribly. From the bucks/bulls to the antlerless. Our saving grace and upward number trends were largely due to our favorable winters and springs the last few years. Which is why they hit the panic button so fast this year. Bad winters = tag cuts. They like to kill the animals via hunters. When winter kills the animals, it's a lot harder it get a payout to put into their pockets.
> 
> Turkeys in this state do awesome. Habitat is favorable, lots of private land to hide on and most guys really have no clue how to hunt them (it's shocking hunting from the sideXside doesn't produce better results). I'm glad turkeys are doing well. Without them, there's a lot of space in our mountains that would go unused and inhabited. Plus, they are fun to get out and chase during a time of year that would be otherwise, pretty slow.
> 
> Fishing and fish numbers is a whole separate subject.


You can nitpick specific units and management decisions with species, but elk in Utah are a resounding success story a long with numerous others. Weather always plays a role, and populations are cyclical and dependent upon a variety of factors. The DWR has the thankless job of managing wildlife given all those external factors, and for the most part, they do it adequately.

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## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

Any of the other forum old(er)-timers see the post by "Tall Tines" and immediately think Shaun Larsen? I think I've been scarred for life...

As for turkeys, I paid a visit to the flock I hunt in February and it looked good then. I haven't been back since then due to school/work/life getting in the way. I'll be after them in a couple of weeks.


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## Packout (Nov 20, 2007)

Good to hear the birds are doing well in some areas. One area we hunt burned a few years ago and the birds never really came back. There are a few scattered here and there, but not many. Another spot had the majority of birds captured and moved, then some winterkill. The other area has seen a slide in numbers over the past 5 years. The last area seems to have as many birds, but they are holding on private land much more than years past. The areas I've looked at are in UT, Wasatch, and Sanpete counties.

Maybe we will have to head south and look around.....


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

I've not seen a living wild turkey since the first week of January. Not one since. If I had to kill a turkey, I'd head to the Boulder Mts.


-DallanC


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

I'd head to the Boulder mountains and fish

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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

Tall Tines said:


> The deer are doing well due to the ideal winter/spring conditions we've had over the last few years. You can't say management had any part in that. Have you seen the rifle deer hunt? That's a disaster on so many levels. The elk get the ever living poop hunted out of them for 6 months of the year on a lot of units (the Wasatch unit is a prime example of what I'm talking about). Bears are doing well, but so were cougars at one point in time, and they've managed them almost to Extinction. I see the bears following right behind them if history repeats itself (again, the Wasatch and other HO units for example). The chukars on the other hand, don't get near the same hunting pressure these other animals do. Only a few guys out there really get after them, and with a lot of utahs desert habitat favorable to these birds, numbers should rapidly expand. Bison are doing well, but with limited hunting pressure, I would hope they would be doing good. As well as any OIL species should be. But for the most part LE and GS units are managed terribly. From the bucks/bulls to the antlerless. Our saving grace and upward number trends were largely due to our favorable winters and springs the last few years. Which is why they hit the panic button so fast this year. Bad winters = tag cuts. They like to kill the animals via hunters. When winter kills the animals, it's a lot harder it get a payout to put into their pockets.
> 
> Turkeys in this state do awesome. Habitat is favorable, lots of private land to hide on and most guys really have no clue how to hunt them (it's shocking hunting from the sideXside doesn't produce better results). I'm glad turkeys are doing well. Without them, there's a lot of space in our mountains that would go unused and inhabited. Plus, they are fun to get out and chase during a time of year that would be otherwise, pretty slow.
> 
> Fishing and fish numbers is a whole separate subject.


Yeah, you and everybody else should just quit hunting Utah and switch over to fishing. I'll let the dwr know you'll be withdrawing your applications before the draw goes through.


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## wyoming2utah (Sep 12, 2007)

Tall Tines said:


> Have you seen the rifle deer hunt? That's a disaster on so many levels.


How old are you? My bet is that you weren't around to hunt in the 1980s (assuming, of course, that you are talking about the numbers of people out rifle hunting!).


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## JuniorPre 360 (Feb 22, 2012)

Kwalk3 said:


> And mtn. Goats, and elk, and bison......., and I'm sure there are more, but let's not let get facts get in the way of a DWR bash fest.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk


I'll also throw this out there for the waterfowl community. Thousands of hours have gone into building new dikes and ponds, and burning off phrag in order to have a successful duck hunt on our WMA's. One spot in particular had been covered in phrag for years. Last season it was COVERED in thousands of ducks. I honestly thought I was hunting a safe area. The carp are being killed off by the thousands, and they are managing water for our success. I've seen great things the last 5 years.


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## guner (Sep 25, 2007)

My 14 yr old drew for early, and we saw alot of birds, everything was 10' the other side of a no trespassing sign. Awesome to see 5-6 big Toms struting around in a hay field. On the 3rd time we called about 4 hours, and only brought in Hens, finally got a big Tom within 10' of us. My son passed because there was an old broke down farm truck just past the Turkey. My boy held his shot "because you always said never take a shot that's not safe" I couldn't be a prouder dad !!!! 

So we saw a ton, got 1 chance and I learned i'm at least doing something right !

He is still practicing the calling he heard BP do a few years ago when he got his first Tom.


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## NVDuckin (Apr 18, 2016)

JuniorPre 360 said:


> I'll also throw this out there for the waterfowl community. Thousands of hours have gone into building new dikes and ponds, and burning off phrag in order to have a successful duck hunt on our WMA's. One spot in particular had been covered in phrag for years. Last season it was COVERED in thousands of ducks. I honestly thought I was hunting a safe area. The carp are being killed off by the thousands, and they are managing water for our success. I've seen great things the last 5 years.


If it was at Farmington Bay, it was probably thousands of coots and not ducks. Coot to duck ratio was like 428:1 last season.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Holy smokes, I saw my first turkeys since Jan. I saw a flock of... drum roll: 2 hens

I hope there are more hens that are off building nests, but I'm glad there are at least 2 hens around, the local population is at least 2 ... really surprised there wasn't at least a jake with them though.


-DallanC


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## Oppertunist (Mar 24, 2017)

I've seen turkey in almost all the normal locations around where I live, but in lower numbers than the last few years. Heard a couple of gobbles yesterday in between the light snow showers/rain.

This year I'm planning to try hunting the Boulder unit for turkey (thus this note) because I have a summer bear tag for the Boulder...hunt turkey & scout for bear bait locations. Any input for general area(s) for turkeys while I'm snooping around for bear a good geographic location for baiting? I'll probably be taking two youth hunters with me so I'd like to start with some decent locations then just play in by ear.


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## sawsman (Sep 13, 2007)

Oppertunist said:


> This year I'm planning to try hunting the Boulder unit for turkey (thus this note) because I have a summer bear tag for the Boulder...hunt turkey & scout for bear bait locations. Any input for general area(s) for turkeys while I'm snooping around for bear a good geographic location for baiting? I'll probably be taking two youth hunters with me so I'd like to start with some decent locations then just play in by ear.


Take a ride up and over Hells Backbone. Good chance of seeing turkeys just driving the road. Get out and walk a few areas as far as looking for bear sign.


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## Oppertunist (Mar 24, 2017)

Looks like I might be going to hell...and checking out some backbone and ribs


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## wasatchwillie (Apr 15, 2010)

I just spent 4 days on the boulder where I have taken 3 birds in years past. I had 2 really good spots. Not a bird, or a gobble or a track anywhere? Went from low, to mid, to high elevation, NOTHING!


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## Packout (Nov 20, 2007)

We hunted a couple days. Saw one tom, but no shot. Great time spent together. Hopefully we can find a Jake..... Never seen so few birds.

On a side-- there were deer everywhere. Bucks, doe, fawns.


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## Kwalk3 (Jun 21, 2012)

I saw lots of birds yesterday. Tough part was getting them to cooperate. Called a big tom all the way up a ridge to about 10 feet, problem was that 10 feet was thick scrub and there was no shot. Put on a lot of miles on the boots. Always a good thing even with no bird on the ground yet!

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## JuniorPre 360 (Feb 22, 2012)

Kwalk3 said:


> I saw lots of birds yesterday. Tough part was getting them to cooperate. Called a big tom all the way up a ridge to about 10 feet, problem was that 10 feet was thick scrub and there was no shot. Put on a lot of miles on the boots. Always a good thing even with no bird on the ground yet!
> 
> Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk


Exactly my experience, only there were A TON of people walking through the woods. The challenging part for me was calling in a big tom, waiting for it to clear the brush, then 4 guys walked through my setup after the gobbler. I can't be upset since we're all in camo, thick brush, and it's public land.

There are a lot less birds this year. But hiking around and listening seems like it will pay off.


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## toymanator (Dec 29, 2010)

Got out yesterday and saw 28 Turkeys, hoping to close in on one this week before I head out of town. Don't know how that area compares to other years. Everytime I go through the area on my horse I am always on guard because they take off at the last minute and my horse acts like he is walking in a mine field... :shock:


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## wyoming2utah (Sep 12, 2007)

I went out yesterday evening and saw two birds....but lots of sign. I would say that based on the sign I saw yesterday, a lot more turkeys are in this area than in years past. The birds were awful quiet, though too....I was able to get one bird gobbling right before dark. Probably as it was on its way to roost. No other sounds. The two birds I saw were around 6 o'clock as I was hiking in to my spot. Both were jakes.


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## Oppertunist (Mar 24, 2017)

Went out this morning and was surprised with the number of Gobbles I heard...probably a half dozen in the same valley. They Gobbled early on the roost and bantered back and forth for a while before fly down. After they fly down only two gobbles and then quiet silence for the morning. I think with the temperature warming up and staying consistent it may start more of the stuff we are all hoping for "hot gobbling".
I'm taking two youth hunters out in the morning, maybe if we get lucky I'll try to post the results (what every they may be).


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## JuniorPre 360 (Feb 22, 2012)

So I'm sick of hunting these birds. One single gobble and 4 trucks are parked around the same small area in an instant. I drove down and hunted a different area that had maybe 3 toms gobbling, but they must be ghost turkeys because I never see them. Nobody is shooting in the area, so we're dealing with smart pressured birds I'd say.


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## toasty (May 15, 2008)

Been out 4 times to my 4 best areas this week in the central region. I thought the reports about winterkill were over blown, but bird numbers are down in every area I have been hunting. There are still turkeys and I have seen a few birds and heard a few gobbles, but the lower numbers of birds are making it very tough out there this year. I will keep hunting because I love being in the mountains this time of year, but there is good chance a lot of guys including me are going to eat tag soup.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Seen any "Turkey Drives" yet? I've seen 10+ people in a line pushing turkeys and jump shooting them like pheasants.


-DallanC


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Lol

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## SCtransplant (Jul 31, 2015)

DallanC said:


> Seen any "Turkey Drives" yet? I've seen 10+ people in a line pushing turkeys and jump shooting them like pheasants.
> 
> -DallanC


No way!


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Utah hunters are a different breed. They are very resourceful when it comes to filling the freezer. 

Wonder if anyone has done the old pheasant head on a stick with a turkey to catch the road hunters lol

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## Kwalk3 (Jun 21, 2012)

DallanC said:


> Seen any "Turkey Drives" yet? I've seen 10+ people in a line pushing turkeys and jump shooting them like pheasants.
> 
> -DallanC


Sheesh, really?! That's a bit ridiculous.

I'll admit that I've had a tougher time tagging out this year than I have the last 3 years, but it's not due to low numbers in my area.

I should have been tagged out opening morning, but I'm an idiot and set up in a terrible spot for where the bird was coming in. Had a big tom at 10 feet but he was just on the other side of the thick oak brush and I didn't get a shot.

I should have then tagged out Tuesday evening, when I had two toms within 100 yards coming right in. Only problem(I wouldn't call it that) was that I had my 4 year old with me. As you may all know, 4 year olds are not very adept at staying still or quiet. The bigger tom was 75 yards away on the edge of a clearing and let out another gobble, and my son yelled "Dad! That turkey just gobbled again!" At that point both toms moved back into the trees never to be seen again. Would have been amazing to bag one with my boy with me, but the odds were against me that evening. Still had a great time and you can see my son was wearing the new KUIU batman camo.









Wednesday night I went up for my daily cardio backpack hike and found 3 or 4 toms heading to roost in the bottom of a draw. Went up super early Thursday morning and was set up 30-40 minutes before light on the hillside above the roost. The birds like to work their way up this ridge when they fly off roost. Sure enough, there were 2 gobbling like crazy on the roost right below me. I heard them fly down and their gobbles were getting closer to my set up low on the ridge, when I heard a scratching slate call coming from less than 200 yards away. Sure enough, some guy had showed up late to the party and decided to set up on the ridge straight across from me at 180 yards. The birds that were working up my ridge went down to the bottom of the canyon and shut up for the most part. I was a bit frustrated, but I suppose that's public land hunting for you.

Hopefully I can seal the deal tonight or tomorrow morning. Even though I haven't tagged out, I've been on birds every time I've been out. Just haven't won the chess match yet.

Also, this year has been great for morel mushrooms, which definitely ease the pain of not having a turkey yet as well.


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## JuniorPre 360 (Feb 22, 2012)

DallanC said:


> Seen any "Turkey Drives" yet? I've seen 10+ people in a line pushing turkeys and jump shooting them like pheasants.
> 
> -DallanC


Turkey Drivers in my area are the ones that drive around and honk their truck horns to shock gobble turkeys so they can locate them and chase them down. Luckily so far everyone has been quiet and pretty respectful. I had 4 guys chasing the same turkey I was calling. I yelled to them (maybe 30 feet away) so they knew I was there. They thanked me and walked elsewhere. The only problem I have had are some kids came up, shot maybe 100 rounds from an AR15 into the woods and then took off. It's public property, but I don't think they knew I was there until I started yelling.


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Alpinebowman put a stalk on my turkey decoys the first year I hunted them. It wasn't his fault though I was good at calling. 

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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Kwalk3 said:


> Sheesh, really?! That's a bit ridiculous.


Yes, I've seen it several times here now. Who was that extreme runner guy we had here that used to post alot? He even posted a video of himself jumping and shooting a big tom on the wing.

-DallanC


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Mattinthewild wonder what happend to him. 

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## Slayer (Feb 3, 2013)

My spot in central area has ALOT less turkey in it this year compared to last year... VERY, VERY quiet out there this year!!


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

swbuckmaster said:


> Mattinthewild wonder what happened to him.


Oh yea, thats him. He disappeared about the time he had that TV show.

-DallanC


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Is his show still on TV? Never saw it

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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

His show was a one hit wonder. There were 3 or 4 shows before it ended. 

Perhaps they are working on a whole series of them and he is traveling the world doing his extreme hikes. You never know.


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## 3arabians (Dec 9, 2014)

Kwalk3 said:


> Sheesh, really?! That's a bit ridiculous.
> 
> I'll admit that I've had a tougher time tagging out this year than I have the last 3 years, but it's not due to low numbers in my area.
> 
> ...


That's cool. I took my ten year old out with me today. They aren't much easier. We tried the spot and stalk method on a lone Tom. Didn't work out but was fun being on the mountain with the next hunting addict on our family. Here's a couple pics.

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## 3arabians (Dec 9, 2014)

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## 3arabians (Dec 9, 2014)

Knocked out


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