Mike Stevens posted on April 11, 2010 08:05
2010 Early Spring Turkey Report from Southern Maine
The crew here at BWB can’t stay out of the woods. For me, the arrival of spring and the sound of a gobbling tom gets me all revved up. I guide several turkey hunters each spring, allowing me to spend every spare minute in the field scouting for big gobblers. This thread will be the first of a handful from the woods of southwestern Maine where the birds are smokin’ hot, right now!!
4/10/2010 - The southern areas of Maine have been experiencing unseasonably warm weather. This welcome trend has really jumpstarted the rituals of the wild turkeys. Over a week ago, I watched four hens bred in the same field. Since that time gobbling has lulled slightly, but will pick back up after the handy hens get serviced and wander off. Yesterday morning, I watched seventeen full strut gobblers in two different fields only 300 yards apart. This morning, I ventured back into a string of hidden fields surrounded by giant oaks. A bird gobbles off to the west, so I stopped to listen. Right above me, a bird gobbles. I froze behind a big white pine, while he gobbled at everything, crows, morning doves, roosters and passenger jets. Soon enough, he flies down only twenty yards away, gobbling and strutting when he hits the ground. He’s got a long beard and nice hooks. Man, if this was hunting season, that old boy would be riding in my Tahoe!
Check back next week, as I’ll be scouting a place where Hal let an old longbeard walk because his legendary cameraman, Woodie aka Chris, couldn’t close the deal.
BWB Tip of the Week: When turkey hunting in open fields don’t walk into the fields. Enter the woods and skirt the field edge, calling occasionally. Many times, I've watched gobblers sitting just inside the woods watching the field. They do this more than you’d think. So, don’t walk into that good-looking clover field or you’re busted!!
Mike Stevens
Big Woods Bucks Pro-Staff