[COLLY]

april 18 - may 15
youth dates april 16&17

don't know why after more than 20 yrs with the season opening the last week of april they moved it up a week. means more of the season, toms will have hens with them. are they trying to cut down on the harvest?

wish the youth season was the weekend before the one its on now. most states youth season is atleast a week before regular season.

you guys have any thoughts?

 

[DLC]

I'm glad they moved it up a week. I always hear more gobbles before season opens then towards the end. Heck last year guys were seeing poults while out turkey hunting!
I like the youth hunt were it is, that way I make one trip down south hunt the weekend with my boy, then we hunt together the 1st couple days!

 

[shotgun]

Ive been waiting for them to move it for years. I think the harvest will increase with the earlier season. The last week of the season down here in the southern tip of ohio seems like they disapear sometimes not to mention how thick everything is that late in may.

I guess you might see this as a good or bad thing depending on which end of the state you live.

 

[WaterfowlWarrior]

The earlier start will definetly improve the hunting in our neck of the woods.

 

[COLLY]

any northern turkey hunters have any thoughts<img src="/images/boards/smilies/wave.gif" border="0" align="absmiddle">

 

[DLC]

I also hunt up north as well as down south. Earlier is better. I've heard more gobbles up here before season than later in the season!

 

[COLLY]

dlc, while i have only hunted turkeys
for nine years, so im by no
means an expert, i do know in my experiences
gobbles dont equal success.

 

[DLC]

Colly -
Your right but it sure is a lot easier and funner to hunt them when they are gobbling. Plus like I mentioned earlier, last year guys were seeing poults the last week of season. That in itself tells you the season was too late ... also why they weren't gobbling.

 

[COLLY]

dlc, a lot more fun, i'll give you that.
but a lot easier, i don't think so,
you may know what direction they are at
but thats about it. never seen and never
heard of anyone seeing poults during season
not saying it hasn't happened though. season is
about a month long and turkeys sit on the eggs
for almost a month

good luck this year!!

 

[jeffk]

I am looking forward to a week earlier. Like already has been said, in the North the birds have been really gobbling the week before the season. I pratically scout almost everyday from a month before to opening day and really hear the differance a week makes.

I think it is going to be real fun.

 

[Bassman]

I agree birds in ohio and wv where I also hunt gobble like crazy the week before season opens I am very curiouse to see if this is because of timing or hunting pressure. what do you guys think.

Bassman

 

[Nels]

I hunt northeast Ohio. Birds were henned up bad the first week of the season last year. All of the pressure when they were henned up made the birds call shy. Hunted the second week and got very little action till the end of the week. I had kids in front of Turkeys the last two weekends, so it all worked out. Opinions: Season is not the best for Northern Ohio. I have called in and video'd turkeys all the way till June 5th in the Northeast. How about a split season, North and South like waterfowl. Let the youth hunt the weekend before the opener. I had three guys walk into a field the afternoon of the second day of youth last season and scare off working birds. They were going out to roost birds the evening before there hunt. Would like to see all day hunting. Enjoyed taking my daughter in the afternoon last year.

 

[DMan]

I hunt in the horth also and liked it better the way it was. For the last 3 years, we have by far heard the most gobbles on the last weekend of the season, once the hens have started to nest. A split season in the state would be nice!!