My 2007 Pennsylvania Turkey Season Summary

**woodsman2230** · 05-26-2007, 04:03 PM

Well today, May 26, marks the last day of the spring turkey season here in Pennsylvania. Overall is wasnt the best season I have seen, but I guess it could have been worse. The birds just did not want to participate in the game at all. I saw more birds this year compared to last season but they just did not want to talk. But I had fun hunting with my grandpa and my friends.

Week 1: The opening day was rain early and then became overcast. Birds gobbled lightly on the roost. Gobbled for about 20 minutes after flying down. Called a monster longbeard into about 60 yards, couldnt get a shot. Got it on video tho! The next day I went out was that Monday. My friend and I got about 45 yards from the same longbeard on the roost. He gobbled 4 times then flew down. He gobbled a little and started to edge closer (just over a small crest and I couldnt see him) all of a sudden I hear hens and then a gobble farther away. No shot available. That thursday I went to a spot that had produced good numbers of birds for as long as I could remember. Went first thing in the morning and heard nothing. Went different places throught the morning until finally deciding to try a new spot close to campus. I sat at the edge of a field and called for about 2 hours until finally hearing a gobble. I moved in closer and he gobbled again. I saw the full fan coming through the woods and then lost sight of him. He popped out to the right about 45 yards away. I aimed and shot. Clean miss.

Week 2: Went out saturday, tuesday thursday and friday, didnt hear one gobble. Called a jake in to about 25 yards and decided to let him go. Friday called three jakes into about 3 steps and didnt shoot. Saturday called in another trio of jakes and passed them up. Had a longbeard fired up sat but did not see him.

Week 3: Hunted almost everyday this week. Hunted a few days near my home without hearing a gobble so I went back down to Slippery Rock to hunt. Heard one bird on the roost wednesday. Went to check a field and spotted a nice bird. Got to about 50 yards of him (not very comfortable shooting that far, dont want to would him) and he dissapeared. Thursday I got a bird going on the roost and couldnt bring him in. Changed locations and heard another bird at about 8:30. That was the last turkey I heard that day. That saturday I called another jake in and passed him up.

Week 4: Only hunted one day this week due to my work schedule. I went today and didnt hear one gobble. I spotted one bird in a field and got close enough for a shot but the hen took the gobbler away before I could fire. And my season was over.

Its not that I couldnt have killed a bird. I had many chances but decided not to take a jake and the only longbeard I shot at I missed so really, its my fault I didnt get a bird, and thats fine with me as long as I get to hunt I will be happy.

**8ptbuckpa** · 05-27-2007, 11:14 AM

I was out quite a few time including the youth saturday and never heard/saw a bird other than when I wasn't hunting

and those birds I saw on my way to and from Ontario for a weekend vacation.

**Fullfan** · 05-27-2007, 03:52 PM

Unlike you my season went well here in Mercer Co. Worked a bunch of birds and got whipped by a few. But overall it was a good year. My son and I doubled, then I filled my second tag, and was able to call up one for my Father in-law.

**woodsman2230** · 05-28-2007, 12:25 PM

Congrats on a good season Fullfan.

**8ptbuckpa** · 05-28-2007, 01:03 PM

Very good season amazing birds

**buckbuster11** · 05-29-2007, 11:27 AM

My 07 season lasted about one hour on opening day. I got bumped from my first two setup spots by other hunters. But, I did manage to locate a bird just after sunrise and I was on my way. As I came up over a small ridge.....I hear a "BOOM"....I had literally walked in right behind a guy as he was shooting this bird. I wasnt 20 yards behind him when he shot. After making sure I didnt soil myself, I went over and bs'd with the guy for about 15 minutes. Nice start to the season eh?

After congratulating the guy again, and seriously considering just going home and crawling back to bed, I headed another direction. 150 yards later I hear one gobble...close. I set up, made a few calls, him and his buddies gobbled back, and 10 minutes later I was throwing one into the back of the truck. Piece of cake.

I think thats the first bird I ever got on opening day, I'm not sure how I feel about it. As nice as it is to bag one early, I dont think one hour of turkey hunting a year is going to work out real well for me.