Home Forums Birds & Dogs Turkey Hunting 1st Turkey Tag!

Hello Turkey Hunters!
I have drawn my first tag ever. My tag is good for the first week of May in an area within 10 minutes of home (west Miichigan) where I saw hundreds of them during deer season.
Here are my questions: This morning (4/8) I saw two groups of turkeys out in the open fields, each group with more than a few toms in full strut. Is this early? Will I be too late in 4 weeks? How long does this turkey "rut" last anyway?
Thanks!
Sourmash

Why worry about what you can't control. JUST HUNT AND HAVE FUN!!!

The sound like they are still in their bachelor groups, I would imagine you have AMPLE time. Remember they are not like deer, they don't go NOCTURNAL on you, if it is daylight you always have a chance.

I will! (hunt and have fun that is) , and I promise not to worry! Just trying to learn, that's all.
But I'm little reluctant to take advice from a guy in Florida who calls himself steelhead who has Schiffer brains!
Where're you from originally? Michigan or Oregon?

I wouldn't be TOO concerned. I live in Florida, but I moved here from SE Alaska. I have been in the military for 20years and move all over.

Here is one from this season.






He went 19 pounds, 10 inch beard and 1 1/2 inch spurs. The one I killed earlier in the season was 18 pounds, 1 inch spurs and 9 inch beard.

I can hunt turkey's and fish steelhead with equal aplomb.

On a side note, it does seem as if they are still in flocks, and they will bust up soon I assume. You should be just fine. When the season starts let the birds tell you what they want and what they are doing.

This year, during the first week of the season they wouldn't shut up. I killed one on my third morning, but had 3 come within 50 yards opening morning. After the first bird I passed on a few more longbeards, and finally called in the boss, but he had TOO many hens with him and I couldn't get a clean shot.

The second week they shut down, maybe 1 or 2 gobbles at dawn and that was it. I went DAYS without an opportunity. I finally gave it a try in the afternoon, and that is when I killed the bird in the picture. I set up at 450pm, and he was dead by about 530pm. He came in quiet, but quick. Afternoons can be like that if they are all henned up in the morning. If you can't hunt afternoons, please stick it out till LATE morning. I have killed more birds after 9am then before.

Just because you don't hear them, doesn't mean they aren't there!

I can't answer your question, but I have scouted over there and have seen a lot of activity about this time. I have never hunted the early hunt over there, and won't this year either, because I didn't pull a tag. I got the late hunt, though and will give it a try there, and up north, too. I'm more concerned about the extra foliage by that time. The southern guys are probably used to it, but I aint.

Good luck and have a safe hunt, sse

WOW, some bird!
I'll be a happy camper just to see any like that.
Yesterday (4/10) I drove from the Grand Rapids area to Saginaw and must have seen at least 500 turkeys and 100 scrawny whitetails. The turkeys were socializing and the deer were chowing on green shoots out in the open.
As of this morning, still seeing groups of five to fifteen. Always one or two all blown up.
Long may it last.
Thanks for the education, photos, advice etc.
Best regards,
SM