Its so dry, that its hard to find sign, but went to the farm tonight after work, and found a feather and some turkey poop. Good sign. Working opening day, but its light enough that I might get in a late evening hunt.
Been seeing several at work. I don't scout too much for turkey. I will ask for permission next week to hunt a few places.
ive seen a couple dead ones on the turnpike... and some by a buddy's house.
I have a bachelor group of toms cross me about twice a week. Other days they cross my neighbor to the north or my neighbor to the south.
I vowed to my grandmother many years ago that I wouldn't kill any of her turkeys.
I vowed to my grandmother many years ago that I wouldn't kill any of her turkeys.
None, I haven't had a chance to spend much time scouting this year. Hopefully they just show up opening week. I was out about a month ago and saw no sign whatsoever so I hope things have changed since then.
I had 4 croos the yard yesterday. One place I try to go saw 20 hens feeding along the fence line going back to roost. Did not notice any fanned out or darker.
went shed hunting sunday afternoon. no sheds but had a turkey gobbling just on the other side of the creek. then saw some tracks on the trail going down to a pond. i'll be out wednesday.
All my turkeys that were wintering on the ranch have moved elsewhere. There are a few that are still down on the river behind the house, I can hear them gobbling in the morning when I go out to feed, but nothing like what was there a few months ago. A couple of weeks ago we had some poacher across the river that fired a shot at them, but we were on the other side of the river. By the time we got to the other side of the river and got ahold of the neighbor that they were on, we couldn't find them. Whoever it was, was on foot. Unfortunately, none of the landowners around here call the sheriff or GW when they have a poacher. They are too afraid of retribution from the poacher... and I really can't say that I blame them. If you turn them in, they shoot your livestock or burn your pasture, and it is nearly impossible to prove that they did it unless you catch them in the act. Not sure what the right answer is. If you do the law abiding thing, you end up with dead livestock. A man should be able to protect his property and livelyhood without fear of retribution, but the law does not work in favor of that. I'd sure hate to see a poaching trespasser just "disappear". 
Yeah, we had a guy around Ponca several years ago that was the king of the roadhunters. He was the same way, if some landowner caught him, he had no problem telling them that their wheat fields would go up in smoke, and so on. Pretty much a low-life.
Unfortunatly I had to work with him, and got all of the stories.
I guess its poetic justice, as one day he saw a covey of quail in a guys barnyard, jumped out of the truck with his 20 ga shotgun, and caught the trigger on something. 3" load caught him right in the ankle, and the Doctors had to amputate his foot.
Last I've heard about him, is that he gave up road hunting, and started hunting the bottle.
Unfortunatly I had to work with him, and got all of the stories.
I guess its poetic justice, as one day he saw a covey of quail in a guys barnyard, jumped out of the truck with his 20 ga shotgun, and caught the trigger on something. 3" load caught him right in the ankle, and the Doctors had to amputate his foot.
Last I've heard about him, is that he gave up road hunting, and started hunting the bottle.
