Archives for May 2014

2014 Wisconsin Spring Turkey Harvest, Results

May 28, 2014 by Charlie 11 Comments

Update for 2015 Spring Turkey Drawing and OTC tag availability.

Wisconsin’s preliminary 2014 spring wild turkey harvest or if you prefer the number of gobblers killed during the spring of 2014 hunt:

Unit 1 – 12,147
Unit 2 – 10,313
Unit 3 – 10,490
Unit 4 – 5,727 (OTC permits were unnecessarily cut 25%)
Unit 5 – 2,000
Unit 6- 541 (OTC permits were unnecessarily cut 25%)
Unit 7- 354 (OTC permits were unnecessarily cut 25%)
FM- 86

Statewide Total- 41,659

If WDNR had not cut the OTC permits Wisconsin’s turkey hunters would have had more opportunity to hunt in what was one of the best turkey springs ever.

2014 Wisconsin spring turkey hunters will find more 2-4 year old gobblers and fewer jakes than in past spring turkey hunts. 2012 spring recruitment was excellent due to near perfect spring nesting conditions. 2012 Fall hunters regularly encountered large numbers of jakes of the year. There is no reason to think many of these birds died off making them 2 year olds for spring 2014 hunt. All of the negative news stories could take a toll on hunter attitudes and suppress their efforts. For those hunters that do not let that negative narrative discourage them and go out hunting will find a spring woods with more mature gobblers than ever before.

According to active spring turkey hunters, there were more encounters with mature gobblers this spring than in any previous year. The bad news is the small number of jakes due to the low recruitment in spring 2013. What is most irritating to veteran turkey hunters who understand the population dynamics of turkey populations was having the number of permits cut during a year of unusually good gobbler numbers.

What about spring turkey season 2015?

Of course, it depends on spring 2014 recruitment numbers and so far that is looking good. Even though spring temperatures have been 10-15 degrees below average rainfall has been moderate with no snowfall to speak of. Cool temps have reduced springtime insect numbers a valuable high protein food source of freshly hatched poults. Warmer temps are better than cooler temps for wildlife, especially birds. A couple of weeks ago while hunting, I found the first poults of the season and even if they don’t survive due to early hatching their hen will have plenty of time to re-nest. Usually, during the last two Wisconsin turkey seasons gobblers are forming into summertime bachelor groups. Not so this year, reports of henned up gobblers right to the last day of hunting season were common. Indicating either the hens are re-nesting or due to cooler temps causing a late snow melt are breeding later.

Early 2015 spring turkey hunt thoughts

If 2014 recruitment is good with fall hunters finding a large number of birds of the year, then the 2015 spring hunt will feature few adult gobblers and plentiful numbers of young jakes.
If 2014 recruitment is poor, well then be ready for some tough 2015 spring hunting.
Wild turkeys live about two years whether you hunt them or not. Meaning most of the spring 2014 “surplus” gobblers will not be alive come spring 2015.

Lucky Striker Turkey

May 27, 2014 by Charlie Leave a Comment

This gobbler seemed so easy at the start, it’s now been 2 hours and quiet has settled in with no response to any call. He gobbled and moved closer only to fade off as they so often do. In the meantime there were many gobbles off somewhere else causing my stiff body to yearn for another setup. A little while longer, his last gobble was so very close he can’t be far.

After another half hour or so with more gobbles echoing through valley I succumbed to the move bug. Planning to return later I crept as quietly as possible back to the boat. While stowing my gear I noticed my favorite striker was not in its designated pocket, must be back at the setup. My gaze noticed my gun laying in the boat, a quick internal debate decided it should come with even though it is a short hike to the setup.

As I bent to pick up the wayward striker laying right where it had been set the feeling of something staring came over me. Slowly my eyes rolled around scanning the woods, nothing… I grasped the striker and rose to leave my hunter’s scan continuing to look for the out place line and there it was as my back straightened to full height a tom staring in my direction. He continued advancing towards me in a juking head zigzag obviously searching for the hen who had so seductively called for so many hours.

Wild turkeys have a sharp eyesight so the slightest misstep now would send the turkey off to safe refuges only turkeys know. Gently I leaned my left shoulder against the aspen, it had the same dappled color tones as my camo. At this moment the tension in the that woods was stifling. The purring turkey would take a step or two then stop, look and listen.

My right hand readied on my gun that was pointed at the ground in line with my leg, both (my gun and I) were doing our best impersonation of that little tree as the turkey had slunk well within range. The left hand must soon be brought into play…

The turkey’s head crossed behind a small tree as he started to puff into strut thought the better of it and increased his pace apparently satisfied the hen was gone there was no reason to stay. Fingers loosened from the striker and grabbed the forearm of the rising shotgun, my body rolled around the tree now turned to face the turkey. The tom should have run or flew but as is so often the case they stop to get a better look when they see movement from where they expected to see a turkey.

As the roar of the gun subsided there was barely a break in the other springtime sounds. Just me with a lucky striker laying on the ground pointing at a dead turkey.

Will Wisconsin Beat Missouri Turkey Harvest?

May 17, 2014 by Charlie 1 Comment

Just in Missouri’s 2014 wild turkey season has come to an end with a total 2014 wild turkey harvest of 43,273 birds. This is Missouri’s third year in row of increased harvest numbers, very good news. Congratulations Missouri hunters.

At the time of this writing Wisconsin has a statewide harvest of 35,882 with 10 days of hunting season remaining. If Wisconsin hunters register another 7,391 wild turkeys we will tie Missouri.

Why does this matter you ask? Well it really doesn’t- Just interesting because Missouri is considered a turkey hunting mecca, a turkey hunting powerhouse of t he nation. On the other hand Wisconsin ranks low on the turkey hunting community’s radar. How many turkey hunters dream of making a trip a Wisconsin in the spring. Heck a lot turkey hunters I know travel out state seeking to find the promised land of turkey hunting.

Perhaps, my fellow Wisconsin turkey hunters we are living in the turkey hunting promised land. The turkey population is high, depending on who is estimating the range is somewhere between 500,000 – 600,000+. No one counts turkeys in the state and harvest data has no mathematical bearing on the actual numbers. There are only about 85,000 turkey hunters in the entire state and the hunters are spread out over 6 weeks. A single hunter may buy as many permits over the counter as they choose and there are still thousands left that will likely go unsold. The terrain is varied from big northern pine woods, big central hardwoods that cover both flatland and steep bluffs, farmlands, rivers, swamps and prairies. Allowing a turkey hunter to select the type of hunt they feel like without driving large distances out of state. Without all that windshield time a hunter can spend more time in the turkey woods. What’s not to like?

Hunt on to end of the last season. Remember it’s a long wait to spring 2015.

Sometimes It’s Easy

May 7, 2014 by Charlie Leave a Comment

It was one of those rare magical turkey hunting mornings yesterday, when the weather is beautiful & the turkeys are loud & suicidal.

Morning alarm set at 3am, 70 mile drive to northern unit 2, in the woods before 5am, turkey down at 5:30am. Nice size, 22+ lbs. 5+ pounds of turkey breast to be smoked at Maplewood Meats.

I had planned to hike in about a mile, most of it no-trail, to a wooded ridge. But turkeys gobbled nearby while I was getting out of the car. Set up just a few hundred yards in, 100+ yards from two competing gobblers. Then I fixated on a bunch of brush about 8 yards in front of me, worrying that I wouldn’t have a clean shot. So I stupidly crawled forward & snipped branches. Bad move. I never heard the two gobble again. But somebody must like me, since a third soon lit up 200+ yards out in a different direction. I only ended up calling twice to bring him in, soft yelping & clucking. He came in quiet the last hundred yards, stopping to strut every half dozen steps. While I was tagging him & taking photos another nearby tom began gobbling & was still gobbling as I walked out.

It was the 3rd day I hunted, & the first decent weather day. The other hunts had several non-turkey critter adventures involving a fox squirrel, multiple deer, & a coyote. Had one turkey near-death Thursday. The tom was 60 yards out, coming uphill gobbling to me when a doe & two yearlings stepped out between us. Never saw them until they were in front of me. Incredibly they lingered for 15 minutes 15-20 feet from me while the tom gobbled & plucked on the other side of them. A lot more to that story, but the ending was no turkey.

Interesting thing about the online harvest count. I looked at the Zone 2 number when I registered just before noon yesterday. Then at 5pm I refreshed the page. The count went up ONE, me I assume, from 6249 to 6250. Later at 9pm a refresh added 95 more, where it stays this morning.

Wisconsin’s 2014 Disabled Deer Hunt

May 6, 2014 by Charlie Leave a Comment

2014 disabled gun deer hunt provides great opportunity for hunters with disabilities and interested landowners

MADISON — Sponsors and landowners interested in hosting a gun hunt for deer hunters with disabilities are reminded that the deadline to submit an application is June 1. The 2014 disabled hunt will take place Oct. 4 to 12.

For an online application, search the DNR website dnr.wi.gov for keywords “disabled deer hunt.” If sponsors do not have access to an online application, please contact Dan Kaminski, Assistant Big Game Ecologist, at 608-261-7588 for a physical copy. Sponsors are encouraged to own at least 60 acres of land and will be required to allow other interested disabled hunters to use their land during the disabled deer hunt.

In 2013, 108 sponsors worked closely with landowners and made over 78,000 acres of land available to hunters with disabilities. These sponsors and landowners provided opportunities for over 260 disabled hunters to get out into the field and enjoy the outdoors.

“The new online application created in 2013 helped to streamline the application process for both hunt sponsors, hunters and DNR staff,” said Kaminski. “Disabled hunters are now able to see which properties are enrolled in the hunt sooner than in previous years. Our sincere gratitude goes out to all of the hunt sponsors, landowners and volunteers.”

A full list of hunt sponsors will be available on DNR’s website after June 1. Sponsors are required to submit a list of participants no later than Sept. 1. A list of participating hunters can be submitted online. Interested hunters are encouraged to contact sponsors as soon as possible.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Dan Kaminski, Assistant Big Game Ecologist, 608-261-7588