Heading out to the SNF next weekend to try and shoot an Eastern. Heard from a buddy that they've seen good numbers out there, and he shot 2 this past weekend.

Anybody had any luck out here lately? Or in the national forest?

He shot 2 or they shot 2?

Well, it is in East Texas!!!!
Only thing to top that off is finding out which county!!!!!

One Eastern a year

I hope he meant they ...It's good to finally start seeing decent numbers of easterns and I hope we can keep it that way.

According to my buddy Albert who was a game warden for 25-30 years it was stuff like shooting multiple birds in a season, shooting out of season, and shooting off the roost that knocked a lot of those numbers down rather than predators in early years when first trying to get them established. He worked on a heck of a lot of cases dealing with stuff like that in east TX.

I can remember one case years ago (Don't think it was ETX) where a guy was busted and they found where he had shot 16 gobblers in one season...When asked why he did it all he could say was "the rush" and that he was addicted. I would've been kicking his butt all that way to the back woods of Willacoochie! Guys protect our resources...

It was him & a buddy, but felt no need to mention the buddy. But yea, I want to get me an Eastern before the season ends, badly.

So, back to the question... Has anybody had luck? I'd whoop the dude who shot 16 gobblers, he'd be a goner.

I'll start chasin mine after May 1st.

Gman

Wish I could've started chasin em earlier. Few guys I know have been slaying Rios out west too.

I think the good hunting is pretty much over. They pushed the opener back to April 15 from April 1 to increase mating and nesting survival. I don't know many people that do well much past the 20th of April.

It's only 1-2 weekends past the 20th, so I'm gonna try my luck this weekend and then I'll call it quits.

I know some guys are doing great during the late season now that most of the hens are on the nest. Gobblers seem to be even more responsive now in a lot of places including east TX. I've know turkeys to breed as late as June...how responsive they are to calling just often depend on the amount of pressure they've had on them and how educated they've become. If you're hunting a very pressured area the birds may not respond well...

I had easterns still gobbling in late May last year. Called up several jakes on the last day, strutting and gobbling in the whole way.

Gman

I have gone a couple of times but flood waters have kept me from getting to the spots where they were last year and haven't been able to get out there before daylight to see if I can even hear a gobble while still on the roost. Hoping the waters recede by this weekend and give it another try.

That's what I like to hear. Goin out this weekend as well to try and get me one. With all the rain, it'll be interesting... But we'll see how it goes.

I have a good feeling, just cause.