Any Hill Country Birds?

My best friend went to our lease near Rocksprings last week and said he didn't see or hear a bird. Has anyone seen and strutting or heard any gobblin?

We were covered up in them last spring and this past fall so I don't think they have left. Maybe last week's rainy, cool weather had them quiet.

- thedoveshooter

If you had birds last spring and summer, you more then likely will have birds there or close by. Its not unusual that turkeys move in the fall/winter and return for the spring/summer. My family's land in OK is like that. In the winter, nary a bird can be found, but by late March, they are everywhere. The birds winter on the neighbors property. We can hear and see them.


Gman

I was down at out lease in Blanco Co last week. It was real hit and miss. One morning and one evening they were all fired up on the roost, but almost no gobbles off the roost. It seems to be running a little later this year there.

Been hearing the tom's "tomm'in" in the early morning, at daybreak here in Wise co.

Saw several groups west of Ingram last week strutting and gobbling some...

I was in Rocksprings at my place this past weekend. Saw tons of birds and some of the gobblers were strutting.

I was at our lease in Gillispie county this last weekend and saw several Toms strutting and heard lots of birds early all the way up til noon. It should be a good year!!!

It should be...not all areas, but many received beneficial rainfall that they haven't had in several years. Last 2 hatches have been at, or slightly above normal, so should be plenty of 2 years olds running sround.

Gman

Good to hear some folks are hearing/seeing some. Sounds like they are just getting going.

I just checked the weather and its supposed to be raining Saturday. I may just get up there then and hunt Sun - Tues when its supposed to be sunny.

Sitting in a pop up looking for a doe axis now. Just had 7 hens come into corn with a strutting Tom just behind them. He pushed them off the corn and they all slipped away into the brush. Just a few miles SW of Rocksprings

Saturday is shaping up to be a possible wet opening day in the south.

Yep. I'm going to get to the lease Saturday and hunt Sun-Tues.

Its killing me to have to wait. I countdown the days for this stuff!

Been struttin drummin hissin and spittin for a couple of weeks here in mountain home.

When the weather cleared Sunday it was ON! Most vocal I've heard in a long time. Had 'em gobbling all day long.

About mid day we got to within a couple hundred yards of our property line, called, and two groups sounded off. We hurried up and setup along the fence right between them. Started calling again and the place went nuts. The birds to the north headed south, the ones to the south headed north. Only problem was that they were 50-75 yards on the other side of the fence. When the groups converged a 10 minute fight broke out. It sounded insane, wish we could have seen it through the brush.

After the fight the winners came up to fence but wouldn't cross it. Still one heck of a show.

Hunted Monday morning, too, but they were real quiet. I think they were hung over from the party, only a couple gobbles off the roost.

I agree with Larry.

Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday I had multiple birds (at one time I heard eight different gobblers) around me. I just couldn't seal the deal. They would answer some but seemed disinterested. Had two come within sight and I even took my safety off, then a hen came from nowhere and its over. The hens must be very receptive still and the toms not interested in what I have to offer since the have the real deal. I also heard and saw hens everywhere. Hopefully after some get bred I might be able to entice an old tom in.

- thedoveshooter

We just wrapped up a successful hunt in Mountain Home with a group of guys from Mississippi. They shot 24 birds in two days.