Any report on activity and numbers in the Eastern Panhandle and Childress area?

Anybody hunt this weekend?

Had a buddy out there near childress, they saw a lot of birds but couldn't seal the deal. Then the storm blew threw and they packed it up and left. I'll be out there thursday-sunday looking to smack some down. Should have a report the following monday.

-Matt

Gonna be hunting near Childress 10th- 14th, would appreciate any updates or reports from anyone else.

Ill be going mid month also. Buddy said birds are there for sure. I guess now its just up to the weather if they'll be turned on or not.

Tough hunting this weekend they stayed on hens, I guess there not nesting yet, lot of gobbles but got up high and watched 4 different flocks and the toms was strutting alot but they stayed grouped up

Sweet Tea sent you a PM. Looks like some more crazy weather out there this week.

Ya moisture is good .... would just like for it to warm up and stay warm.

I was in Collingsworth Co. this past week. The birds have been absent all winter in our area. About 2 weeks ago I began seeing tracks. On Thursday just a few yards off county road, I saw a group of about 10 hens in a small circle surrounding 2 strutting gobblers. It was a good photo opportunity but I drove on thinking I would scatter them if I stopped. We saw a group of about 30 2 days before. Looks like activity was heating up. Not sure what this arctic front will do. Probably activity resumes since by Friday the forecast calls for 80s.

Came into Foard Co. thursday evening cool and moist...no birdy sounds before sunup on friday. Got into a few groups fri-sunday but most were on hens (I mean most birds had 4+ hens) had a lone longbeard work a little sat and sun morning but he went for a lone hen to our far left on sat, then nearly got hit by a car today while strutting in the road 100 yards from us. HAHA

Fun hunts but no birds down in Foard Co. for us. Going to get on them in Hardeman Co. next weekend. I would bet the next 10-14 days will be great in that area assuming the weather stays decent. Never heard a gobble after 12pm all weekend until I was packing my trailer today...good times are coming!

-Matt

Hope you have better luck next weekend. Start hunting in Childress area and western OK on Wed.

They are gobblin their heads off in Collingworth Co. this past weekend I shot two and Pop shot one. See my post. Thanks

They are gobblin their heads off in Collingsworth Co. this past weekend I shot two and Pop shot one. See my post. Thanks

They are gobblin their heads off in Collingsworth Co. this past weekend I shot two and Pop shot one. See my post. Thanks

Sorry guys do not know why it posted 3 times!!

I hunted about 13 miles north of Childress this past weekend. There were many, many birds, but the hunting was pretty tough, at least at my skill level. I watched a really pretty strutting display across a misty wheat field Sunday morning, but was unable to attract them with my calling.

I did get a jake about 5 minutes before dawn on Sunday morning. I had actually gotten lost, and was trying to find the wheat field mentioned above. As I was driving, I saw a roosting turkey on a power pole. I was surprised, but I stopped and got out my binos. I was able to make out a beard silhouetted against the sky, so I got my shotgun and started walking slowly toward the bird. At about 40 yards, he spooked and flew to my right. I wingshot him in full flight at about 40 ish yards with my BPS 10 gauge loaded with #5 heavi-shot.

So ...

I really wanted to call in a turkey, and I didn't do that. In fact, I really struggled locating birds on a ranch that had tons of them around.

On the other hand, it was my first time turkey hunting, I hunted without help, entirely by myself, and I killed a bird with a shotgun and not a rifle. The bird was also shot in full flight, and I didn't zap him when he was sleeping.

All in all, the experience was just enough to show me all the things that I don't know about turkey hunting. But there are many, many birds in the Childress area, at least on the ranch that I hunted.

Congrats. Personally I sleep in for turkey. Usually get out around 9 am and seems most of the birds I have taken are between 10 am and 1 pm. Go fish or mess around and get out about 4 pm again.

Said aforementioned bird:

No gobbling this weekend in hardeman co. They got noisy on the roost sat morning then hit the ground silent. Had a 10 year old girl shoot her first around 9:30am. Then cut them off on the way back to roost sat night and Shane shot a double (2 birds 1 shell).

Sunday morning not a word from our birds, saw a longbeard with a few hens right after daylight then saw a hen at 20 yards but nothing else.


Not bad but those northwestern birds STILL aren't talkin yet.

-Matt

Birds were quiet in Collingsworth county this weekend also. One group of 20 and 2 groups of 5. Gobblers were strutting but minimal gobbling. They would not leave the hens. Still a lot of fun watching them.

Birds were going nuts today ... a welcome rare treat this season.