# hen on nest - first time



## mal (Feb 18, 2002)

After a morning of no gobbling, I tried to sneak up on some toms I spotted out in a field I have permission to hunt. As I crept through the woods, I happened upon a hen sitting tight in a blow down that had been rounded out into a nest. I tried to back off slowly and take a different route but the hen's nerves overcame her and she burst up and flew down a hill into a swampy area. Took a quick cell phone pic of the nest, which looked like it had about a dozen eggs in it, then continued my stalk. By the time I got to the spot where I thought I could set up, the toms had moved on by either bolting across the field, or sneaking past me through the woods, which thanks to the numerous downed trees from the ice storms this winter, wouldn't have been too difficult.

The weather stunk for this April 18-May 1 hunt and I was only able to get out 3 days. Never heard a single gobble that didn't sound like it was a mile away, and the nesting hen encounter was the highlight.

Due to the terrible weather I think the DNR should open up Hunt 234 to those who got limited quota tags. I know they won't but to me, and probably many others, the season was a wash out literally...especially in Hillsdale County where I hunt.


----------



## slapendraagt (Jul 22, 2010)

I know exactly how you feel about his years hunt. No gobbling here is West Michigan during the first two weeks either. I also hat the S scared out of me when a hen bolted from two feet away from me. It was the first time I have ever seen a nested turkey. Kinda surprised this early in the year.


----------



## mathewshooter (Feb 3, 2011)

I had the first week's hunt. The weather did make it challenging but I heard gobbles every day. I hunted hard all week, had 2 close encounters and then finally shot a decent tom on my last day. You can always head down to Ohio, I'm going down at the end of their season. Tags are reasonable, a short drive form Hillsdale county and you can shoot 2 birds.


----------



## Bambicidal Maniac (Feb 4, 2011)

mal said:


> Due to the terrible weather I think the DNR should open up Hunt 234 to those who got limited quota tags. I know they won't but to me, and probably many others, the season was a wash out literally...especially in Hillsdale County where I hunt.


If you turned in an unused tag and paid another $15, that would make sense. They need the money.


----------



## mal (Feb 18, 2002)

Bambicidal Maniac said:


> If you turned in an unused tag and paid another $15, that would make sense. They need the money.


I would definitely be willing to do that, as would many others I'm sure.


----------



## Bambicidal Maniac (Feb 4, 2011)

mal said:


> I would definitely be willing to do that, as would many others I'm sure.


Maybe Linda G. or someone could suggest that to the NRC for future years.


----------



## Pike Eyes (Jul 9, 2008)

That is a great idea and I bet they would get quite a few people who would want to do it. Think of the extra money they could get.


----------



## Linda G. (Mar 28, 2002)

How would they know your tag was "unused"? On your say so?

I don't think so. 

Hey guys, I had the second hunt up here in Area J, and if you thought it was bad down there, you haven't seen bad until you've seen what the turkeys thought of the late snowstorm (six inches plus) plus three days of torrential rain that flooded just about everything. 

Plus, a one week hunt is not a good idea when you work 80 hours a week. I hunted two mornings plus a couple of hours after work on two different days. 

They gobbled when they flew down-once. That was it. Most excitement I had all week was having four hens come in, including a bearded hen. Saw another one yesterday in a different spot. Lots of bearded ladies this year. Which means we have pretty good numbers, good news. But they weren't gobbling-at all. 

I took the second hunt because it was so undersubscribed-as it turned out, with the weather, I didn't have to worry about seeing anyone else at all. Zero. 

But I still had one of my big gobblers right down the road that I fed all winter out of my pocket, along with his 7 buddies, shot right off the road sometime yesterday. I found the empty Hevi-shot load on the edge of the asphalt this morning, and a few feathers left behind about 15 feet away. 

So I kind of have an attitude, too, right now, but that's the way it goes.

My tag goes unused, which has happened before. Oh well. I had my chance. 

HUNTING means you take a chance-on the weather, your time, the birds, other people, predators, etc...it's not a guarantee. You aren't entitled to a dead turkey just cause you have a tag. 

I'll be out with friends during the long hunt. I always get more satisfaction from helping someone else out than I do hunting for myself, anyway.


----------



## backstrap bill (Oct 10, 2004)

I was only able to hunt 2 days this week.No bird. The woods are completeley flooded.My high light was friday afternoon, being able to call a young jake across about 90yards of field until some geese scared him away.
Heard a lot of gobbling saturday morning in the woods but couldn't call anything out into the field and it got very windy.Saw lots of deer! The wind and rain really screwed things up.Now sunday afternoon looks like it cleared up, but I'm already back home.:sad: Darn!


----------



## EdB (Feb 28, 2002)

I don't think the guys who planned for and chose the late hunt would be real happy if all the guys from the early hunt could crowd them out. Would that be fair to them?


----------



## ReelEffort2 (Aug 9, 2010)

EdB said:


> I don't think the guys who planned for and chose the late hunt would be real happy if all the guys from the early hunt could crowd them out. Would that be fair to them?


 

Excellent point!

Here's a thought: Use a camera instead of a weapon, if your license has expired, and get some great pictures. Like someone said previously, one doesn't have to make a kill to have a great hunt!


----------



## Bambicidal Maniac (Feb 4, 2011)

Linda G. said:


> How would they know your tag was "unused"?


I think it would be pretty obvious when you turned it in, which would be a condition of getting a hunt 234 tag. It would still have the backing on it and none of the Vs would be notched out. And the fact that you would be paying another tag fee and financing another trip would cut way down on the number of people who would use the second tag to go any distance from home.

I just don't think it would result in that much more crowding and they do need the money. Maybe make it a private land only thing.


----------



## Bambicidal Maniac (Feb 4, 2011)

EdB said:


> I don't think the guys who planned for and chose the late hunt would be real happy if all the guys from the early hunt could crowd them out. Would that be fair to them?


All the guys from the early hunt wouldn't crowd them out. Those who got a bird wouldn't be eligible. Those who didn't have the money for another tag and another hunting trip wouldn't show up. But it could be made a private land only thing. The only real issue is whether it would result in too many birds killed.


----------



## Linda G. (Mar 28, 2002)

You're assuming that everyone who killed a bird would punch their tags legally. 

In a perfect world, maybe. But this world is not perfect, and some would take advantage of the opportunity, I think some already do. I don't think we should add to that issue. 

And I agree with Ed-it wouldn't be fair for some to have an additional week or two weeks of hunting that others don't have. Even if the weather was too rotten to hunt-they had that opportunity, and others didn't. 

Don't worry, it won't be long and the DNR will just throw the doors open on the season as they've been working to that end for some time now. Then we can all whine and complain on Internet forums about where the quality of the hunt went and how the DNR should do more to improve our hunting experience.


----------



## Bambicidal Maniac (Feb 4, 2011)

Linda G. said:


> You're assuming that everyone who killed a bird would punch their tags legally.
> 
> In a perfect world, maybe. But this world is not perfect, and some would take advantage of the opportunity, I think some already do. I don't think we should add to that issue.
> 
> And I agree with Ed-it wouldn't be fair for some to have an additional week or two weeks of hunting that others don't have.


I'm not assuming that. I'm just not assuming that the negatives would defeat the positives. We can solve part of the overdemand problem by raising the price of the "2nd chance" hunt to where it's just for the diehards. If people want a 2nd chance, it's also a 2nd chance to squeeze them for more $$$. Everybody had a chance to apply for the lottery hunts. Those who chose not to, can't exactly fault the winners. The 2nd chance is another matter. If it makes economic sense we should do it. If not, we shouldn't. It would only seem unfair to those who would think the price of the 2nd chance hunt isn't high enough.



> Don't worry, it won't be long and the DNR will just throw the doors open on the season as they've been working to that end for some time now. Then we can all whine and complain on Internet forums about where the quality of the hunt went and how the DNR should do more to improve our hunting experience.


If it's gonna happen anyway, it must be because they believe the populations will be high enough, which is a good thing if it's true. If it's not, then we should forego the extra cash we could make from the diehards. I don't think we should avoid doing something that might be a win-win just because some people might choose to avoid tagging a bird so they'll have a chance to buy a 2nd chance tag. Some people probably hunt without a tag now simply because they don't have the 2nd chance option. We don't get a dime from them. At the very least, this sounds like a potential opportunity that could stand some analysis instead of just automatic rejection.


----------



## Linda G. (Mar 28, 2002)

"I don't think we should avoid doing something that might be a win-win just because some people might choose to avoid tagging a bird so they'll have a chance to buy a 2nd chance tag. Some people probably hunt without a tag now simply because they don't have the 2nd chance option."

You are suggesting that we accomodate poachers. 

Sorry, you're not getting anywhere with me.


----------



## Bambicidal Maniac (Feb 4, 2011)

Linda G. said:


> You are suggesting that we accomodate poachers.


Not at all. I'm suggesting we don't turn down another shot at the wallets of turkey hunters if it doesn't make sense to do so. It seems that the reaction against the idea is a kneejerk reaction rather than an honest analysis of whether it would be good for the people of Michigan.


----------



## bigmac (Nov 28, 2000)

went out yesterday for my first hunt of season...nice and warm very enjoyable evening. Can't wait to do a full day hunt soon! Sunny and 65 tomorrow mal!:lol:


----------



## Day Late (Aug 12, 2003)

The spring turkey season gives you a choice to make. Do you want a two week season with a chance of poor weather, in exchange for a two week head start. You could have given up the head start for a 30 day season with better weather, more bugs and possibly less turkeys. You make a decision and live with the consequences. Last year i took the first season and was happy with that decision. However this year I took the late season an I'm glad I did. But I've been on the other side, hunting turkeys in the snow or 80 degree heat.


----------



## Jigin-N-Grinin (Jan 22, 2008)

Linda G. said:


> "I don't think we should avoid doing something that might be a win-win just because some people might choose to avoid tagging a bird so they'll have a chance to buy a 2nd chance tag. Some people probably hunt without a tag now simply because they don't have the 2nd chance option."
> 
> *You are suggesting that we accomodate poachers. *
> 
> Sorry, you're not getting anywhere with me.


I didnt see him suggesting that at all.....I kind of liked his idea. 
At least they should do it for the youth hunters.


----------

