Scouting your 2008 hunt/Bird Activity Reports

[crazyice]

Tuesday morning I saw a massive flock of birds east of Rochester, combination of hens and many, many struttin' toms! One was by himself struttin' closer to the road, but man was he a humongo bird! Looked like a dog stalking the rest of the group.

[Scott M]

Saw a few hens out and about and one tom strutting for a hen on a grassy hillside with mixed short evergreens before it rained. This was by the Maple River around Mapleton.

[Scott M]

Lots of activity today! I felt this was strange because yesterday was a nice day and I didn't see hardly anything. Today was exactly like yesterday weatherwise, maybe a few degrees warmer, but I saw way more birds today. Must have been coincidental.

Lots of hen activity the first hour after sunup. Driving around east of St. Peter I had to stop and put my schoolbus sign out and red flashing lights for three foolish jakes to cross highway 99. It was like a group of elementary kids; one of them kind of tripped on the others leg as they crossed. A bunch of bumbling adolescents complete with hormones. Lastly I saw another hen scamper across a gravel road in the middle of nowhere to catch up to her tom that was almost up the ditch on the other side of the road.

Nice weather on the brink for G and H seasons.

[Powerstroke]

You were out east of St. Peter? Thats where I'm hunting right now. We've seen a few birds but not as many as I would've thought. I'm not sure if I should complain, but I'm not sure about this 80 degree stuff.

[goblueM]

birds were active in houston county... gobbling on the roost in the morning

we were busted one morning, but called in a nice 24 pound longbeard the next morning

birds were also out strutting in the fields when the clouds came out or when it was cooler this weekend.

Had one HUGE (25+ most likely) tom troll all around the ridgeline we were hunting, never got in sight.

Called him in later that day, drumming, spitting, and strutting the whole way. Got within 50 yards, then 2 jakes had snuck in right behind me, got within 5 or 6 yards, then start putting like its their job. Longbeard takes off the side of the ridge never to be seen again.

dang kids... they screw up everything!

[jhol]

Last weekend report

My brother and I hunted south of Rochester from Friday through Sunday. Very little gobbling after birds came down, mostly shock gobbling from crows, owls, even a few from a really loud tractor. We saw a ton of birds and put to bed toms every night. My brother the first night shot a giant tom as he was strutting his way to his tree for the night. 25 pounds, 1 3/8" spurs and a 10 1/2" beard. He has a horseshoe up his *** second bird if four years 25 pounds or better. Anyway we did manage to get withing 70 yards of two other toms but never had a good shot. Lots of fun just not much action for callin em in.

good luck everybody.

[DonBo]

Been hunting the last few days. The last two mornings have been real quiet. Gobbling was all done by 5:30 this morning.

I did see a couple strutters in the fields while driving back to work after the hunt. Didn't see any hens that they may have been showing off for.

The toms I have seen this week have shown a dislike for my decoys. Haven't seen any birds since I quit using them.

[Scott M]

Hadn't seen birds in a while but saw a monster of a tom and a smaller one with two hens on top of a dirt field by Kilkenny. Less noticeable/observable bird activity this last week or so, but I'm sure they are still around.