Sunsets on Turkey season 2012

[charlie elk]

What a great year of hunting, the weather mostly cooperated both for bird recruitment and during the season. There are more game birds across the landscape of Wisconsin than I have ever seen. The spring turkey season should be outstanding. I think WI now has the largest turkey population in the country and fewest hunters. We ended the fall season with 42,002 unsold tags...
So many tags so little time.
I have a tradition of hunting the final minutes of every season as a way to reflect and say goodbye to its blessings. I also believe by doing this I'll have good luck in the future seasons. Here is a picture of the final view of turkey season 2012.

Sunsets on the 2012 hunting season.jpg (71.99 KiB) Viewed 174 times

We had just flushed about 50 turkeys off into the sunset to roost. I waved goodbye while Vic barked a goodbye.

last turkey of 2012.jpg (99.67 KiB) Viewed 174 times

2012 was a great season, Vic became more polished, I learned a lot as usual especially about winter turkey hunting with a turkey dog, it is very challenging to say the least. We are thankful for a very bountiful turkey harvest and after a few days of rest I will begin to obsess over the arrival of season 2013.

Anyone else with final thoughts and experiences of 2012 to share?
Happy hunting in the New Year everyone.

[merocustomcalls]

I lease a farm in southern Eau Claire County for hunting all year round. I have not hunted there the past two years in the spring because there were so few birds. I'm happy to report finding two different flocks of young poults each about a dozen strong. Not sure what this spring will be like there but at least it seems like the birds are on the rebound.

[AWTHDA]

Charlie - that's a good tradition, I do that too. I knew WI has the largest turkey population in the country, but I didn't know we had the fewest hunters! My neighbor and I wore snow camo to hunt around a Lake on the last day 12/31. It was a sunny 22d but tough walking in a foot of snow (no snowshoes). Easier walking in 3" of snow under the pines where I was, when Keena found this one hiding under the edge of the cedars. This delicious young jenny offered the perfect standing shot when it flew up to a big oak. No pellets in the breasts (now in the freezer) - the legs and thighs went in the slow cooker this morning and made dinner tonight. Another trophy Wisconsin turkey (every one is to me). I moved from Zone 3 to Zone 2 last year and there's just as many turkeys over here. I'll see small groups of 3 or 4 birds, to flocks of 50 to 100, across the road from each other in December. When I'm hunting fall wild turkey in Wisconsin, I feel like that first white man who looked out on the plains at all those buffalo. Jon

[Gopherlongbeards]

Definitely a good tradition Charlie, less than four months till we're back chasing those gobblers again. Poor Vic has to wait a bit longer.