Finally broke the ice...

[petey]

Good job!

Pretty sad how hunting has got with them around my neck of the woods too. You definitly have to hunt them differently. The days of hearing a bird and getting in on him and once he answered he was as good as dead are long gone.

I've been all over numerous states hunting these Easterns and it seems to be getting harder and harder every year in PA. Ohio used to be a place you could go and kill your bird in a day or so too, but I haven't been there in a while and I'm sure it's getting the same type of pressure as here. You never used to be constricted by posted signs either. If you heard a bird, you could go and kill it. More and more hunters out at all times of the year calling, coyotes, & tons of hens. That aggressive calling just doesn't do it this year. Best to just sit and ambush one, which isn't as exciting as calling one in on a rope. They need to open up a hen season as far as I'm concerned! Took me 4 days to kill one this year and all 3 days prior I worked birds and had hens take them away. This was the worst first day I've ever had too....never heard a bird. Youth season screwing things up?? Not sure as to the answer but they sure aren't as vocal as years in the past.