Anyone hunting in Hancock?

[ebrauns23]

I have been in the woods almost every weekend since the season opened and I've heard one hen and one gobbler. The only thing I have been able to call in were 2 coyotes. I'm trying to decide if it's time to look for new land to hunt or if I should press on.

 

[FootLongDawg]

I hunted s lot the first couple of weeks. Illness in the family has prevented me from returning. One day I heard two gobble. After that, called in.two hens. Loss of habitat has killed me. Hancock is getting leveled.

 

[mallardsx2]

Hunted there on the second saturday. The other local club feeds year round. Most of the birds are pulled from our club.

 

[JerryC]

I hunt on the border of Baldwin and Hancock. I called in a hen and saw a Tom that wouldn't come any closer. We also called in a group of about 6 Jakes that were gobbling like crazy, this was a few weeks ago and I haven't been back. As far as I know only one big bird was killed on our lease.

 

[foxdawg]

All the cutover has hurt the turkey hunting in Hancock imo. Helped the deer though.

 

[GRT24]

Hunted only one weekend and had 4 birds gobbling in different directions on that Saturday morning. Never could make anything happen. The day before never heard anything. That Sunday called in 3 hens but they never made a sound and no Tom came with them either. Haven’t been back down since.

 

[XIronheadX]

3 decades ago, the Hancock/Washington county fall line was turkey heaven. It's where I cut my teeth on ole Tom. My first two birds were within a few yards of where the white sand and red clay met. From satellite photos I'm guessing its a big pine thicket now. Hardwoods wiped out. I know the long leaf and hardwood mix is gone. The only evidence it existed is probably the giant pine cones in my mothers foyer basket.

 

[willie1971]

3 decades ago, the Hancock/Washington county fall line was turkey heaven. It's where I cut my teeth on ole Tom. My first two birds were within a few yards of where the white sand and red clay met. From satellite photos I'm guessing its a big pine thicket now. Hardwoods wiped out. I know the long leaf and hardwood mix is gone. The only evidence it existed is probably the giant pine cones in my mothers foyer basket.

I hunt some there... is it because the land is so cheap that nothing to plant but pine? no industry there except for logging pines from what i see. some locals say the birds are rebounding. just curious

 

[XIronheadX]

I hunt some there... is it because the land is so cheap that nothing to plant but pine? no industry there except for logging pines from what i see. some locals say the birds are rebounding. just curious

Timber companies and old family money back then. Families held onto it and leased it to pay taxes. When times got tough they would start cutting timber. Some was even auctioned off for 200 an acre back in the mid 90's. If I wasn't young and broke I could have had 200 acres for 40k.

On down in Warthen in Washington Co., there were pics of virgin timber cut in the early 1900s. Those were some huge logs.

 

[willie1971]

based on my experience and what i see, you are correct

 

[ebrauns23]

Thanks for all the replies. Like someone said, the deer population is doing well. I'm practically tripping over them everytime I head into the woods. I may start heading over and hunt public land and see what I can do.

 

[scottyd917]

We are right on the fall line and seem to be averaging around 6-10 opportunities a year between 3-4 of us that turkey hunt. The past three years have been decent. This year has been through the roof for the most part. Although they are just all but done down there.