Re: Prime turkey time
[Re: houndone]
#8137871
05/12/24 01:23 AM
05/12/24 01:23 AM
|
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 2,558 SE SD
DWC
OP
trapper
|
OP
trapper
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 2,558
SE SD
|
I've killed bigger birds after 9am then right off of the roost.think you get alot of 2 year Olds right off of the roost but later on get the dominant tom especially if your using a tom decoy with a full fan.killed my biggest bird at 11.15am and came in silent. Ive often wondered if my style of hunting, run n gun and stop at “good spots” to call for a bit, is the reason I think I kill a lot of 2 year olds, maybe some 3’s. The Merriam/Eastern crosses we have dont get as big as Easterns. Beards are usually less than 10 and spurs might hit an inch, but sometimes rounded. Today the bird I shot was touchin 12 inches with 1 inch spurs that were sharp. Im guessing a 3 year old. He was with his twin, both danglin pretty good. I walk the ridges and am loud on a box call, cuttin and yelpin, tryin to get a response. I know i wouldnt win any contests. Turkey hunting is fun for me when theyre talkin back, so I wonder if I spook the old wise silent ones in order to entertain the teenagers who are fired up.
|
|
|
Re: Prime turkey time
[Re: DWC]
#8137880
05/12/24 02:28 AM
05/12/24 02:28 AM
|
Joined: Dec 2021
Posts: 27 new york
oldbuck
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Dec 2021
Posts: 27
new york
|
Most of my big gobblers have been killed in late morning when the hens go back to their nest.
USMC 1972-1976
|
|
|
Re: Prime turkey time
[Re: DWC]
#8137901
05/12/24 06:28 AM
05/12/24 06:28 AM
|
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 11,056 MT
snowy
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 11,056
MT
|
I never have any luck early morning. Mid-morning till midafternoon then evening till dark has been the best.
About 3 o'clock on the mature bird this year. Coming waltzing right in after a few calls. The other one I seen taken was at lunch time (high Noon).
Give me a fish, I will eat for a day. Teach me to fish, I will eat for a lifetime
|
|
|
Re: Prime turkey time
[Re: DWC]
#8137916
05/12/24 07:06 AM
05/12/24 07:06 AM
|
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 20,873 SEPA
Lugnut
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 20,873
SEPA
|
I’ve been hunting them all week here in North Central Pennsylvania. They open up on the roost about 5:25 AM. About the time that it’s just getting light enough to see but still about half an hour before sunrise.
They’ve been flying down 15 or 20 minutes later. Depending on how hot they are, they will either go quiet or continue gobbling for quite some time once on the ground. They’ve been henned up this week so, while they were pretty responsive, they were not coming in, unless you could interest or anger their hens and bring them in.
By 9 AM, they’ve pretty much gone silent other than the occasional lonely gobbler still looking for love.
We have to quit at noon for the first half of the season, all day hunting after that.
Eh...wot?
|
|
|
Re: Prime turkey time
[Re: DWC]
#8137941
05/12/24 08:30 AM
05/12/24 08:30 AM
|
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 35,949 Central, SD
Law Dog
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 35,949
Central, SD
|
The river breaks VS the farm fields VS the forest all need different approaches. Hunting the thick cedar draws in April is often a waste of time they hang together in the thick cover more. Hunt that area in May and they have dispersed throughout the area into smaller groups or individuals by then. Seeing lone gobblers or hens by themselves is go time.
You can call a bird about anytime when they are hot my favorite hunt is getting close before sunup and calling them off of the roost. The cat and mouse game is what I enjoy about it move or don’t move keeps it fresh and exciting to me. Farm birds are more limited they have boundaries once they dispersed here but other birds seem to roam more it seems like.
Calling styles also change when you work a public bird it’s a bit different than a bird that sees less people. Come in loud and hot from the roads direction that birds will often just walk off.
Was born in a Big City Will die in the Country OK with that!
Jerry Herbst
|
|
|
Re: Prime turkey time
[Re: DWC]
#8138017
05/12/24 11:31 AM
05/12/24 11:31 AM
|
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 12,511 SW Georgia
Wanna Be
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 12,511
SW Georgia
|
My issue is I find birds for everyone else first, then I end up taking mine. When I scout, I want to know which tree, which limb, and the best route to a tree I generally have picked out for someone to sit and call from.
I don’t believe that all birds let it rip. Just like every other critter out there, the mature bird of that area generally does the gobbling. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard maybe 1 or 2 turkeys and thought we have a problem. Shoot that mature gobbling bird and go back the next week and you’ll hear umpteen different birds sounding off. Why? Because the dominant bird is dead or missing in their eyes and everyone is a contender now.
Issues arise when you have jakes flocked up and running gobblers off. They don’t run them off, but they curb their gobbling and do more strutting and drumming to attract hens.
Not sure what y’all are considering big/mature/dominant birds, but to me it’s 1.25” spurs or greater. This year was the first year in quite a while I killed a bird with less than 1.25” spurs. I don’t go by beard length due to too many factors that can affect a beard. I’ve killed 10”+ bearded birds in the past with less than 1.25” spurs and I’ve killed birds with 1.25”+ spurs with little 8” pencil beards.
My preferred hunt is having already located a bird on the roost and knowing where his hens roost and I get between them. I either entice the gobbler or tick off the hens and they all meet up where I am. I’ve had to check my watch on some birds to make sure it was legal shooting time, lol.
I also like to run and gun. I’m going to cover as much ground as possible until I find a bird that wants to play the game. Sitting and waiting on something just doesn’t do it for me. Throwing decoys out doesn’t do it for me. A silent bird creeping in doesn’t do it for me. Give me the experience or don’t even come in. Play the game my way or not at all. I ain’t there just to “shoot” I’m there to live it!!
|
|
|
Re: Prime turkey time
[Re: DWC]
#8138212
05/12/24 09:02 PM
05/12/24 09:02 PM
|
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 11,539 Maine, Aroostook
Posco
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 11,539
Maine, Aroostook
|
If I try it again, i may be the first. Until a gag sound calls a bird, Ill stick with my box and slate. I get the hands free benefit, but I just leave the slate layin in my lap. Lol.
|
|
|
Re: Prime turkey time
[Re: DWC]
#8138221
05/12/24 09:22 PM
05/12/24 09:22 PM
|
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,056 Eastern Shore, MD
JoMiBru
trapper
|
trapper
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,056
Eastern Shore, MD
|
I have had good luck right off the roost, until about 8:00 then again about 10-11:30 am. There’s a period in the morning where it gets tough, the birds go silent for a couple hours. From my experience, if you get one fired up late morning there’s a good chance you’ll kill him . And a lot of times he comes quicker than early morning. Having said that, both my birds this year were killed before 8 am.
My tactic when I first started hunting turkeys was to hear the first gobble, and literally get as close as I could without busting him off the roost or his nearby hens. I had success with that, but have learned now, over the years how the birds naturally work our farms and properties. I love watching them and hunting them , never gets old! Good luck
John
|
|
|
|
|