Afternoon Turkeys?

[RageBow]

Didn't get a chance to get out early this morning. May try and return this afternoon. Yesterday I had a spot full of fired up gobblers. Returned to the same spot late yesterday for no action
Is that normal? What should be the game plan for this afternoon?
Happy Easter. God Bless.

 

[Setterman]

Very normal, afternoons are a total toss up. However, usually if you get one going in the afternoon they're fairly easy to kill.

 

[Mike Belt]

I think one of the biggest mysteries concerning turkeys is how or why they can be so fired up and vocal one morning and the next morning being identical in wind, cloud cover, and temperature be completely silent.

 

[Setterman]

I think one of the biggest mysteries concerning turkeys is how or why they can be so fired up and vocal one morning and the next morning being identical in wind, cloud cover, and temperature be completely silent.

This is simply, they're freaking crazy. That's the only logical explanation

 

[RageBow]

I covered a ton of ground. Mainly woods. Walking and calling. Listening. Not a single gobble. Ran into a Jake and that's it. Just set up on the edge of a field I have seen them in.

 

[darn2ten]

I agree with Setterman, very normal. Especially in the early season. As the season progresses and more hens start nesting the gobblers will start roving more and usually become more vocal mid morning thru the afternoon. I've killed many vocal birds from between 10 and 2. The latest gobbling bird I've ever called in was at 4:45.

 

[RageBow]

Essentially these sun down hunts are very difficult?

 

[Setterman]

Essentially these sun down hunts are very difficult?

Sometimes, but sometimes they're great. I would be careful pounding on them to early, it'll only hurt you later in the season

 

[darn2ten]

Essentially these sun down hunts are very difficult?

In my experience, once it gets close to sun down its a definite crap shoot. Years ago there used to be this old bird behind my dad's house that would gobble his head off on the way to roost. For some reason seemed that was his most vocal time of day. He'd gobble at anything, but would just continue his march to the roost no matter what I tried. One evening it started thundering and he shock gobbled so much on his way till I figured he'd be hoarse, lol. I'm sure I could have ambushed him pretty easy, but that wasn't my style. I finally ended up killing him later in the season one morning after he only gobbled a grand total of twice. As was said earlier, turkey's are crazy. Seems some have no rhyme or reason sometimes.

 

[RageBow]

Well darn. I'm a bit concerned over my next ability to get out and get a chance to take one. I work early mornings and this weekend is my guard duty. Will be a couple weeks until I get the chance to get in during early morning hours.

 

[DeerKiller2012]

Set up where you know they are coming back to roost. Don't call much at all maybe softly a few yelps every 30-45 mins for the last two hours before dark. You'd be surprised what'll happen within the last 45 min before roost . If your pretty close to a roost site a lot of times you can nail one in the last 45 mins of shooting time easily if your patient and not calling hard . If it's a big flock with multiple toms 4-8 I wouldn't do this but if it's 3 or less with a bunch of hens I'd take a buddy and do this everyday .
Also I've got to where I rarely hunt early mornings anymore for any spot . 0830 -1500 is a great time to kill birds

 

[Setterman]

Set up where you know they are coming back to roost. Don't call much at all maybe softly a few yelps every 30-45 mins for the last two hours before dark. You'd be surprised what'll happen within the last 45 min before roost . If your pretty close to a roost site a lot of times you can nail one in the last 45 mins of shooting time easily if your patient and not calling hard .

You can also easily destroy your hunting for the rest of the season. Personally, I'd never do this as the negatives are too high for me.

 

[DeerKiller2012]

Set up where you know they are coming back to roost. Don't call much at all maybe softly a few yelps every 30-45 mins for the last two hours before dark. You'd be surprised what'll happen within the last 45 min before roost . If your pretty close to a roost site a lot of times you can nail one in the last 45 mins of shooting time easily if your patient and not calling hard .

You can also easily destroy your hunting for the rest of the season. Personally, I'd never do this as the negatives are too high for me.

Everybody is there own , and if you only have evenings to hunt then this is a suggestion on how it's worked for me .

 

[Setterman]

Set up where you know they are coming back to roost. Don't call much at all maybe softly a few yelps every 30-45 mins for the last two hours before dark. You'd be surprised what'll happen within the last 45 min before roost . If your pretty close to a roost site a lot of times you can nail one in the last 45 mins of shooting time easily if your patient and not calling hard .

You can also easily destroy your hunting for the rest of the season. Personally, I'd never do this as the negatives are too high for me.

Everybody is there own , and if you only have evenings to hunt then this is a suggestion on how it's worked for me .

You're right, if evenings are your only time you have no choice.

 

[catman529]

Afternoons can be great, but not always as good as morning. This afternoon was great for me , except my setup could have been a little better.


Sent from the talk of tap

 

[RageBow]

Yeah I was pretty disappointed. Until I went to leave and walking though the woods had one return a gobble. Couldn't get him in to me before sundown.

 

[catman529]

Yeah I was pretty disappointed. Until I went to leave and walking though the woods had one return a gobble. Couldn't get him in to me before sundown.

he probably had hens. But I've found em alone in the afternoon too.


Sent from the talk of tap

 

[RageBow]

Yeah he was gobbling probably a couple hundred yards deep in the thick woods. Every couple minutes then he just shut it off.