Best time to hunt

[catman529]

I don't care how good you are at turkey calling, if the woods are too open and he can see along ways he probably ain't going to come.

Correct, however, the solution to this, at least some of the time, is the right setup. I do my best to choose a spot that guarantees him to be in range as soon as he comes into view (25-45 yards). With that said, I have had numerous hang up over the years just off the slope, or just below the crest of the ridge. I could hear them strutting, drumming and walking in the leaves, but never could make them commit. Soft calls, scratching in the leaves, going silent, it don't matter, some birds are just stubborn as h*ll and live to see another day. That's what makes it so much fun!

When they're just over the crest but wont show, thats when you stand up and make it happen :super:

 

[Andy S.]

When they're just over the crest but wont show, thats when you stand up and make it happen :super:

Funny you wrote that because that is the first thing that popped in my head when I read Mike's post. With that said, wasn't sure if I should openly promote that "last ditch effort" on an internet forum with hunters of varying degrees of knowledge. It can work out if the planets align, but it can go south if you are not on your A-game.

 

[Setterman]

When they're just over the crest but wont show, thats when you stand up and make it happen :super:

Funny you wrote that because that is the first thing that popped in my head when I read Mike's post. With that said, wasn't sure if I should openly promote that "last ditch effort" on an internet forum with hunters of varying degrees of knowledge. It can work out if the planets align, but it can go south if you are not on your A-game.

I'll step into the fire with you, I have done it several times and have about 50/50 success rate which i feel good about it There are posters on here who have seen me successful with the stand up and kill tactic. I have also had it backfire so bad all I could do was laugh after wards.

 

[Mike Belt]

You want birds to stay on the property you hunt? Provide nesting cover! As mentioned, the hens dictate where the gobblers go. I hunted a big property where I often saw 100 bird flocks during the deer season right up until it closed. By Spring you were hard pressed to find a bird. We had plenty of food but not much in the way of nesting areas. For several years in a row the hens would all move just south of us where nesting areas were more suited to their liking. Once we established nesting areas (mainly by letting thickets grow from timber cutting, leaving fencerows, fallow fields, etc.) the hens began hanging on us all year. Up until the spiral downwards in the turkey population our hunting improved drastically.

 

[Roost 1]

A pond is a big plus too......I'm fortunate most all my properties have a creek or 2 running thru them.

 

[ridgehunter]

The weekend after the dogwoods start blooming.

 

[Hunt 365]

The weekend after the dogwoods start blooming.

^^this

 

[TheLBLman]

How many dogwoods blooming before you conclude the dogwoods are blooming?

 

[Roost 1]

How many dogwoods blooming before you conclude the dogwoods are blooming?

:tu:

 

[Roost 1]

I have seen the dog woods bloom and the hunting not be worth a crap.....

 

[Setterman]

I have seen the dog woods bloom and the hunting not be worth a crap.....

Where I hunt th dogwoods bloom almost all season because of the elevation, some days it's great other days terrible. I like to hunt when they're blooming, but also love wide open winter woods and jungle thick late spring woods

 

[ridgehunter]

If you could only hunt 1 weekend this season, which one would it be and why? Is there a peak breeding time similar to deer?

I asked this same question when I started hunting in the mid 90's and a good turkey hunter told me to take my vacation when the dogwoods start blooming and that can be different from year to year but its usly between April 5 through April 15 in my area , so I always took a week vacation around the 15 give or take few days one way are the other to hunt and plant my garden, I always limited out every year, but now that I can hunt 6 days a week and don't need a vacation to hunt, I am limited out before the dog woods start blooming but if I had only a limited time that's the best answer I can give you.