When does your season peak?

[Boll Weevil]

In your opinion, when is the very best time to put a gobbler on the ground? If you considered peak gobbling in your area, birds being henned-up, hunting pressure, vegetation, etc...do you prefer opening day/week, a couple of weeks into the season, or maybe even later?

Every spring I'm always chomping at the bit to get into the woods on the first day but in truth, my notes show my success rate usually gets better as the season progresses. A little less competition from hens, a little more leafed out vegetation to slip around undetected, and a bit more receptive gobblers.

What do you think...opening day, a week or two, or later?

 

[knightrider]

most folks do best around the 2-3 weeks of season,i do good the whole season because ive learned to adapt to what they want

 

[timberjack86]

The very best time for me is the last week of season. Most hens are on the nest and gobblers are lonesome. The year before last I killed my last three gobblers in the last week of season. They may or may not gobble as much as earliy season but when you strike one this late in the season you can almost bet he's lonely.

 

[REN]

Day1!

As far as when is the best time while not a date IMO is anytime between 10-2pm. If a bird gobbles in those times it's on!

 

[PickettSFHunter]

Day 1 before they get really thinned out over corn piles. After that, around April 20ish for a few days, they get off hens and go wild. They are also in the fields alot more later on.

 

[Gravey]

I've killed on the first day, last day, & about anytime in between. I do think they get fired up more around the end of April but like Ren said if you can get one fired up in the middle of the day the odds of killing him are good.

 

[REN]

I am not sure if there is a consistant "peak" in the areas i hunt but i do usually break the season down in sections.

normally the first 2 weeks i do well depending on weather, in those first 2 weeks they are pretty easy to pattern and i have spent the time in march keeping an eye on them.

the next 2 weeks is a bit more tough as they start to really shift and search for hens, this is when i start finding them roosting in different places or moving more towards fields. Also during this time everything starts to really green up and bugs start to be more of a food source so that also changes things up pretty good.

The last part is just a free for all really, Everything is really green by then and some fields are to tall to hunt anymore so I just have to alter my strategy. the last part is my least fav of all of them but If I dont have a limit yet I am still out there as much as possible.

 

[easy45]

When the first one hits the ground

 

[Trevor2]

Me personally, I have my best luck mid season, mid morning

 

[Phil1979]

Beginning of the season about 30 minutes to an hour after they hit the ground.

 

[hunting2131]

My season starts as soon as i hear the first gobble or first bird seen.

 

[catman529]

first couple weeks were good for me last year, late season sucked as I was hunting public land and the birds disappeared for me.

 

[bvoss]

I am with the other guys on here and will say the first week of the season. Mainly because the birds are not spooked and are looking for love.

 

[muddyboots]

The best time here is about a week before season opens. I think i kill one then banging two rocks together.

 

[Poor redneck]

When the dogwood's start blooming.

 

[Lawrence]

For me I Kill most of my birds the first week
But, I think they are the easiest toward the end
if you can find that lone bird that hasn't been pressured

 

[8 POINTS OR BETTER]

First week

 

[droptine]

here in TN, 3rd week of April
in VA, first week in May

 

[oldmanelrod]

In NE LIncoln County round the third week of April and best time of day for me is 0900-1200.

 

[VolDoug]

here in TN, 3rd week of April
in VA, first week in May

Ditto that, especially on older birds.