What is the best time of day for turkey hunting?
Time of Day: Since Turkeys make their nest in trees and on the ground in wooded areas, one of the best times of day to hunt is first thing in the morning. Get out to your blind early and listen for the yelps, cackles, and gobbles of turkeys as they start in search for breakfast.
It's no secret that most turkeys are heard, seen, and killed in the morning. For some states, it's the only time you can hunt mandated by state game laws. But for those that are turkey hunting all day in the spring, the success can be great in the afternoons.
If I'm in a good spot, I discipline myself to sit for at least 30 minutes, more if I feel confident. That's not to say that if you'd given it one more minute, you'd have killed the bird that sneaked in on you, but staying longer is better than leaving too soon.
In short, the theory goes, we have killed the noisier, more eager toms, leaving the craftier, quieter ones to pass on their genes. That theory sounds good around the campfire, but there is no real evidence or studies to support it, says Ken Duren, wild turkey biologist for the Ohio Division of Wildlife.
When To Call A Gobbler. OK, so let's narrow it down to the time of day. In my view, the best times of the day are right off the roost, then again from about 8:30 to 9:30 when more hens start to leave the gobbler to go lay an egg, and again from about 11 until noon.
Push button call
But don't call too often – less is more. Calling every 15 minutes or so and starting off quieter and then getting more aggressive/louder as the day goes on are good rules of thumb. If you hear a hen, try to mimic her exact vocalizations.
The hunter can see what's in front of him. The gobbler can see everything around him, and that's the reason you have to keep your movement to a minimum and wear camouflage. The turkey knows that there are thermals and different types of winds in the outdoors.
The gobbler wanted to be where you were when you spooked him. So, after he thinks you're gone, and he hears a hen softly calling, there's a very good chance he may come back in that direction. Remember — the gobbler has a limited number of days to breed.
Turkeys tend to travel the same routes or circuits to the same areas every day, as long as those areas provide what turkeys need and want. Hunters can use this information to place themselves right in the path of the birds, or at least pretty close to where those birds typically travel on any given day.
Never wear red, white, blue or black clothing while turkey hunting. Red is the color most hunters look for when distinguishing a gobbler's head from a hen's blue-colored head, but at times it may appear white or blue. Male turkey feathers covering most of the body are black in appearance.
Do you have to worry about scent when turkey hunting?
Turkeys have a very poor sense of smell, so you don't have to worry about scent-masking clothing or playing the wind while turkey hunting. The turkey's other senses — namely its razor-sharp eyesight and amazing hearing — more than make up for its olfactory inadequacies.
Turkeys generally don't like being in the woods in wet or windy weather, probably because it's much harder for them to see or hear predators. They like to be in open places like fields and pastures, and where they might spend an hour or two there on a pleasant day, they may well be there all day in a storm.
Scare away problem turkeys
It's easy to scare turkeys away by making noises (try waving your arms and yelling or blowing a whistle), popping open an umbrella, throwing tennis balls, or dousing the turkey with water from a hose or squirt gun. A leashed dog may also be effective in scaring a turkey away.
Those gobblers pause often to listen for the sounds of active hens. Even strutting gobblers are prone to drop from the strut, stand erect, and listen and observe. If hens are what they want, then you should work hard to sound like a hen. And carry several turkey calls so you can sound like young, old and many hens.
Because turkeys are most active during times of mild weather, too hot or too cold weather slows their activity.
A lot of turkeys, especially old Easterns, will gobble only once or twice in the afternoon, but they'll come to your calls fast and silently. Afternoon hunting generally peaks from around 2 to 4:30 p.m., but you might as well hunt right up until dark some days. Gobblers love to roost within 50 to 200 yards of hens.
Myth: Turkeys don't cross fences or creeks. Fact: Sure, turkeys hang up sometimes when faced with obstructions but others simply fly over fences or creeks.
The best weather for turkey hunting season doesn't always coincide on days where you hear the most gobblers. Gobblers will be more vocal on days where winds are less than 10 mph, the temperature is between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit, and the barometric pressure is high and steady.
To locate gobblers early in the morning one of the best calls to use is an owl call. It's one of the best calls to get turkeys to sound off on the roost.
22 is illegal. There are only a few states where hunting turkeys with a rifle is allowed, and even then it is often only during the fall season. Aside from it being illegal in many areas, there are other reasons why it isn't the best idea to hunt turkey with the rifle from your boyhood.
How far can you hear a turkey gobble in the woods?
As a general rule a gobble made in a tree can be heard twice as far as one made on the ground. That same “twice-as-far” rule applies to all other turkey sounds.
The gobbler wanted to be where you were when you spooked him. So, after he thinks you're gone, and he hears a hen softly calling, there's a very good chance he may come back in that direction. Remember — the gobbler has a limited number of days to breed.
Temperature also plays a role in turkey activity, and particularly in how much noise turkeys will make over the course of a day. They tend to be the most vocal in mild temperatures—around 60-69°F—and weather that's too cold or too balmy will slow them down. Just like humans, they prefer weather that is comfortable.
Never wear red, white, blue or black clothing while turkey hunting. Red is the color most hunters look for when distinguishing a gobbler's head from a hen's blue-colored head, but at times it may appear white or blue. Male turkey feathers covering most of the body are black in appearance.
It's hard enough to bag a big-boss gobbler, and turkey hunters need to do all they can to keep the odds in their favor. Being quiet and not alerting turkeys to any human presence is one of the most important aspects.
When the gobbler quits gobbling, look at your watch, and force yourself to stay on your stand. Don't move around for an hour after the bird has quit gobbling. If you'll use this strategy, you'll see more turkeys, and you'll take more turkeys.
When they do, turkeys can hear and understand that the alarm sounds of other animals means there's danger in the woods. You may be set-up and working a turkey when a deer comes in downwind of you and starts blowing and stomping, because he smells human odor. If the deer smells you, it will spook the turkey.
Hunting blinds conceal movements allowing you to move when birds are close with the confidence they will not spook unlike when hunting on the ground where even the slightest movement can alert a gobbler.
Give yourself 24 hours to get the core body temperature of the bird below 4°C, then hang in a cold, dry environment for up to 14 days. Remember! When you're ready to prepare the bird, you only have 14 days after you have cut into it before it will go off. Once the bird has been eviscerated, it must be be kept at 0°C.
In summary, you generally want to at least gut the turkey immediately after the kill. If you want to wait to finish cleaning the turkey that is fine but removing the guts greatly decreases the chances of the meat spoiling. Hang the turkey anywhere from 1-3 days in a cool, dry environment if you want to age the meat.
Do turkeys roost in the same spot every night?
Overall, the answer to the big question is that turkeys do not always roost in the same place. Turkeys are much like deer in that they shift to different parts of their home range throughout the year. That said, they do seem to favor certain ones, and spend more time roosting in favored locations than anywhere else.