Hunting after 12pm here in PA is a relatively new thing, Im wondering what kind of techniques you guys use to hunt gobblers after 12? Seems like patterning is the predominant game plan here in PA.
Spring Turkey Hunting in the afternoon/evening.
- Thread starter Apparition
- Start date
Matthoek21
Veteran member
Find where they like to roost and get in there early and set out decoys and just do some soft calling every 15 minutes. A lot of times they will come in silent hoping to roost with the hens for the next morning. Hard to run and gun after 12 unless they're still gobbling. If one gobbles at your calling just be patient he is more likely to come looking for you. Generally they've lost their hens by then and are looking to hook back up.
Roost hunting right before dark works, from 10 to about 2 hours before dark running and gunning should work. We sit and cold call with the wind at are back for about 45 minutes, then move a couple hundred yards and repeat. Most Toms are lonely at that time of day.
tim
Veteran member
Head in the Clouds
Member
If you know where they roost, setting up nearby is hard to beat. As the others stated, if you get one to respond in the afternoon it's probably a killable bird.
Running and gunning from 11-4 can work. Best between 12-2 sometimes. Setting up and cold calling at strutting areas or field edges hens use for their morning feed after coming off the nest can be good too; gobblers will often hang close enough to the areas to hear you. In my experience for afternoon calling is they either take an eternity to come in and gobble little to none, or come running hard with or without gobbling.
I've had better luck early afternoon and evening than in the mornings at flydown. It seems birds start to get vocal again around noon. Also, Toms can get territorial if you find them with a group of hens. Use a strutter decoy, move in close, and they will come charging.
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Wyoming Hart
Very Active Member
Ain't that the truth? They are a real bugger in general. How did the afternoon hunts go for you Apparition?
Murdy
Active Member
There's really not a lot of difference between hunting early afternoon and late morning. Toms have probably been through a round of breeding (or two) and moving around looking to hook up again, so they are susceptible to calling. I run & gun if I'm not familiar with the area, but if I know where birds tend to congregate, I will cold call from there.