What is the best time of day to kill a turkey

The writer is a fan of sunrise in the turkey woods simply for the experience, but his best time to kill a bird is often in the middle of the day or during the afternoon. Yeah, every turkey hunter has to be out at sunrise if for nothing else than to hear gobbling from the roost.

What time of day are most turkeys killed?

Time of Day Many hunters are in the woods before dawn, and most turkeys are killed before 8 a.m. However, turkey hunting after 8 a.m. can be rewarding.

What time should you be in the woods for turkey hunting?

Most states allow hunting a half-hour before sunrise so be in the woods early. How early? Get to your setup site at least 30 to 45 minutes before shooting light.

What time is the best time to hunt turkey?

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.

What is the best time to hunt turkey in the evening?

Finally, there is spring turkey hunting in the late evening. The closer to dusk you get the more motivated turkeys are to reach their roosting area. One of the best turkey hunting strategies for evening hunts is to ambush birds on their way to roost.

How often should you call turkeys in the afternoon?

Calling is another element of an afternoon hunt to consider. Calling can be a make or break move for afternoon turkey hunting. Don’t overdo it here. I like to call about every 15 minutes or so and keep things light.

What time of day do turkeys gobble most?

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.

Should you call turkeys in the afternoon?

Many hunters avoid the late shift because turkeys usually aren’t as active or vocal during afternoons, especially if it’s warm and sunny. But, gobblers don’t vanish after lunchtime, and you can tag one if you adjust your approach. … During wet weather, focus on locating turkeys in open areas, and plot an ambush.

When should you start calling turkeys in the morning?

When To Call A Gobbler 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.

Do turkeys roost in the same tree every night?

Turkeys may use traditional roost sites night after night but they generally use different sites and move from tree to tree. Turkeys usually select the largest trees available and roost as high in them as they can comfortably perch.

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How do you find a turkey in the morning?

Hear the Turkey Using your ears to lock in on a gobbler is often the best route. I hope you like early mornings, because this is when toms sound off the most. It’s ideal to be in the woods a couple hours before daylight to sneak in under the cover of darkness and listen to toms on the roost.

How long should I sit turkey hunting?

It’s tough deciding when enough is enough. 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.

How can I get better at turkey hunting?

1. Play it safe at first. …
2. Call aggressively to roosted toms. …
3. Find turkeys by scouting for acorns. …
4. Look for the lone gobbler. …
5. Switch it up on tough toms. …
6. Have a plan before you call. …
7. Bring a backup. …
8. Try gobbling to a gobbler.

Where do turkeys hang out during the day?

Preseason scouting likely uncovered a few select, shady areas adjacent to field edges and feeding zones. Turkeys congregate here to escape the midday heat. Turkeys also spend the midday hours dusting. If you find a location with this combination, mark a waypoint on your GPS.

How far can turkeys hear a call?

In a big field they will hear you from 400 yards. It sounds like you know where they are and where they are going.

Where do you find turkeys in the evening?

In the evenings wait to shock gobble turkeys until the last half hour of daylight. In the mornings, about half hour before shooting light is a perfect time to fire off a locating call. Setting up on a good listening vantage point is the first key.

What month do turkeys come out?

Egg laying is mainly in March and April with peak hatching occurring in early May. Mating activities for the Rio Grande starts in March and nesting activity is high near the end of April. With the incubation period of 28 days, most poults are present in the last week of May or early June.

Should you use turkey decoys in afternoon?

Setting up within close proximity to the roost can lead to catching birds on the way back from their daily excursion. Having decoys out can be very effective and calling very sparsely. … Turkey hunting gobblers in the afternoon takes a good strategy, but can often produce more birds than in the morning.

Are turkeys active in the evening?

Turkeys Don’t Call as Much You’ll occasionally run across a noisy, gobbling fool in the late afternoon and evening. … Most studies of gobbling activity show that the evening, though it sees more gobbling than midday, has only 10 to 30 percent of the gobbling a typical morning sees.

Do turkeys gobble all day?

Some days, turkeys gobble from dawn to dark. Other days, they don’t gobble at all. … Depending on where you live, your state’s hunting season may begin after turkey gobbling has started, or end while it is still going on. The onset of spring prompts gobblers to sound off and display.

Why do turkeys stop gobbling?

As the temperature increased, gobbling decreased. The average barometric pressure affected gobbling activity, as well. Lower pressure, often associated with rain, meant less gobbling. Birds were most active at 29.9 to 30.2 inches, and when the pressure fell below 29.7 inches, gobbling activity decreased dramatically.

What do turkeys do on windy days?

Turkeys often move to fields in heavy wind because they can see danger more easily there and escape the noise of clattering branches and swishing bushes. Scout to see where they enter and exit, then set up an ambush just back in the woods at those locations.

Why can you only turkey hunt until noon?

It’s been a New England and northeastern management tradition to finish at midday. … The current shooting hours from ½-hour before sunrise until noon are intended to protect nesting hens because incubating hens (hens sitting on eggs in a nest) tend to leave the nest to feed in the afternoon.

What time do turkeys roost at night?

As stated above, both male and female turkeys will leave the roost sometime between 5:00 to 9:00 a.m. The largest factor that determines the exact time during this window is the weather.

What kind of trees do turkeys roost in?

Turkeys also prefer pine trees to any other types of trees. They offer cover year round and often a clean forest floor to take off and land on. A single pine tree will do the trick if it is big enough, but clusters of them are best.

Where do you aim a turkey?

The most effective firearm shot for a turkey is to the head and neck. The preferred shot angle for bowhunters is broadside, aiming for the heart or lungs.

How do you find a turkey in the woods?

Look for signs, such as scratching in wooded flats, tracks and strut marks on logging roads, and scat and wing feathers near roosting spots. Slip into the woods a few mornings and listen for gobbling — not just on the roost but after flydown.

Why do turkeys gobble at Owls?

Turkeys gobble at owls, crows and other loud noises in the spring due to their rise in testosterone level.

What should you not do when turkey hunting?

• Stand When You Should Sit. Patience kills turkeys, the old saying goes. …
• Sit When You Should Walk. …
• Walk When You Should Leave. …
• Leave When You Should Stay. …
• Call When You Should Shut Up. …
• Shut Up When You Should Call. …
• Shoot When You Should Wait. …
• Wait When the Turkey Is Leaving.

Will a turkey come back if spooked?

If left alone, they might return. Make darn sure to avoid bumping a previously spooked turkey again. … Likewise, don’t expect a turkey you spooked the day before to run to yelping the next morning. He might approach, but he’ll likely do so quietly or stop gobbling just before sneaking into your setup.

Can you turkey hunt in the woods?

Focus on Open Timber Turkeys often prefer open timber with small clearings in them. And there are several reasons why they do. If there are very few places like this where you hunt, forego the fly-down hunt and set up in one of these locations. Turkey are limited as to where they can visit this type of terrain.