Thoughts on afternoon turkey hunting

[Buck154]

What's everyone's thoughts about hunting the birds in the afternoon? 

 I have only been out a couple times ever. Not sure if i like it. I don't want to hunt them like a deer and wait for them at a roost area. To me calling them in is TURKEY hunting. I know you can still call them in the afternoon.  I will give it another try this year cause i haven't taken a bird yet. 

[Thunderchicken]

Agreed John! I try to get out of the woods by 5 / 5:30 if I haven’t called them in by then, I’m not ambushing them as they go to their roost trees. Just my opinion. I do love the interaction in that mid day to 4 pm period very cool! Goodluck!

[Swampy]

 I don’t know shit about turkey hunting....A week B week c week shark week ....no clue

However, (I’m obviously wrong)  I thought you couldn’t hunt them in the afternoon? 

[Buck154]

3 minutes ago, Swampy said:

 I don’t know shit about turkey hunting....A week B week c week shark week ....no clue

However, (I’m obviously wrong)  I thought you couldn’t hunt them in the afternoon? 

The D permit is the last 2 weeks of season and you are allowed to hunt all day

[gobblergetter]

I have hunted and killed birds in the afternoon but I'd much just roost the for the morning hunt.

Wish they would do away with the all day hunting and give us back the first(sixth) week

[gobblergetter]

Another issue with afternoon hunts are , where do you check in your bird ?

Check stations in my area are closed if you hunt till 0'dark thirty

[Shakyjake]

Hunted afternoon a couple times and killed but, it wasnt nearly as much fun as the morning. 

[Thunderchicken]

2 hours ago, gobblergetter said:

I have hunted and killed birds in the afternoon but I'd much just roost the for the morning hunt.

Wish they would do away with the all day hunting and give us back the first(sixth) week

I would take that trade off too!! 

[230jhp]

Spring turkey hunting in mornings only in most states, not sure why.

[Bonefreak]

23 minutes ago, 230jhp said:

Spring turkey hunting in mornings only in most states, not sure why.

To limit hens getting bumped off their nests. 

Supposedly they will not return to the nest once bumped off....but they will attempt to lay another clutch somewhere else. Although,  my pal had bumped a hen off her nest this year and he saw her sitting on it again the following day. 

I have never bumped a hen off a nest....and my pal who has been turkey huntin for 50 years has only bumped 1 hen off a nest....and that was in West Virginia. 

I proposed for all day turkey huntin for youths for whole season out of blinds only to compete with youth busy school and sport schedules....it was shot down by the state citing a study in Texas about hens being bumped off the nests......but rhat study was not limited to just youths out afield.....which in this state, there probably is only about 25 hardcore dads/mentors statewide that would take advantage of all day hunts with their youths while juggling their busy school, club activities,  and sport schedules......hence low turkey hunter recruitment.  

[Buck154]

Hunted yesterday afternoon. Heard birds but they were on the next property. But it was the first hunt for us there this year so it was more of a scouting trip.

[rgw]

I told you my opinion

[MikeStaten]

14 hours ago, Bonefreak said:

To limit hens getting bumped off their nests. 

Supposedly they will not return to the nest once bumped off....but they will attempt to lay another clutch somewhere else. Although,  my pal had bumped a hen off her nest this year and he saw her sitting on it again the following day. 

I have never bumped a hen off a nest....and my pal who has been turkey huntin for 50 years has only bumped 1 hen off a nest....and that was in West Virginia. 

I proposed for all day turkey huntin for youths for whole season out of blinds only to compete with youth busy school and sport schedules....it was shot down by the state citing a study in Texas about hens being bumped off the nests......but rhat study was not limited to just youths out afield.....which in this state, there probably is only about 25 hardcore dads/mentors statewide that would take advantage of all day hunts with their youths while juggling their busy school, club activities,  and sport schedules......hence low turkey hunter recruitment.  

That's a really good idea and shame they didn't adopt it.

[Stan Putz]

They will gobble sometimes in the afternoon, nowhere near as much as in the morning. It IS a lot like deer hunting, if you know where they go, sit and wait them out. If you can catch one who is curious or suicidal, you may be able to pull one in by just calling softly every 1/2 hour or so.

[Buck154]

31 minutes ago, Stan Putz said:

It IS a lot like deer hunting, if you know where they go, sit and wait them out. If you can catch one who is curious or suicidal, you may be able to pull one in by just calling softly every 1/2 hour or so.

That's the part i don't care for.  Turkey hunting to me is calling them in