So Tom Kelly says if he only had 10 days to hunt out of a 50 day season he'd take the last ten every time. He says that after he does his analysis of when hens lay their eggs and concludes that the last 10 days of the season the gobblers are essentially alone all day as the hens are on the nest pretty much all day. My question is...do you agree with that? Seems that most of us find the end of the season more difficult given it's much more quiet etc. But I'm curious if you agree with his analysis.
I probably would agree. I don't know if I've killed more birds in late season, but I guarantee my best birds have been late season. The action may not be as predictable, but if you find a late season tom that wants some action, he can be a very killable turkey.
My best kills have been in weeks 3 and 4. Out of our four weeks season.
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I love the season from beginning to end but I always look foreward to the last couple weeks. I always save a tag for that one old stubborn bird. The kind I love to hunt. It takes a season to find a bird like that. So..yea, I agree. Old birds, less pressure, tougher but rewarding. I'll also add that those late season birds seem more settled in to a area. You can count on him to be in "his" place.
He is probably right. Except for the first couple of days I might disagree b/c we scout so much before season, but after that he might be spot on about the last couple weeks of the season...
Both birds I killed this year were later in the season. Gobblers were usually alone or with other gobblers and not henned up. Not an expert by any means but it sure was better for me.
I don't know if it's quieter towards the end of the season or we just can't hear as far.
I agree. The last couple weeks has been lousy hunting I'm these parts with little to no gobbling, and only mildly improving. I look for the last week to be phenomenal.
Thanks for that. Interesting. I struggled end of year last year trying to get my second one. I suspect lack of patience did me in. His comments and all of yours has gotten me focused and motivated for the end of the month
I can't pick a favorite time ...... I just can't get enough .
That's most likely his assessment of turkey hunting in his particular area , I think southern Alabama , might be true for many other places and I see the reasoning behind it as being valid
I'm in Florida and I'll take the first 10 days every single time
Last two weeks in bama are always good hunting, its better always when the hens are nesting hard..
I still prefer the first few weeks here in South MS but over the past two seasons I've learned to really like the last few weeks.
Late season heat and humidity can really suck the motivation out of me sometimes. Then add the bugs and a quiet morning...I start thinking about being on the golf course more than the task at hand.
But the last week or two can be pretty awesome. Some mornings they can light up on the roost branch and run right in.
Around here it seem the later in the season, the more you have to deal with people.....mushroom hunters mostly. I have had quite a few hunts ruined by 'shroomers during our 4th season.
Quote from: srmturk on May 09, 2014, 08:00:51 PM
So Tom Kelly says if he only had 10 days to hunt out of a 50 day season he'd take the last ten every time. He says that after he does his analysis of when hens lay their eggs and concludes that the last 10 days of the season the gobblers are essentially alone all day as the hens are on the nest pretty much all day. My question is...do you agree with that? Seems that most of us find the end of the season more difficult given it's much more quiet etc. But I'm curious if you agree with his analysis.
Tom Kelly the "poet laureate" says a lot just to make scratch on a paper....I don't agree.
I don't think my buddy in Alabama even heard a gobble the last two weeks of the Alabama season.
usually they seen and heard everything not so sure about that
Was wondering when there would be differing opinions! All interesting. Lesson is probably hunt every single time you get a chance. They're henned up bad in Maine right now but one never knows. I also agree that it's tougher hunting with heat, bugs and silence in last two weeks. But you who agree with Kelly give me hope and motivation for the next couple of weeks
Depends on hunting pressure. If there hasn't been much pressure for the past week or so then I think later is great. but if they get hammered every day then I think early is better.
Quote from: Gooserbat on May 10, 2014, 01:35:03 PM
Depends on hunting pressure. If there hasn't been much pressure for the past week or so then I think later is great. but if they get hammered every day then I think early is better.
I was thinking same thing. Very little pressure where I am so thinking that may help later
I like first 5 days and last 5 days here in nc. First 5 days birds are more vocal and I have them patterned pretty well. Next couple weeks after they been pressured and breeding hens things seem to slow down and birds are less vocal. The last 5 days hens are nesting and toms are that are still alive will start looking and covering more ground searching for hens and are less vocal but the odds are in your favor with some soft calling and a lot of patience
First week for dumb birds. Last week for older birds
To my personal experience, I'm with Shannon, I'll take the first 10 days anytime. Lots of gobbling, and lots of action. I've had pretty good luck in the beginning of the season. Later in the season seems like a lot less gobbling and a lot less birds seen.
Here in Iowa I would have to agree seems like the toms get desperate for some action by this every year.
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We can only kill 2 birds in Florida. I have killed a bird the first week and the last week many seasons. When hunting private land? last 10 days. Public? 1st 10 days. I need every edge I can get, so the young and dumbs ones have not yet been thinned or educated on public land. I usually switch to more private as the season goes along. This year, due to it raining almost every time I coudl hunt, I hunted mostly private (I hunt a field there). Our gobblers shut up this year the last 10 days. 2-3 gobbles on the limb was all I heard the last 10 days. Always when the bird was a LONG ways off too! Can't wait until next year.
Quote from: Gooserbat on May 10, 2014, 01:35:03 PM
Depends on hunting pressure. If there hasn't been much pressure for the past week or so then I think later is great. but if they get hammered every day then I think early is better.
x2 although most of my biggest boss gobblers have come late in the season
Here in Central MS I think the first week of the April is golden. That's usually the third week into our season. Typically late season I hear very little gobbling.
I'm thinking Kelly and the experienced hunters on here recognize that the lack of gobbling doesn't mean lack of gobblers nor the lack of killing opportunities. The silence doesn't mean they are not there to kill but it does extremely challenge our interest and patience. The silence is a killer. I'm saying this not as one of those experienced hunters but as one who is aspiring to be. I went out yesterday and could barely stand the silence for an hour and it's only the 2nd week up here.
Insofar as killing is concerned, the last ten days can be marvelous IF, and that is a mighty big if, you can find one. Kelly advocates owning and crowing to induce a gobble while constantly on the move, only turkey calling when one has gobbled and you are set up. It is an IFFY time.
I always like the 4th and 5th week out of our 7 week season down here in Ms.
I like the middle of the season... Hens leaving the toms mid-morning, weather is generally still not too hot, lots of gobbling early, and willing birds later in the morning, a fair number of hunters have already given up the ghost... With 2 small children at home, I can leave a bit later in the morning and still have a good hunt (i.e. wake up at the crack of 7:00 am instead of 3:30 am).
Later in the season could be good for an experienced hunter. Someone with the patience to sit still on a quiet morning (with no gobbling), and the wherewithal to call just enough to create some interest, but not so much as to make that late-season tom wary... I do not have the patience, nor the wherewithal to hunt so successfully later in the season.
He's right if the season is set right. Ours starts late and runs a month. It was awesome the first week of May, hens gone and toms were hot. By the 15th, couldn't yank a gobble of a bird. I think warm days and dropping hormones shut it down a week before the season ended.
But yes, when the hens are gone, the hunting can be great.
Yep, I agree. The late season here in PA is why I save my second tag. I had one in the bag on 5-6-14. It's getting fun now.
Plus, all the boys that have their wives and girlfriends upset because they're out chasing toms, are now home doing yard work and out of my hair!!
Hahahaa.
My favorite two weeks are the first week and last week. The first week brings more gobbles and I typically see more birds, so it's more entertaining. However, I have killed way more birds during the last week in Ohio. It seems that if you get on a gobbling bird during the last week, your odds are much better that he's workable. I also have more silent birds come in during the last week. You certainly have years that don't follow the trend, but this seems to hold fairly true here.
Well here I am out in the last week and I will admit....this is tough! Very hard to deal with the quiet I will admit. So if the last week is the best it sure is the most challenging mentally. That feeling of not knowing if one is within 20 miles isn't easy. If I shoot one I'll change my tune clearly but so far I'm not seeing Kelly's point
I agree. Days hunted vs shots taken goes way up in May. It's a different kind of hunting, not the kind you see on tv with dekes and blinds and loud cutting. Only reason I hunt before mid-season is I just can't stand it. Won't catch me in the woods the first week or two of April as it is.
Public land birds in heavily hunted areas: Give me the start of the season,...unless there is so much early season pressure that the birds get completely shut down, in which case most hunters will get frustrated and give up. As the hunting pressure lightens up and the birds have time to settle down, the last week should provide opportunities for a skilled and persistent turkey hunter.
Lightly hunted, private land birds: makes no difference, usually, but the hunting should be best during those "optimum" periods in the breeding season when gobblers are more likely to cooperate.
Hunting pressure is the key.
I have always taken the 1st week off in pa. I have to admit...my best hunts have been in weeks 3 and 4. I really think I will be picking week 3 for vacation next year. This year was out of whack though. ..The 1st week was fair at best and then it turned on.
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Just finished up the last weeks of Ohio and West Virginia. It was a great season from beginning to end but this last week of West Virginia season was outstanding. Tougher and calling for different tactics but fun. A person earns birds in late season, it's satisfying.
I think it depends on the timing in the spring.
3 weeks in Missouri season.
Been scouting before season, birds going crazy. During season big slowdown.
The week after season birds going nuts, cooled down some. I called in birds 3 times in the afternoon out walking, Could have easily got all three,
They know , i swear they know. ;D
Quote from: GobbleNut on May 24, 2014, 04:49:35 PM
Public land birds in heavily hunted areas: Give me the start of the season,...unless there is so much early season pressure that the birds get completely shut down, in which case most hunters will get frustrated and give up. As the hunting pressure lightens up and the birds have time to settle down, the last week should provide opportunities for a skilled and persistent turkey hunter.
Lightly hunted, private land birds: makes no difference, usually, but the hunting should be best during those "optimum" periods in the breeding season when gobblers are more likely to cooperate.
Hunting pressure is the key.
Understand. So do you agree with Kelly's point about the hens going to nest in the last week thereby leaving the gobblers more vulnerable? I hunt on low pressure private land by the way.
When the hens are not going to the gobblers or leaving them up in the morning to nest , that is a good time to be in the woods :z-twocents: I agree with that, yes.
What week that is in your area depends on much more than the" last week of your season".
I have also seen through the years that even a change in area, as little as a few miles can make a difference, maybe to the amount of hens to gobblers?
Here in Missouri we have seen a big difference in going to North , Mid or South in the state at one time or another.
This year the last week or so around Truman in the timber was tough, you call birds they go away, even later in the morning,( Henned up) in a few areas we tried. Some public and some private which can make a difference :z-twocents: :z-twocents: i believe. But on this sight at the same time pics were rolling in from north Mo. So i made some calls to friends and sure enough the last week was gobblin crazy and coming right in. :z-twocents: :z-twocents:
A lot of good points being made here. Tom Kelly's point about gobblers becoming more vulnerable because their hens start nesting is absolutely a valid one. As has been pointed out, though,...there are so many other factors that can contribute to whether a gobbler will be easier to call in either early or late in the season that choosing one of those factors as the sole reason to hunt at a particular time is often going to be folly.
I say hunt when you can, and as often as you can, and hope that you hit it right during those times. I feel sorry for the guy that can only hunt a few specific days during the season and must rely on the birds to be cooperative when he is out there. Sure, if you hit it right, a few days is all you need,...but hit it wrong, and even the best of turkey hunters, using the best methods, can be in for a very frustrating hunt.
I am in the school of hunting every chance you get. I have had seasons where the first week is best. Seasons where the last is best, and everything in between.
I think a hunter's confidence plays a big role too. If a particular guy has a lot of confidence in the last week, then it's naturally going to work well for him and vice versa.
Quote from: GobbleNut on May 25, 2014, 09:59:57 AM
A lot of good points being made here. Tom Kelly's point about gobblers becoming more vulnerable because their hens start nesting is absolutely a valid one. As has been pointed out, though,...there are so many other factors that can contribute to whether a gobbler will be easier to call in either early or late in the season that choosing one of those factors as the sole reason to hunt at a particular time is often going to be folly.
I say hunt when you can, and as often as you can, and hope that you hit it right during those times. I feel sorry for the guy that can only hunt a few specific days during the season and must rely on the birds to be cooperative when he is out there. Sure, if you hit it right, a few days is all you need,...but hit it wrong, and even the best of turkey hunters, using the best methods, can be in for a very frustrating hunt.
I really agree with this. It's my philosophy in all other aspects of hunting so why not this? Can't shoot them at home or in the camp. As a matter of fact you answered a question I had. Was thinking well it's late season tomorrow...do I bother getting up early or sleep in and just go midday. I'm thinking there will likely be no gobbling tomorrow but you know the last I looked they're not in my bedroom but they are going to come off the roost tomorrow morning and who knows what will happen. Maybe it won't be until midday if at all but they are out there and I have the opportunity so why not take it?
I hunt em all the best days are the ones when I walk out with a bird over my shoulder.
Quote from: Terry on May 25, 2014, 10:54:57 AM
I am in the school of hunting every chance you get. I have had seasons where the first week is best. Seasons where the last is best, and everything in between.
I think a hunter's confidence plays a big role too. If a particular guy has a lot of confidence in the last week, then it's naturally going to work well for him and vice versa.
I fully agree that the confidence factor is a big component. I see that every year with our "less-experienced" hunters here. They don't kill a bird in the first few days of the season and you can see their confidence in what they are doing start to slip away,...and with it, their determination to stick with the program begins to fade, as well. They pretty much give up and quit hunting rather than stay out in the woods and keep pounding away like many of us more "hard-nosed" guys will.
Those of us that have done this a lot of years know that to get it done, we've got to have the will-power to stick it out,...even when it appears to be hopeless. ...And yeah, those birds that we kill when all appears to be lost are the best ones of all!
Mississippi Fish and Game department as an excellent publication showing gobbling activity, most successful weeks to hunt etc.
It's in PDF format so you can download a copy.
The Best info I have seen.
http://www.mdwfp.com/media/217342/turkey_report_2014.pdf
:fud:...........50 yards.............60 yards.............70 yards......... :newmascot:
After reading Last Nights "It's Time" I Just could not resist! <G>