Sleeping in success

[TRG3]

Not being one who relishes getting up at 4 a.m. only to listen as the gobbler goes the other way off the roost, I've decided to sleep in and hit the turkey woods somewhere around 9:30 - 10:30. I came to this conclusion after arriving at the turkey woods at 10:30, setting up my jake decoy with one hen, and settling down for a late morning hunt by giving a few yelps, clucks, followed several minutes later with a gobble, giving the indication that a new hen is being courted by a new gobbler, relying on the peck order to work in my favor. Thirty minutes later, a 23# gobbler with a 9" beard and 1" spurs came in silently from behind me. This is the third tom that I've taken from this same spot in as many years, none of which was before 10 a.m. I may be a slow learner, but I've come to the conclusion that I can sleep in and still have a successful turkey hunt. 

[Meleagris gallopavo]

Congratulations!  I have come to a similar conclusion.  Mid-late morning hunts have been good to me.


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[joey46]

Agree but always have trouble convincing myself that if I'm not out predawn I'm doomed. Of course our last kills were at 10am.  Oh well getting up at 3am and driving in the dark is traditional.

[JeffC]

Congrats, I hate getting up at 2AM, but I also hate not knowing if there even is a Tom in the area if I am not there to at least hear him gobble on the roost. Hunting public, have to be at parking 1 1/2 hours before 1st light, pray to hear a gobble to at least be in the game. Most kills happen after hens leave.

[Tunaguy]

What ever works!

[RutnNStrutn]

Not being one who relishes getting up at 4 a.m. only to listen as the gobbler goes the other way....I've come to the conclusion that I can sleep in and still have a successful turkey hunt.

Likewise, especially early season when the gobblers are henned up. I've killed the vast majority of my gobblers between 9 & 12. I've roosted plenty of toms, but as Will Primos says, "Roosted ain't roasted." I've killed some gobblers right off the roost on exciting hunts, but it's few and far between. So I've got no problem sleeping in and hunting late when I think it's the better option.

[zelmo1]

Your experiences are common among turkey hunters. But my cave man brain tells me that my best opportunity is getting up at 000 dark 30 and getting in tight to my adversary. My experiences have been similar to yours and have killed a good % of my gobblers between 0830 and noon. Its a compulsion to get up at a crazy hour, but it gets me excited and makes me know its turkey season, lol. Z

[Greg Massey]

Agree, whatever works for you. For myself I like hearing the woods wake up and seeing those beautiful sunrises. I know I don't have many of these times left in my lifetime..

Nothing better than hearing the whippoorwills and first morning gobble. If I hear that gobble at least I know i'm in the ball park somewhat ... LOL

I tell people to hunt the way you want and enjoy regardless ...

Just remember we wait all year for a very short season, so take advantage of it as much as possible... IMO

For myself i'm not near as mad at the turkeys anymore as I was in my younger years ... LOL...

[Paulmyr]

Most of my success comes after 9:00am but I still have enough success before than to make early morning wake ups worth it.

Besides, my natural alarm clock usually wakes me up between 4:30 and 5 am due to work. Most likely sleeping in for me would consist of laying awake in bed at fly down time kicking myself for not being out there.

Congratulations.

[GobbleNut]

I'm all for everybody else hitting the woods at 10:00 or later!  Great Idea!

[bbcoach]

Congrats!  Sometimes Changing things up is all that is required for success.  We are creatures of habit and believe we have a certain set of rules that must be followed.  Many birds are killed from 10 to 2 so if it ain't broke then don't try to fix it.  Maybe the rest of us could use a little wakeup call at 10 am.

[Bowguy]

I'm all for everybody else hitting the woods at 10:00 or later!  Great Idea!

Now that's a great idea!

[backforty]

Most of my kills have been late morning but public land dictates that I get there early to even have the opportunity to hunt him.

[ruination]

Too each their own...but I would quit turkey hunting before I gave up gobble time.

[mdmitchell]

Congrats, I hate getting up at 2AM, but I also hate not knowing if there even is a Tom in the area if I am not there to at least hear him gobble on the roost. Hunting public, have to be at parking 1 1/2 hours before 1st light, pray to hear a gobble to at least be in the game. Most kills happen after hens leave.

2 am? Are you hunting turkeys or raccoons?