Any Colorado Turkey Hunters Here? Need advice please!

[Magdump]

I am still kinda new to turkey hunting so I hope you guys can help me out before I buy the plane tickets!

I am planning to fly out and visit a friend in Norwood, CO this spring to turkey hunt for a week. This is in the SW corner of CO. Going to take him out and try to get him hooked just like I am.

Because of work and other hunts I am on, I can basically only hunt Colorado the last week of the season, which for Spring 2019, is the week before Labor Day (May 20 - 26).

Having never chased turkeys in the West/Rockies, I don't know a thing about Merriams and have no idea what late season turkey hunting means, especially in this region.  Should I skip it this year and go early in the season next year or do I forge ahead?

Unfortunately, he does not know anything about turkeys and I wont have any time to scout so we will just have to hit the ground running when I get there.  Any advice deeply appreciated!  I have only been hunting turkeys a couple years but am learning fast.  Thanks for any advice you can offer guys!!!

Chris T.

[davisd9]

Seasons in, I can afford it, and I have time so I would be going.  Late season gobbler will play along.  Biggest thing will be finding them with not being familiar with the area.

[perrytrails]

See if your buddy can do some scouting before you get there.
Finding them is step 1 for sure.
Not hard to get out and listen for them a few mornings.

[CALLM2U]

I would ask him to go out some evenings and just glass and listen.  Even if he's never hunted turkeys, if he's hunted anything else that shouldn't be a tall task. 

I would almost bet if he finds one sounding off, he'll be hooked on turkey hunting before you guys even get to go. 

[Sir-diealot]

I would ask him to go out some evenings and just glass and listen.  Even if he's never hunted turkeys, if he's hunted anything else that shouldn't be a tall task. 

I would almost bet if he finds one sounding off, he'll be hooked on turkey hunting before you guys even get to go.

I agree completely, I think a lot of us got started by just hearing them while scouting or just hearing them in the evening. I would add that maybe finding him a few video's on scouting turkeys online would also be helpful as well as contacting Game Wardens in the area. Also there has to be a branch of the NWTF out there, perhaps a member of the local club would be willing to help him with scouting.

Here is link to the state chapter out there, I am sure you can narrow it down from there. http://www.nwtf.org/about/state/colorado

[GobbleNut]

Hunted south-western CO last year in late May.  I was shocked at how much country we had to cover to find birds in habitat that looked like it should have been loaded with gobblers. 

The single recommendation I would make is, unless you have some insider info on where to go, plan on covering lots of country using aggressive locator tactics to find birds.  Unless you get really lucky or have someone point you towards birds, passive locating is not gonna cut it there.