Several of the states I hunt offer afternoon hunting in the 2nd half of the season. Have you had any luck in the afternoons and how do you change your tactics?
I've killed some nice gobblers in the evenings, I've had good luck hunting the feilds in the evening. And hunting the mountains here in kentucky I just hunt the areas where the birds usually like to go and roost. Most of the time the birds roost in the same area unless they get presured, I like to just get in those areas and set up and just wait on the birds. I don't do a lot of calling just play the waiting game.
I've set up many times in the afternoon and called birds in. I hunt it just about the same way I do mid mornings. If I know birds are in the area I will set up and call a little. I have set up about 30 yards from a field and called real soft and about 20 mins later one gobbled in the field and came to within 30 yards but I couldn't get a shot.
I also see many turkeys in the fields in the afternoons. Sometimes strutting with hens and sometimes just feeding. Either way, on some properties, if I can see him normally I can find a way to get him.
I have not had much luck in the afternoons, but have had a lot of success in the evenings (4pm until roost). Set up where they are likely to feed or where they are likely to roost and call softly and infrequently.
I tend to call less and softer. I see less gobbling and strutting, but they get to their feeding areas and roost areas just the same.
I killed bird #2 at 5:15 pm. Gobbled multiple times and died the same as an early day bird. Usually I go to where they feed or on a known route to roost.
Of the four I killed this year I called in two a little after 1 pm and the other two I stalked/ambushed in the afternoon as well. I didn't get to hunt many early morninns and gobbling was very few and far between so my midday hunts were often dead silent.
Sent from the talk of tap
I usually just try to go to where the turkeys like to be, set up, call very little and sit still. I've killed birds at all times of the day.
^^^ This...exactly...
I've killed lots of p.m. birds, but I also like to be relaxing after getting an a.m. bird....
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I've only hunted Alabama but I've killed most of what few birds that I have killed from late morning to as late as 5:45 pm. You probably won't hear as much gobbling but if one answers you the chances of him coming to you are much greater in my opinion.
I have 3 of 4 turkeys this year in the afternoon. From 4 o clock till 8 even. I typically am set up on a field they are feeding and just waiting. Scouting pays off huge.