What tactics would you use with just one day to hunt?

[jtoliver43]

So I've got one day to hunt a property on the 14th in western NC. I've seen birds in the field at all different hours. Theres one field on the property which sits as a funnel between 3 ridge tops all about 2400 to 2500 feet. Ive confirmed that there are at least 3 toms on the property. One dominate 3 +year old.(usually with 2 hens) and one gang of two 2 year old birds.(usually by themselves) and a group of 4 jakes. If you could only hunt one day, would you stick to your usual tactics, (i.e. patience, soft calling, wait out the big bird with the hens etc..)? Or would you "crank up the heat" in an all or nothing type strategy to make something happen? I realize things could change behavioral wise by then, but thats what I've been able to gather with the time I've had to scout.

just curious what you would do if given a single day to hunt in a similar situation.

Thanks in advance!

[Marc]

Patience...

I enjoy running and gunning, but patience probably kills more birds.  With only one day to hunt, I would be more likely hang out a bit in a good area.

Not a fan of decoys, but not opposed to them either, and I would likely set up in the morning with a couple decoys (jake and hen)...

Later in the morning, I would be more eager to chase a gobbling bird, as late morning gobbling birds seem to be a bit more willing to be shot.

[NYlogbeards]

If you can hunt the field set up with decoys, if not try to get between them and where they want to be, patience is mostly the key.

[TauntoHawk]

me personally if i knew the roost site or could roost them the night before I'd be in early and tight to the roost to start

[Bowguy]

Roost n shoot

[GobbleNut]

If I only had one day to hunt, I would do my best to scout the property prior to that day and learn the habits of the birds.  Hopefully, they would be roosting in the same location (or general location) every night.  I would try to discern where they roost, and what their normal daily pattern is. I would check out the roost site and where they fly down,...after they had left for the day, of course. 

Assuming there was some pattern to their roosting and movements during the day, my entire hunt strategy from daybreak until dark would revolve around that pattern.  At daybreak on the day of the hunt, I would most likely set up on the two-year-olds if I really wanted to kill a bird, choosing the predetermined spot that I had identified in my scouting,...and possibly created a natural blind, if needed,...and cleared some shooting lanes, again if needed. 

If my early morning roost set-up did not pan out, I would let the birds wander off and then head for their feeding/strutting/loafing area and set up there.  I would go through my usual conservative-to-aggressive calling routine hoping to hit a nerve with one of the birds and fire him/them up. 

Late in the afternoon, I would head back to the roost site and set up somewhat close to the roost and along their daily route in returning to the roost site.  I would call sparingly at intervals there, and wait them out until legal shooting hours were over. 

[Marc]

At daybreak on the day of the hunt, I would most likely set up on the two-year-olds if I really wanted to kill a bird

How do you tell that a bird is a  two-year-old?

[GobbleNut]

At daybreak on the day of the hunt, I would most likely set up on the two-year-olds if I really wanted to kill a bird

How do you tell that a bird is a  two-year-old?

Good question, Marc.  In this case, it is because JT said the pair of gobblers were two-year-olds.   
Now, I can tell two-year-olds in other cases if I have them "in hand",....or if I get a good close look at them and can see their spurs when they are "on the hoof".  The "in hand" cases are pretty easy,....the "on the hoof" birds, not so much, but doable on occasion.

[Farmboy27]

I might be the minority here but with only one day to hunt I'd go for broke!  I'd probably give em a bit to work in after fly down but after that I'd go at them with everything I had. Aggressive calling and aggressive moves. I have had a lot of luck going at them full bore in my early years. The longer I hunt the more I analyze things and I'm still not sure if that's good or bad!  With one day to hunt I'd say damn the torpedoes and give it your all!