Kansas or Nebraska Late May hunt

[Duckdawg]

My 3rd grader finishes up school here in Kentucky on May 25th.  We've tossed around the idea of going to either Kansas or Nebraska on a turkey hunt.  I've hunted the Ft. Robinson area of NE by asking landowners for permission but due to limited time I'd like to have a known spot plus I'm not to keen on driving all the way the NW corner again. 

Birds respond at all the last days of May?  Any recommendations on anything closer east than NW Nebraska???  Not really wanting to hunt public land and outfitters are wanting a $500/person fee for unguided hunts, no food, no lodging. 

[stinkpickle]

I went to northern Kansas over a hot, humid Memorial Day weekend a few years back, and the birds weren't very responsive.  I could see some in the fields strutting, but I never heard a single gobble...not even on the roost.  Of course, it didn't help that most of my hunting spots were already overgrown with wheat.

[Ozark Ridge Runner]

In my experience going that late is a pretty risky deal.  The gobblers are pretty much done by then.  In 2011 we had a very early spring and I hunted the area you are looking at.  The toms didn't pay much attention to the calls at all and we hunted the second week in May.

[Gooserbat]

Bomb or bust

[JMalin]

Northern Nebraska had a pretty good cold snap a couple of weeks ago that I'm sure set the birds back some.  I was up there in late may last year and found gobbling birds.

[harleytom]

Just my experience, I have hunted 3 times in NE, first time was last week of May. Birds responded some, my son got one and I passed on one that I should have taken in retrospect. Last year I went second week of May. Rained every day I was there and birds stayed pretty much bunched up and unresponsive to call. This year I went middle of opening week. Tagged out in 4 days, had birds bunched up first couple of days when they got 6 inches of snow. Last 2 days they were split up and answering calls, I killed 2 that both had 2 hens with them and both came strutting/drumming into my decoys. Bottom line, you never know in NE. Weather plays a huge role in how they act but as soon as it moderates they act like they should. I think this year will be a good late season there, if weather cooperates.

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[donjuan]

Any time spent hunting is worth it. I have killed a gobbler on the last weekend of the season in NE KS 2 of the last 4 years. It's not uncommon to hear them gobbling in June

[Duckdawg]

Any recommendations on where to knock on doors for private land access in Kansas or Nebraska?

[FLGobstopper]

Any recommendations on where to knock on doors for private land access in Kansas or Nebraska?

This might sound like a smart A comment but the obvious answer if the best answer. Ask where you see turkeys.

[longbeards]

Hunted first week 2 years ago, we tagged out in 5 days,,,knocked on doors with great results!! Kansas that is..Hope you get your boy on birds,,,nothing better!! longbeards

[Duckdawg]

Best area to start looking at? I've never been to Kansas