Afternoon Hunting

[open door]

Need some help here. I've only killed 6 gobblers, and all morning birds, mostly between fly-down and 9 a.m.  I've never even heard one gobble in the p.m. - I understand they aren't as vocal then, & we shouldn't call as much. Should we hunt around dusting areas, or what strategies are in play during this time frame?  I know many of ya'll have killed birds even late in the day, so I'd really appreciate some tips - thanks.

[Gooserbat]

I start with a bit more passive approach in the afternoon but to be honest I have shot probably a 1/3 of the turkeys I have killed in the afternoon and some of them was fired up.  It's one of those things you have to play as you go.

[jblackburn]

It really depends on the bird. If you can get one gobbling in the afternoon, he may just get fired up and run in to the calls.  Or you may sit, call, wait and hope one comes in.  If you have an idea of where they will roost you can get there and call in the later part of the afternoon. 

[open door]

Thanks, ya'll, I'll keep trying.

[Ty]

Go to a place where they usually roost, and 30 min to an hour before fly up time you will have one come by. they arent usually too hot in the afternon unlike the morning. alot of times they will show up quiet, so you always have to be ready

[OLE RASPY]

You get one to gobble in the afternoon most of the time you will be packing him out on your shoulder or least thats what happens to me.If im afternoon hunting and want to sit and wait ill call every 30 minutes or so.Always worked for me.

[OLE RASPY]

Go to a place where they usually roost, and 30 min to an hour before fly up time you will have one come by. they arent usually too hot in the afternon unlike the morning. alot of times they will show up quiet, so you always have to be ready

I have had them come in silent also.That keeps you on your toes there.

[Garrett Trentham]

You really have to get into the mind of the turkey to be good at afternoon hunting. It's not like shooting a gobbler right off the roost.

In the mid-south, our peak breeding usually occurs during the first week of April. Up until this time, gobblers are with hens from sun up to sun down. The hens want the gobblers and the gobblers want the hens. Once breeding has occurred, the hens will begin to leave the gobbler in the afternoons in search of a good nesting sight. This begins here around the end of the first week in April and this behavior continues for almost a month. This gobbler that has been with his hens 24/7 for the past two months is all of the sudden without a mate. This is where you come in.

Using a cut and run tactic of covering ground on foot and calling at strategic locations along the way, you will eventually come across one of these lonely gobblers that is willing to cooperate. Play your cards right and you'll be punching a tag in no time.

[dirt road ninja]

Killed bird #1 for the year Friday afternoon and he was fired up. I either sit somewhere and call every now and then or walk the roads trying to strike a gobble. About an hour before fly up they will get chatty.

[open door]

Great tips here - thanks, ya'll. I'm in NW Louisiana and most of my birds were killed the first week of April, also. The weather has been abnormally hot around here for 3 weeks - hope it didn't peak their activity too soon.

[Garrett Trentham]

Keep in mind weather doesn't have as much effect on peak breeding times as daylight length. Thus, peak breeding occurs around the same time each year independent of weather patterns.

[open door]

Keep in mind weather doesn't have as much effect on peak breeding times as daylight length. Thus, peak breeding occurs around the same time each year independent of weather patterns.

Thanks, Garrett - I didn't know that. It's good to hear, the season opens Saturday & I plan on sitting by a tree where I've killed 2 good birds - they love that area for some reason, and I saw a little sign in there the other day when scouting.

[Bigmiah22]

The most success ive had in the evening is just knowing where the birds are gonna roost/eat. Other than that ive killed maybe 2 birds out of 6-7 that ive killed in the evening from trying to hunt em down

[hotrod49er]

I've had some of the best hunts late afternoon. Cant get 1 from the couch.

[gunnerj]

We've killed a lot of toms in the afternoons. Wether your runnin' and gunnin', or sittin' and waitin' (killed them both ways, pends on their moods), you've got to know your birds and know your ground. Scoutin' is key. Walkin' and hen callin' on the way to a roost site can get the toms riled good.