Your opinion wanted

[DirtNap647]

usually they seen and heard everything not so sure about that

[srmturk]

Was wondering when there would be differing opinions!  All interesting.  Lesson is probably hunt every single time you get a chance.  They're henned up bad in Maine right now but one never knows.  I also agree that it's tougher hunting with heat, bugs and silence in last two weeks.  But you who agree with Kelly give me hope and motivation for the next couple of weeks

[Gooserbat]

Depends on hunting pressure.  If there hasn't been much pressure for the past week or so then I think later is great. but if they get hammered every day then I think early is better. 

[srmturk]

Depends on hunting pressure.  If there hasn't been much pressure for the past week or so then I think later is great. but if they get hammered every day then I think early is better.

I was thinking same thing.  Very little pressure where I am so thinking that may help later

[Hitman 23]

I like  first 5 days and last 5 days here in nc. First 5 days birds are more vocal and I have them patterned pretty well. Next couple weeks  after they been pressured and breeding hens things seem to slow down and birds are less vocal. The last 5 days hens are nesting and toms are that are still alive will start looking and covering more ground searching for hens and are less vocal but the odds are in your favor  with some soft calling and a lot of patience

[turkey_slayer]

First week for dumb birds. Last week for older birds

[RutnNStrutn]

To my personal experience, I'm with Shannon, I'll take the first 10 days anytime. Lots of gobbling, and lots of action. I've had pretty good luck in the beginning of the season. Later in the season seems like a lot less gobbling and a lot less birds seen.

[COssman14]

Here in Iowa I would have to agree seems like the toms get desperate for some action by this every year.


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[g8rvet]

We can only kill 2 birds in Florida.  I have killed a bird the first week and the last week many seasons.  When hunting private land? last 10 days.  Public? 1st 10 days.  I need every edge I can get, so the young and dumbs ones have not yet been thinned or educated on public land. I usually switch to more private as the season goes along. This year, due to it raining almost every time I coudl hunt, I hunted mostly private (I hunt a field there).  Our gobblers shut up this year the last 10 days.   2-3 gobbles on the limb was all I heard the last 10 days.  Always when the bird was a LONG ways off too!  Can't wait until next year.

[Rokhal07]

Depends on hunting pressure.  If there hasn't been much pressure for the past week or so then I think later is great. but if they get hammered every day then I think early is better.

x2 although most of my biggest boss gobblers have come late in the season

[peewee]

Here in Central MS I think the first week of the April is golden. That's usually the third week into our season. Typically late season I hear very little gobbling.

[srmturk]

I'm thinking Kelly and the experienced hunters on here recognize that the lack of gobbling doesn't mean lack of gobblers nor the lack of killing opportunities.  The silence doesn't mean they are not there to kill but it does extremely challenge our interest and patience.  The silence is a killer.  I'm saying this not as one of those experienced hunters but as one who is aspiring to be.  I went out yesterday and could barely stand the silence for an hour and it's only the 2nd week up here.

[silvestris]

Insofar as killing is concerned, the last ten days can be marvelous IF, and that is a mighty big if, you can find one.  Kelly advocates owning and crowing to induce a gobble while constantly on the move, only turkey calling when one has gobbled and you are set up.  It is an IFFY time.

[surehuntsalot]

I always like the 4th and 5th week out of our 7 week season down here in Ms.

[Marc]

I like the middle of the season...  Hens leaving the toms mid-morning, weather is generally still not too hot, lots of gobbling early, and willing birds later in the morning, a fair number of hunters have already given up the ghost...  With 2 small children at home, I can leave a bit later in the morning and still have a good hunt (i.e. wake up at the crack of 7:00 am instead of 3:30 am).

Later in the season could be good for an experienced hunter.  Someone with the patience to sit still on a quiet morning (with no gobbling), and the wherewithal to call just enough to create some interest, but not so much as to make that late-season tom wary...  I do not have the patience, nor the wherewithal to hunt so successfully later in the season.