What time of day do you kill most of your birds?

[eddie234]

Being fairly new to this crazy thing we call turkey hunting, this will be my eighth year. I've taken four toms, first one was at 0700, second one I worked for about an hour and took him just before noon, third one was a 30 second hunt, sat down just before first light thru out a few yelps he flew down hit the ground and was shot in the face. Fourth one was about 0900.

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[cphill]

All but a few have been between 9 am to 1 pm

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[Ruger M77]

After 9

[jcour4]

I've killed them at all times of day but usually later in the morning is when I shoot most of them. Early in the season when they're with hens I have rarely shoot one off the roost. It's usually a few hours after sunrise when I find a lonely gobbler. Later in the season is usually when I kill them right off the roost. My favorite time to hunt them is in the evening. If one gobbles at you in the afternoon then you're in for some action.

[shaman]

I have taken the majority of my birds well after flydown, between an hour after sunrise and 11 AM.

The second best time for me has been between 3PM and 5 PM.

[jblackburn]

More than half have been between 10:00 am and 12:00pm, just over 1/4 have been before 9:00 or so, the minority in the afternoon/evening.  I grew up in MO, so most of my hunting up until 5/6 years ago was ended by 1:00 daily.

[Bigspurs68]

Shortly after I take my safety off....

[Tomspur]

I have been fortunate enough to take them from right at daylight to just before dark but the best time is in the afternoon. If you can get one gobbling after noon he has a pretty good chance of dying.

[Marc]

Most of mine have been killed right before the alarm clock goes off.

You are a lucky man...  My alarm usually goes off just as I am taking off my safety.

Shortly after I take my safety off....

Ahh...  A smartazz...  Which is admittedly far better than being a dumbazz...


Thanx for all of the interesting replies...  Looking at the forums and the tactics, most of us are obsessed with getting at those birds right off the roost...  I drag my butt out of bed at 3:00 a.m., stumble around in the dark, sit and patiently wait for shoot-time, and generally kill my birds later in the morning...

And, in fact, harassing those birds on the roost has probably hurt my hunting more than helped...  This year, I might wake up, have breakfast with the wife and kids, and head out for a leisurely day in the field...

[WildTigerTrout]

I have killed far more from mid to late morning than right at daybreak. The first two weeks of the season we must quit at 12 pm. Three years ago I worked my gobbler for 2 hours and 10 minutes and killed him at 1152 am. I had 8 minutes to spare. Plenty of time. LOL!

[Bigspurs68]

Most of mine have been killed right before the alarm clock goes off.

You are a lucky man...  My alarm usually goes off just as I am taking off my safety.

Shortly after I take my safety off....

Ahh...  A smartazz...  Which is admittedly far better than being a dumbazz...


Thanx for all of the interesting replies...  Looking at the forums and the tactics, most of us are obsessed with getting at those birds right off the roost...  I drag my butt out of bed at 3:00 a.m., stumble around in the dark, sit and patiently wait for shoot-time, and generally kill my birds later in the morning...

And, in fact, harassing those birds on the roost has probably hurt my hunting more than helped...  This year, I might wake up, have breakfast with the wife and kids, and head out for a leisurely day in the field...

In all seriousness, I have hunted Ohio and West Virginia the more than anywhere and having to stop hunting by mid day has led to killing a bunch of morning birds. There seems to be a magic time between 10 and noon that has seen the end of many birds. Now that we can hunt all day in Ohio for half the season, I enjoy finding those afternoon birds as I do in other states. Last year my oldest girl killed a bird in Kentucky that was hammering at fly up time. We had to rush to get pics before dark.
  As far as sleeping in...it isn't worth missing a sunrise.

[strut2]

Here in PA majority of my kills happen in the first hour, however if I can get one to gobble from 10 - 11 it usually is promising for a kill. I have hunted quite a few states in the west and I actually had better luck in the evening hours out there.

If you find that right bird you can kill anytime!

[Crappiepro]

I've always done better with birds already off the roost say 9am to 11am, seems like I can set up on roosted birds and they never follow along with my plan LOL.
I have found that in the last couple years that 4pm in the afternoon is pretty good time also. I was tagging along with a buddy and he got his then.
Ive always felt better about hunting the morning's but the afternoons are just as good!

[captin_hook]

I would say 6:30-9 is when I have taken most of my birds mainly bc where I usually hunt, season closes at noon....

This

[hobbes]

My Easterns have been killed anywhere from flydown to 1 PM when IL ends for the day (used to be Noon).  An average would probably be mid-morning.

My Merriams are skewed more toward late morning to early afternoon.

The greatest benefit to hunting at daybreak, beyond experiencing a sunrise over the turkey woods, is it gives me the greatest opportunity to hear birds gobbling on their own and have some idea where they are and how many there are.