Evening hunts

[wade]

We all love to hear the forest come alive in the morning and lots of widow hens are made mid to late morning. But how about turkey hunting after work? I know that some states don't even allow afternoon hunting. Curious to see how many have tried evening turkey hunts and how successful they have been. 

[RiverRoost]

Hunt just as much with your ears as you do your eyes in the afternoon! Once I really started paying attention listening  for drumming regardless of the time of day, I've seen many more birds than just relying on my eyes to spot one coming in silent. Really makes me wonder how many birds I didn't hear drumming before and potentially ran off by moving.

[g8rvet]

I usually start hunting in the evening (really late afternoon) more in late season.  I will not shoot one headed to roost (directly).  No judgement if you do, but on the farm I hunt there is only one roost area and that feels like cheating to me.  So I try to quietly leave right before they would head to roost. If he is feeding along and responds to my call an hour before roost time, game is on though. 

[SD_smith]

Middle of the day is probably the best time for henned up gobblers and subordinates in my opinion. I tend to hunt choke points and feeding areas right before roost time and if nothings around I haul butt to a good listening spot and try to roost one for the following morning. Merriams love to gobble in the tree all night and right before/after flydown.

[Twowithone]

We have it here in Pa. Never really cared to hunt the afternoon for Gobblers I like it better in the mornin when the woods are waking up and the birds are gobbling cant beat it.

[BTH]

I love to hunt new to me areas in the afternoon that I know have turkeys on them. Allows me to scout and hunt at the same time. I do tend to setup in popular hen loafing and browsing areas. Killed several big toms doing this. Only soft clucking and purring once or twice every 45 minutes.

[wade]

Thanks for the replies. I'm just looking to get in more hunting time. No time before work, a little time after work. I'm thinking to just set up in a travel area and call sporadically.

[sparky153]

I like evening hunts just as much as morning hunts.  I usually see more lone toms in the evening.  They are usually in the same spot every day

[SSCsnood]

I killed a good bird late Saturday evening around 6:00, gobbled better than any other morning birds I've been on all year. From 4 to 6 he gobbled close to 100 times. Some day's you luck up on a hot bird in the evening and It makes all the previous silent evenings worth it. You can also learn a lot about your birds during afternoon sits by just being observant and listening...Also don't underestimate the importance of crows, they will locate the birds for you if you know what to listen for.

[stinkpickle]

...Some day's you luck up on a hot bird in the evening and It makes all the previous silent evenings worth it...

Agreed.  The majority of my evening hunts are uneventful, but every once-in-a-while, I find a bird that makes the typical morning hunt look boring.

[Chris O]

Thanks for the replies. I'm just looking to get in more hunting time. No time before work, a little time after work. I'm thinking to just set up in a travel area and call sporadically.

Hunt them just like any other time when they aren't gobbling much. Helps to know a general area where they roost when it gets later in the evening.

[Sasha and Abby]

I hate hunting afternoons and really don't until the last week of the season.  I feel you educate more birds by getting in than you will ever work...  my .02

[mtns2hunt]

I really like mornings the best when the woods are waking up. But evening hunts are great too. Where I hunt we can't hunt until after 12 noon until later in the season. Many hens are nesting and the Gobblers are moving well. Its the ideal time to run and gun. I employ ambushs by spotting a lone gobbler and getting ahead of him and occasionally sittig and calling. Late season is also when gobblers start to get back together in their groups. This can make for a tougher and much more challenging hunt

Of course the weather is much hotter during late season, grasses are taller and the ticks can be really bad but there won't be much competition. Seems most turkey hunters call it quits after the first couple weeks. In fact I cannot even remember hearing a shot the past couple seasons during the last couple of weeks unless it was mine. I would highly recommend to anyone that they hunt later in the season unless they have tagged out or later in the evening anytime they are able.

[Marc]

The morning symphony generally gives you the confidence that there are birds in the area, and that they are potentially callable ...

The afternoon hunts are generally far more quiet, but when you do get a response, there is a very good chance you will see that bird in front of your gun...  Afternoon hunts can test your confidence and patience in the quiet woods though...  And, all too often, birds come in closed lipped in the afternoon.

Later in the season, I very frequently head out later in the morning, as when the hens begin leaving those toms mid-morning, they are far more eager and likely to respond to a call.