afternoon gobbler strategies?

[beyondmyken]

I have never hunted turkeys in the evening.  Would like some suggestions?  Get near possible roosting areas?  Random calling?  Do gobblers respond in the evenings as well as they do in the early morning?  Any help appreciated.

[STUMP THUMPER]

I owl hoot just before dark to locate them, then get close in AM before dark.

[STUMP THUMPER]

I mean before it get light, sorry

[woodchucker]

Here in N.Y. our spring season hours are 1/2 hour before sunrise till noon.

That being said... I have had really good killing late morning "lunchtime" Gobblers that were "hened up" early in the morning,and wouldn't respond to my calls.

After hunting hard all morning, I usualy head back to my first early morning calling site, for a much needed nap. I'll sit and yelp softly a few times every 1/2 hour - hour... They usualy show up around "lunchtime".

Good Luck!!!!!  

[BuckyT]

Set up near known roosting areas.  Biggest gobbler I've ever killed was around 6pm.  1.5" hooks.

He was with 15 hens.  I had found quite a few scratchings on a little ridge above a big bay.  Looked like those birds were roosting in the trees out in the bay above the water.  

I called in a couple of hens around quarter till 6pm and they brought the whole flock with them and the big gobbler in full strut behind all of them.

He never gobbled once.

If you can strike a bird after 11am, I've always believed your chances of calling him in are very, very, good!

I feel for the guys who hunt in states where it's illegal to hunt past 12pm...  Afternoon hunting can be slow, but if you get a gobblers attention then, it can be a successful hunt in a hurry.

My .02

[sam barrett]

This will be the first time this year that we can hunt after 12(noon) here in PA.  I just plan on setting up near known roosting area a couple hours before dark and do some soft random calling.  We'll see if it works, but that would be my advice.  Good luck!

[deaddoc4444]

This iwll be my first time hunting turkeys in the after noon also .  IM planning to go near the roost areas also late inthe after noon and see how the hens are moving    
  I have mixed feelings about it ONLY because I alwasy spent the after noons trout fishing  after hunting GREAT mixed day  Now i'll concentrate on the hunting   It will be different!!!

[OS]

Here in Michigan we changed a few years back to being able to hunt all day.  I have had more luck between 11 am and 5 pm in getting birds in.  So far this year I have called Gobblers in for three hunters and 2 of the three where around 4pm.  If a bird starts gobbling in the afternoon, you run a better chance of calling that bird in (IMO) because hens are off to nest or feed and he gets lonely again.  I scout them like I do deer I watch where I see then in the Morning, After noon, and Evening.  I look for dusting bowls they like to head to in late morning early afternoon and such.  I like to set up where I know the birds want to go already anyway and have had Great success.  I think the trick here is having faith in your scouting.  Many hunters get the itchy feet and feel they have to move if they don't have birds gobbling or he gets quiet for a bit of time.  Stay put and keep the calling light with some social calls (purrs, clucks, and short series of softer yelps)  many time these bird float in without saying anything and into your lap!! :-)

[JJB]

I've had good luck staying on a ridge and staying put.  I nap, read and call off and on all afternoon.  The gobblers will often come in silently from my experinece.  It's a nice time to be out, a very relaxing hunt.  I've shot about half of my turkeys in the afternoon so worth a trip back out to the woods.  Good luck!  My time in the woods starts tomorrow afternoon, can't wait!
-Jay

[oldtimerbow]

I have had good luck calling birds in in the afternoon,my experience has been most of the time they will come in silently.

[RedShaft]

yes, i need to here some more advice. in pa this wil be first year that we can hunt in the afternoons. never did so i need all advice i can get. thanks

[KSdan]

Agree- generally soft calling and waiting- they come in silent. Call every 15 minutes or so is my best experience. Be watching and have a good hide.  If you do get one gobbling late AM to afternoon- he is often a dead bird.  Taken a few at evening roost- waiting and watching at roost area.

[sweeney3]

Walk around careful untill you see a gobbler or a few with some hens, sneak pretty close, run right at em screaming like a banshee so they all fly and scatter, then walk in that direction maybe a hundred yards or untill the next good cover, sit down with a diaphram call and start clucking.  If jakes are legal where you hunt, you'll at least get a chance at one of them, and might get a gobbler too.

[Shawn Leonard]

We can only hunt til noon in NY, so I am no help but agree with the soft callin and waiting. Don't overcall and as said if you get one gobbling in the afternoon he most likely is a dead bird cause he is out lookin!! Good Luck! Shawn