I believe it’s safe to say that most turkey hunters live for the morning hunt. The gobbling at the break of day removes any question marks as to whether a gobbler is around. Excitement, enthusiasm and adrenaline are at peak readings. The decision making process begins and an approach is applied to a given situation. This usually involves the typical form of closing in on a tom, setting up calling and pointing your gun in the direction of the gobbling. You have an idea of where to be, where the bird is and that it’s time to work the bird. Aggressive tactics, such as trolling and covering lots of ground trying to strike a tom, often yield a positive outcome and put you in a similar setup situation. The fact that birds gobble and their location is known takes some of the guesswork out of it. Again, mornings generally provide faster and hotter action with vocal birds, making it the preferred time to turkey hunt.
The problem with mornings is they fade away and turn into afternoon and afternoons don’t always provide the same scenarios. In fact, gobbling, the success of aggressive tactics and even our energy levels fade with it. The pace of the activity dial turns down a few hours after they leave the roost and then tweaks back up later in the day. Without sound tactics, you can spend the afternoon looking at your decoys and texting your buddies at the diner.
I started turkey hunting afternoons 20 years ago — not because I wanted to, but because I was two hours away from home hunting on the Flint River. I had nothing else to do once the morning hunt was over. The others who hunted our lease at that time were out of the woods by midmorning at the latest, but I decided it was better to spend the afternoon in the woods even if I were napping. At least there was a chance of killing a tom. I did not know how to go about it but I learned. What I soon realized was that I averaged an afternoon bird almost every year and, in some cases, would not have gotten a limit without that effort.
As a turkey hunter, one of the most important decisions you’ll make is what time to head into the woods each morning during spring turkey season While every hunter has their own preferences, timing is critical for increasing your odds of bagging a spring gobbler In this article, we’ll explore everything you need to know about choosing the optimal time to get set up in the turkey woods each day.
Why Arrive Before Sunrise?
The early bird gets the worm and in turkey hunting the early hunter gets the tom. Arriving before sunrise is key for several reasons
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Roosted Toms – You have the chance to hear toms gobbling on the roost and set up near them before flydown,
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Undisturbed Birds – Getting in position early minimizes disturbance and keeps roosted birds calm.
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Staking Your Claim – On public land, an early arrival allows you to set up where you want before others arrive.
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Scout Morning Activity – You can observe flydown spots and patterns for future hunts.
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Prime Activity Window – The peak activity window at dawn gives you the best shot opportunity.
Simply put, the pre-sunrise hours offer the highest likelihood of encountering vocal, eager toms that can be called in close.
How Early is Too Early?
While an hour before sunrise may work, even earlier is better. A good rule of thumb is to be set up at least 90 minutes before sunrise. This ensures you’re in position well before the first gobbles sound off. Keep in mind legal shooting hours vary by state, so consult regulations.
Arriving earlier than 90 minutes runs the risk of spooking roosted turkeys. Ideally, you want to slip in just before the first faint glow of morning light. Use a quality LED headlamp on its lowest setting when navigating in the dark.
What to Do at Your Setup
Once settled into your pre-dawn setup, be patient and still. Avoid calls or movement until you hear gobbles or see visible signs of waking birds. Familiarize yourself with the surroundings and likely flydown spots.
As the woods awaken, try soft tree yelps, clucks, and purrs to mimic turkeys leaving the roost. Use a turkey fan or raise your knees to create the silhouette of a hen. Prepare for approaching toms but don’t overcall.
How Long to Stay Put
Plan to stay at your initial setup for at least 1-2 hours after sunrise. The peak morning activity window can extend for several hours after first light. Be patient and let roosted birds fly down and start moving naturally.
If you hear gobbles on the roost but no birds appear, sit tight at least 45-60 minutes in case they pitch down silently. Don’t panic and abandon your spot too quickly.
Adjusting Your Approach
Getting in the woods extra early may not be feasible every morning due to work schedules or other factors. On those days, employ these tweaks:
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Listen en route – If possible, make a quick scouting stop to listen for gobbles along the way.
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Afternoon scouting – Scouting the evening before gives you a game plan for morning setups.
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Mid-morning hunting – You can still call in active toms later in the morning once the initial frenzy subsides.
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Weather delays – Bad weather may keep birds roosted longer, allowing for a slightly later arrival.
While not ideal, you can still have successful hunts without being the first in the woods. Just adjust your strategy accordingly.
Roosting Tips
Locating active roost sites is key to an early arrival. Here are tips for roosting turkeys:
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Listen near suspected roosts – Forested areas near fields where turkeys feed are prime spots.
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Glass treetops at dusk – You may glimpse birds flying up to roost.
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Follow their tracks – Look for tracks converging on a wooded area around dusk.
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Owl hoot – Hooting may elicit shock gobbles from roosted toms.
Once you spot a roost, don’t over-pressure it. Visit 1-2 times max before hunting it.
Gear for Early Arrivals
To make pre-dawn setups smooth and comfortable, equip yourself with the right gear including:
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Headlamp – Light your path without spooking birds.
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Thermacell – Ward off mosquitos in the dark woods.
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Seat cushion – Take pressure off knees while sitting motionless.
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Hand warmer – Fend off early morning chill until sun rises.
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Wind indicator – Critical for staying downwind of roosted turkeys.
Be Adaptable
Every day in the spring turkey woods is different. Be ready to change plans based on what the birds dictate each morning. If a tom gobbles unexpectedly 100 yards away, adjust your setup to intercept him. Or if activity is slow, pick up and still hunt a new area. Adaptability ups your odds.
The early turkey hunter gets rewarded with peak action and optimal shot opportunities. But don’t fret if you can’t be first in the woods every day. With smart scouting and adjusting your tactics, you can still have daylight success at outsmarting those weary old gobblers. Just try to get set up well before sunrise whenever possible.
Mid Afternoon Trolling for Turkeys
No two turkey hunters are the same and many prefer to stay aggressive. The slower-paced “sit and wait” style of hunting doesn’t work for everyone. I’ll respect anyone’s approach, but I’m willing to do whatever it takes on any given day when it comes to putting a turkey on the ground, as long as it’s rewarding and works for me personally. My program is to always adjust to the conditions at hand and plan an approach based on conclusions drawn on a particular day. If birds are vocal, I’ll stay more aggressive. If they appear to have gone quiet, I turn the dial down.
I have not had a lot of luck moving and calling during the middle of the day when hunting in the Southeast. As a result, I slow down and move less. In fact, I’ve concluded that I do more damage and probably bump birds that I‘m not even aware of when doing this. I believe you can easily contribute to the “pressure factor” if you don’t recognize that a particular style of aggressive hunting is not working at certain times or on a given day. You can wear a good property out in a hurry if you don’t at least make an effort to put thought in the pressure you’re applying. The last thing you want is to push a tom to neighboring property.
If I do troll, it’s more of a slow-motion advance. I will move from location to location, stopping for short periods of time and cutting as hard and loud as I can to try and shock toms into gobbling. I may cut on a glass call, wait a couple of minutes and then do the same thing on a box call. I will use a crow call at times, as well as pay attention to real crows if they appear to be harassing something. I’ll then continue moving forward. I may spend 15-30 minutes in an area that I have reason to feel good about before continuing. This assumes you have a large enough tract to keep moving on. Smaller tracts may require that you set up for a long, motionless afternoon.
Afternoons in the Turkey Woods Can Be Productive
Birds can be taken at any time of the day as long as you’re in the field and vary your approaches. Self-discipline and a larger dose of patience comes into play. Just what the approach entails depends on the time of day, terrain features, hunting pressure and, to an extent, what part of the country you’re in. This is always on my mind as I hunt different parts of the country.
For example, out West in Montana, we may stay on the move most of the day looking for Merriams. In Texas, when hunting Rios, it’s more of a blended style of hunting involving trolling and staying with a setup for longer periods of time along with sequential calling. It’s the same in New Mexico, partly because it’s physically demanding but also because staying with a setup in the right location can be very productive, especially late in the day.
Generally speaking, afternoon hunting tactics for Easterns require a more passive and patient mindset, especially during the mid afternoon. For me, it has required a toned-down approach and picking good setup locations based on scouting and knowledge of the property. It’s much more difficult to simply drive around blind calling an Eastern. Even if you do locate a tom, he is so cautious that if there is any mistake, he is gone for the afternoon.
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FAQ
What time do I need to be in the woods for turkey hunting?
Again, mornings generally provide faster and hotter action with vocal birds, making it the preferred time to turkey hunt. The problem with mornings is they fade away and turn into afternoon and afternoons don’t always provide the same scenarios.
What is the best time of day to hunt turkeys?
What time of day is best for turkey hunting? The best time of day to hunt turkeys is early morning, just before sunrise, or late afternoon, just before sunset. This is when turkeys are most active and likely to be moving around, making them easier to hunt.
What time to be in blind for turkey hunting?
Any time you have time is a good time to hunt your ground blind. However, my best success has come during a couple different chunks. The first is mid-morning, typically 2 to 3 hours after fly-down, when birds have started to wander and gobblers find themselves alone after hens have gone to nest.
Why does turkey hunting stop at noon?
The reason behind the laws regulating hunting to noon or 1pm in many states during the spring is due to hens going to nest. This being said, most hens will go to nest between 9:30 am and 10:30am. That is why many times if you can get a gobbler to sound off after this time, there is a good chance he will come in.
When is a good time to hunt a Turkey?
Generally, by mid-morning, most hunters are out of the woods. That makes this the perfect start time for your turkey hunt (in states that allow hunting in the afternoon), as it will reduce competition in the field. Furthermore, henned-up toms are more likely to be alone then. Some spots tend to draw more attention than others.
What is a timber turkey hunt?
A timber turkey hunt is different from an easy field-edge foray. It involves scouting and attention to detail in the land around you and every setup. The good news is that once the openings have been hunted into dead zones, getting into the woods should get you around longbeards willing to play along.
How do you hunt a turkey if you have a decoy?
When hunting, be careful not to move on a decoy. Likewise, watch for other hunters if you have decoys out. Turkey hunting is a nuanced activity, more so than a lot of hunters give it credit for. Don’t just rely on calling and decoying. Use big game tactics as well, such as ambushing turkeys.
Can turkey hunting be compared to fishing?
Turkey hunting can be compared to fishing, as anyone who has spent much time turkey hunting knows. Success can be elusive and unpredictable, with preferences changing from one day to the next or even within the same day.
Do turkeys get whacked every spring?
Plenty of wild turkeys get hunted every spring on field-edge setups. This is a great strategy for early-season birds if you hunt where the pressure gets heavy. However, by the time the season really gets rolling, some toms will start to default to the safety of cover.
How do you hunt a Turkey in public land?
Find tracts of land that receive less press and attention. Often, public land hunters won’t get more than half a mile from the nearest road or parking lot access. Turkey hunters willing to dive deeper into properties and hike 1 to 2 miles will find better success and birds that receive less pressure. Public-land turkeys aren’t pushovers.