Peaks & Valleys Of Turkey Hunting
Over the course of the last couple of years some hunters have been asking for an earlier opening date for hunting turkeys. The claim is that by midway through the season the birds are finished breeding and gobbling is done. But that’s hardly the case.
On any given day, even in the best turkey country, hunters will be hard pressed to hear a bird gobble at daylight much less have one come into a call. Yet on that same day, two hollows over, the birds are tearing things up. Yep, a little luck and being at the right place at the right time helps. However, in general, I’ll take my chances on bringing in a mature bird during the latter half of the season.
Now don’t get me wrong, 20 pound plus birds sporting inch or better spurs will come to the call across the four-week season. But let’s face it, by the time the season opens, and cross the entire season, the boss gobblers will be courting hens.
By in large younger birds are taken early simply because they are not predisposed with the hens. The birds most likely to come to the call early on will be jakes and sub-dominate gobblers. And there’s nothing wrong with that. Besides, it’s the quality of the hunt that matters.
Another factor that plays into the equation is gobbling peaks. Here in PA the first gobbling begins in late February, peaks in March, and then diminishes after the toms begin to gather their hens. This is when gobbling drops off. But shortly thereafter the toms begin gobbling again. The cycle of peaks and valleys of gobbling activity will continue into June and in some cases as late as July.
In all, there are four to five gobbling peaks that occur throughout the season. Let’s say you take a week’s vacation to hunt gobblers, or you’re limited to hunt only during weekends, there’s a strong possibility your time hunting will take place during a peak gobbling period. If that’s the case, then you are in for some fun. If you hit a low point in gobbling activity, you’ve got your work cut out for you.
Early on in my hunting career some of the best advice given to me was, “Do your homework.” Pre-season scouting is a must. Locating as many gobblers as possible prior to opening day is important. Let’s face it, even if your time in the field takes place is during a low point in gobbling activity, knowing places where birds were located during the preseason can work to your advantage.
In most cases hunters are in the woods well before dawn listening for a gobbler to sound off before flying down from the roost. This is a good tactic that enables the hunter to move in, set up, and call before the bird becomes distracted.
However, there are days when the woods seem to go quiet. Song birds are singing their songs, but gobblers are not to be heard. Hunting for hours, and even for days, without even a hint of a gobble responding to your calling can have devastating effects on the hunt.
When the woods become quiet, after a while it can work on your selfconfidence. Before the season the birds were in the area, and now they won’t answer the call, it’s easy to question one’s abilities. Then you begin to question, “What am I doing wrong?” Now you’re letting the birds get the best of you. But it happens.
Last season over the course of the first week my time was spent in less than 50 acres of woods. The first Monday a bird was heard but would not respond to my call. Every morning my boot tracks crossed this small area of woods. Only every so often would the bird gobble, and sparingly he would answer my calls. But he remained in the area. Now all I had to do was be patient and wait.
Hunts were conducted at first light. When that didn’t work several midmorning hunts were conducted just in case this boy was accompanied by hens. Still no luck in my attempts to prompt him with my calling and encourage him to respond to my calls on a consistent basis.
That year, across the first two weeks of the season, occasional rain showers fell. Looking ahead, heavy rains were being forecasted for the next several days. Luckily a break in the weather was at hand. That’s the news I had been waiting for.
I strongly suspected the bird was in the area due to his infrequent gobbling. Not hearing or seeing the bird in the field from one day to the next would have discouraged most hunters. However, it was the rain that would prove me right.
About 4 a.m. the next morning the rain was beginning to taper off. Soon I was making my way back to the area where more than a few hunts began over the course of the season.
My decoys were set out near the top edge of an open field that sloped downhill. I was set up just inside the woods line