Just one week to go

[PeterB]

In just one week from today I hope to be calling in a tom for my son and two nephews.  Turkey hunting in Arizona is spread out over a rather wide range of dates.  Some hunts have started, some start after ours.  We took the young boys (nephews) out two days ago to pattern their 20gauges.  My son (18yrs) shoots my 10gauge and has kilt himself a turkey a few years ago.  Really hoping to get a tom or two in range for one of the nephews (ages 11 and 12).  Nothing better than seeing a kid kill one.  Reading about all of your hunts is getting me charged up.  I'll post results and pictures if we are so lucky.

[Critter]

Very cool.  I am taking my wifes cousins children turkey hunting this year.  Their season isn't for another 10 days or so.  They are 12 and 14, girl and a boy, I can't wait.  There Dad has taken them shooting, but I think I'm going to loan the boy a Super X2 to hunt with.  It smashes turkeys and he's long enough armed to handle it.

[PeterB]

Well, we went out and hunted for three days.  The first day it snowed and rained.  Never heard a gobble.  Saw three hens while driving around looking for other areas to consider.  On the second day we heard a few distant gobbles.  My brother in-law had one of his boys with him and they got pretty close, but they just shut up all of a sudden.  On the third day we all got real close to a tom at first light, but he just was not interested.  He shut up within 30 minutes of daylight.  We did notice that the toms shut up very early in the morning.  Also, we saw a total of 4 hens during our 3 days of hunting.  All were alone.  Never seen a hen all by herself, let alone 4 of them in just three days.  I don't think the birds are hot yet, going to try to go out in two weeks and put another weekend in.  Perhaps the breading season will be underway, or maybe I'll sound a little sexier on my call?  All in all it was allot of fun.  We got to see numerous elk every day.  Saw some nice antelope, deer and tons of ducks.  They boys got real juiced up when we were on top of the tom on day 3.  

Do most of you bother to hunt beyond the morning? Never seem to get any action at all after the AM?

[frankb_ks]

Hey PeterB,

It takes a good deal more patience to hunt them on into the day, because there is little gobbling (at least with these easterns we have here in eastern kansas), but I have taken a fair number of toms late morning and on into the afternoon.  Because the birds almost always come in quiet, it also requires a bit more self-discipline regards movement and noise.  That has been my experience anyhow.

Good Luck,

Frank

[Critter]

I hunt all day if I have the time.  They move all the time and there is never any way to tell what they are going to be up to on a certain day.  I called in a nice two beared gobbler for my pard at 2:30 in the afternoon this year, we were about to call it a day and get something to eat when they sparked up all of the sudden. :grin:

[PeterB]

Critter/Frank, thanks for the tips.  I have called a couple in late in the day on past hunts, and you are correct, no noise, and they always seem to sneak in my back door.  Since I have small boys (11 and 12) I'm not sure I can keep them sittin still much more than a few minutes without some activity that keeps them focussed.  Patience is not a real virtue of the young.  Anyway, we have been returning to the field late in the day, hoping to hear some noise prior to roosting.  I was thinking we could return to the general area in the morning just before the leave the roost so we would be in their zone.  I was under the impression that they get vocal prior to roosting, but I have not had such luck.  Am I wasting my time hunting an hour or two before sunset?

[dukkillr]

No, hunting at dark provides valuable information even if you don't get a shot.  When I hunt in the afternoon I'm very careful not to scare any turkeys I see, and I don't pursue turkeys after they've wandered off.  The most important thing you can learn is where they roosted, and if you spook them in the afternoon you'll have no idea where they'll be in the morning.

Also, if you know where you're going to be hunting build blinds.  I use 2.5 or 3 foot fence filled in with penn oaks or branches.  I ring the wire around a tree or two that you can sit against.  This covers the motion that kids invariably make.  

Gameboys can help them stay put, stay quiet, and stay relatively still too.  It may not work for the purist, but if it gets the kids out more often and for longer I'm all for it.

[PeterB]

dukkillr,
Thanks for the info and suggestions.  I have been hunting the afternoons/evenings with the intent on gathering info for the next morning, but so far they have been fruitless.  I'll keep up the fight.  Thanks again to all for the advice.  I'll post back when I get back out.  Hope to have some pictures of some smiling kids and dead turkeys.

[frankb_ks]

Peter, something that you might try.  I have had some luck getting the birds to gobble just after they fly up to roost in the evening by either cutting or gobbling at them.  If you have a pretty good idea of where the birds are roosting you might give that a try.

Good Luck,

Frank