Late Season Turkey Hunting
05-11-2010, 03:04 PM
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Fork Horn
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Join Date: Feb 2003
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Late Season Turkey Hunting
Here is an aricle hatt may help some of you late season turkey hunters.
Second Gobbling Peak and/or Late Spring Season Turkey Tactics
By T.R. Michels
With the combined efforts of several state conservation departments, and the national, state and local chapters of the National Wild Turkey Federation across the United States over the last several years, turkey populations and turkey ranges have been expanding in many states. This has resulted in spring turkey seasons in many states being lengthened, so that they now include portions of the turkey breeding season not previously hunted in those states, namely the time frame during and after what is often referred to as the "second gobbling peak" (which, in the northern and mid-latitude states often occur from early to mid May. I refer to these time frames as the "second gobbling peak" and the "post secondary gobbling peak lull". In order to be successful during these two time frames hunters should understand what causes this secondary gobbling peak, and the gobbling lull that follows it.
You can view graphs of seasonal turkey gobbling activity, information on the turkey breeding phases, and find out when the first and second gobbling peaks normally occur where you hunt, by Googling Turkey Activity Graphs and Peak Turkey Gobbling Dates.
As a result of my 4 years of turkey research, getting to know the turkeys, especially the jakes and toms in my area quite well, I began to realize that different male turkeys may gobble during the first and secondary gobbling peaks, especially if the birds have been hunted. Obviously some of the toms and jakes that respond to calling by hunters during early season hunts are taken by hunters. Many of those birds are the older toms, some of which may be dominant males. Because these older and/or dominant toms have been removed, some of the subdominant toms and some of the more dominant jakes often start gobbling during the second gobbling peak. In fact, my studies have shown that in heavily hunted areas a majority of the gobbling during the second gobbling peak is performed by the previously subdominant toms and jakes.
My studies also show these previously subdominant males may not gobble as frequently as the dominant toms previously did, and they may not respond as well to calling as the older dominant males did. Or they may respond more readily, dependent on how heavily they have been hunted, and how much experience they have had at being called by hunters, or at evading hunters.
Hunting the Second Gobbling Peak
During the Secondary Gobbling Peak hunters may hear an increase in gobbling activity, as the males begin to gobble more frequently after the gobbling lull of the breeding season. The reason for this increase in gobbling is that many of the toms are still ready to breed, but many of the hens are laying or nesting, so the toms less time with the hens, and more time trying to attract or locate hens.
If the birds have not had a lot of experience with hunters they may readily respond and come in to hen calling, gobbling, and other turkey calls. If the birds have been hunted hard, or have had some experience avoiding hunters in the last years or weeks, they may be reluctant to come to some calls, or any call. In either case they only a hunter can determine how the birds will respond is to try calling both aggressively and sparingly, and see what happens. If one technique doesn't work on some of the birds in a specific area, try another technique, maybe the same day. If a technique doesn't work on a particular bird or group of birds, try another technique, maybe the next day.
If nothing works you may have to resort to patterning the birds by figuring out where they often roost, and where they often feed, and then set up in areas where the birds may walk by you within range, where you can ambush them as they walk by. Or you may have to try hunting in a completely new area. The key to successfully hunting any animal is to be adaptable, and be willing to try new techniques and new areas. And realize the animals may not respond, and you may go home empty handed.
Hunting the Post Secondary Gobbling Peak Lull
During the Post Secondary Gobbling Peak Lull hunters may little or no gobbling, because the males that have found or attracted hens spend more time strutting, spitting and drumming in their efforts to breed the hens than they do gobbling to locate or attract the hens.
If the males do respond at this time you may again have to call aggressively, or sparingly, to determine which technique works best for the different birds in the different areas you hunt. One of the best techniques is to use one or two hen decoys, along with loud yelping, simulating a yearling lost hen or hens, or yearling or older females that have not been bred, that are looking for either other females or males.
Since the males are often with the hens early in the morning, and the hens often leave the feeding and strutting areas before mid-morning to nest, the toms often begin to start gobbling again in the late morning to try to attract hens. If you hear gobbling in the late morning, or know where toms often spend the late morning hours, you can either call to them or setup in those areas to get them to come to you, or ambush them.
To find out when peak turkey gobbling activity occurs in your area Google Peak Turkey Gobbling Dates Chart.
I don't know how many of you knew, but I went into the hospital about three weeks ago, with kidney failur and a possible heart attack. They tell me I was pretty close to dying - I don't remember much about it.
I got out of the hospital about 2 weeks ago, but am just now getting back on my feet, although for some reason I have a blockage in my left ear, which gives me tinnitis (ringing), vertigo (diozziness) and I'm deal - so I cannot walk very far - due to the vertigo.
Anyhow, I wanted to thank all of you who prayed for rme.
Thanks to you for you prayers, the power of God, good doctors, and my own constitution, I'm on the way to a full recovery.
God bless,
I've still got a couple of projects to keep me going:
Thanks to my wife - who copied every post from the 8 different cameras on the Arkansas Preserve, where the research project is conducted, the project won't miss a beat.
Bears came out early this year in AR, about March 15, due to the early warm weather. Hibernation is dependent on weather and the availability of forage.
Turkeys are on right on schedule though, because breeding is more dependent on photoperiod - unless it is really cold, there is a lot of rain or there is no forage, which may cause a re-nest or late breeding.
I'm also gearing up for a series of Game Calling DVD's, and a DVD on Patterning Trophy Whitetail Bucks. If you live in the SE Minnesota area, and are interested in being the on-camera personality for these DVD's - contact me.
I'm not looking for any tobacco chewing good ol' boys for this project, being attractive, well groomed, with a good personality and the ability to speak concisely and clearly is a plus. Well groomed, knowledgeable, attractive, women, who hunt, are eligible for this position.
One again thanks for all of your prayers.
God bless,
T.R.
Second Gobbling Peak and/or Late Spring Season Turkey Tactics
By T.R. Michels
With the combined efforts of several state conservation departments, and the national, state and local chapters of the National Wild Turkey Federation across the United States over the last several years, turkey populations and turkey ranges have been expanding in many states. This has resulted in spring turkey seasons in many states being lengthened, so that they now include portions of the turkey breeding season not previously hunted in those states, namely the time frame during and after what is often referred to as the "second gobbling peak" (which, in the northern and mid-latitude states often occur from early to mid May. I refer to these time frames as the "second gobbling peak" and the "post secondary gobbling peak lull". In order to be successful during these two time frames hunters should understand what causes this secondary gobbling peak, and the gobbling lull that follows it.
You can view graphs of seasonal turkey gobbling activity, information on the turkey breeding phases, and find out when the first and second gobbling peaks normally occur where you hunt, by Googling Turkey Activity Graphs and Peak Turkey Gobbling Dates.
As a result of my 4 years of turkey research, getting to know the turkeys, especially the jakes and toms in my area quite well, I began to realize that different male turkeys may gobble during the first and secondary gobbling peaks, especially if the birds have been hunted. Obviously some of the toms and jakes that respond to calling by hunters during early season hunts are taken by hunters. Many of those birds are the older toms, some of which may be dominant males. Because these older and/or dominant toms have been removed, some of the subdominant toms and some of the more dominant jakes often start gobbling during the second gobbling peak. In fact, my studies have shown that in heavily hunted areas a majority of the gobbling during the second gobbling peak is performed by the previously subdominant toms and jakes.
My studies also show these previously subdominant males may not gobble as frequently as the dominant toms previously did, and they may not respond as well to calling as the older dominant males did. Or they may respond more readily, dependent on how heavily they have been hunted, and how much experience they have had at being called by hunters, or at evading hunters.
Hunting the Second Gobbling Peak
During the Secondary Gobbling Peak hunters may hear an increase in gobbling activity, as the males begin to gobble more frequently after the gobbling lull of the breeding season. The reason for this increase in gobbling is that many of the toms are still ready to breed, but many of the hens are laying or nesting, so the toms less time with the hens, and more time trying to attract or locate hens.
If the birds have not had a lot of experience with hunters they may readily respond and come in to hen calling, gobbling, and other turkey calls. If the birds have been hunted hard, or have had some experience avoiding hunters in the last years or weeks, they may be reluctant to come to some calls, or any call. In either case they only a hunter can determine how the birds will respond is to try calling both aggressively and sparingly, and see what happens. If one technique doesn't work on some of the birds in a specific area, try another technique, maybe the same day. If a technique doesn't work on a particular bird or group of birds, try another technique, maybe the next day.
If nothing works you may have to resort to patterning the birds by figuring out where they often roost, and where they often feed, and then set up in areas where the birds may walk by you within range, where you can ambush them as they walk by. Or you may have to try hunting in a completely new area. The key to successfully hunting any animal is to be adaptable, and be willing to try new techniques and new areas. And realize the animals may not respond, and you may go home empty handed.
Hunting the Post Secondary Gobbling Peak Lull
During the Post Secondary Gobbling Peak Lull hunters may little or no gobbling, because the males that have found or attracted hens spend more time strutting, spitting and drumming in their efforts to breed the hens than they do gobbling to locate or attract the hens.
If the males do respond at this time you may again have to call aggressively, or sparingly, to determine which technique works best for the different birds in the different areas you hunt. One of the best techniques is to use one or two hen decoys, along with loud yelping, simulating a yearling lost hen or hens, or yearling or older females that have not been bred, that are looking for either other females or males.
Since the males are often with the hens early in the morning, and the hens often leave the feeding and strutting areas before mid-morning to nest, the toms often begin to start gobbling again in the late morning to try to attract hens. If you hear gobbling in the late morning, or know where toms often spend the late morning hours, you can either call to them or setup in those areas to get them to come to you, or ambush them.
To find out when peak turkey gobbling activity occurs in your area Google Peak Turkey Gobbling Dates Chart.
I don't know how many of you knew, but I went into the hospital about three weeks ago, with kidney failur and a possible heart attack. They tell me I was pretty close to dying - I don't remember much about it.
I got out of the hospital about 2 weeks ago, but am just now getting back on my feet, although for some reason I have a blockage in my left ear, which gives me tinnitis (ringing), vertigo (diozziness) and I'm deal - so I cannot walk very far - due to the vertigo.
Anyhow, I wanted to thank all of you who prayed for rme.
Thanks to you for you prayers, the power of God, good doctors, and my own constitution, I'm on the way to a full recovery.
God bless,
I've still got a couple of projects to keep me going:
Thanks to my wife - who copied every post from the 8 different cameras on the Arkansas Preserve, where the research project is conducted, the project won't miss a beat.
Bears came out early this year in AR, about March 15, due to the early warm weather. Hibernation is dependent on weather and the availability of forage.
Turkeys are on right on schedule though, because breeding is more dependent on photoperiod - unless it is really cold, there is a lot of rain or there is no forage, which may cause a re-nest or late breeding.
I'm also gearing up for a series of Game Calling DVD's, and a DVD on Patterning Trophy Whitetail Bucks. If you live in the SE Minnesota area, and are interested in being the on-camera personality for these DVD's - contact me.
I'm not looking for any tobacco chewing good ol' boys for this project, being attractive, well groomed, with a good personality and the ability to speak concisely and clearly is a plus. Well groomed, knowledgeable, attractive, women, who hunt, are eligible for this position.
One again thanks for all of your prayers.
God bless,
T.R.
