Late season tips?
 

I'm hunting SW Ohio in the second half of the season, we don't have a ton of birds, but there's a good enough population that I should have at least seen/heard one given the amount of walking I did today. I spent 8 hours in the woods today and didn't hear a peep from a turkey (after reading some of these threads, I can see I'm not the only one). I walked through fields, mature forest and new growth forest and didn't even bust up a single bird. I spent 2 hours set up in one spot and 90 minutes in another spot, calling about every 15 minutes.

My question is, are there any tips anyone can offer as far as where to look for the birds? The first property I hunted today was a public hunting area that's about 1200 acres. There is a creek about halfway through the woods on the area that is impossible to cross and has been the entire season due to heavy rains. The worst part is, the public hunting area is only accessable from the east side of the property. My theory is that, because of hunting pressure from the first 3 weeks of the season, the birds have migrated to the western side of the creek. Is this a plausable theory? I'm also afraid that the majority of the hens have already bred, so there's little incentive for a gobbler to investigate right now.

Also, does anyone have any ideas as to which calls I should use to get the birds to gobble/approach my setup? I've tried crow caws, gobble calls, clucks, yelps, kee kees, cackles and cutts to no avail. A little over a week ago, I had had birds gobbling at me for the first half of the first day, and never heard another peep from them since. I was hunting in SE KY and I did manage to bag a Jake on the second day, but that was because I saw him crossing a field 150 yards out and was able to cluck at him and get him to approach my hen decoy (very cautiously). Just at a loss how I can walk for 8 hours and not even bust up a single turkey.

Stop walking. All the birds are probably seeing you, but you aren't seeing them because you are walking.

Here is what I would do if I didn't know where any birds are roosting at: Find a field edge that has a good view of as much wood frontage as possible but offers nearby cover for you to sit in. Be there before sun-up (0500) and put your decoys out about 20 or so yards from you and where they can be seen well. Light tree calling at day break. Stay put and wait. If you see a better spot, don't move there until the next day.

Also, when the hens are sitting on their eggs, that is probably your best chance at calling in a tom. Less hens and he is lonely so he will constantly be on the move. You can also find dusting areas and pay attention to what they are eating. These will be good afternoon ambush areas. If you can find a roosting area, that would be great for morning or late evening as they are going back to the roost. Remember, Ohio turkey hunting from here on out to the end of the season is sun up to sundown so you can hunt evenings now too.

I have been seeing turkey populations here in south west Ohio increase tenfold the last couple of years in my area. You may want to find a decent piece of private land that has fewer hunters on it. Less competition and much safer too.

Good Luck.

You didn't say if you have seen any sign other than the first wk. This late in the season is the best time to call in gobblers!
The hens may be less interested but the gobblers are still boys and will come in easer if you can find em. If the area is heavily pressured you may need to go deeper into the woods 1 mile or more as most hunters don't go that far. If the creek is stopping you from going that fare in you need either to find other access to the other side or find a new hunting area.
You need to find the roost, if your owl call is not working switch to a higher pitched call like a coyote.
If your in a hilly or mountainous area with gully's and ridges look for south and east facing sides with water not fare away. Get to a high point and locate the roost.
Calls that work for me are yelping and cutting and if they are hung up I move forward and call aggressively. Best times to hunt are early am and after 3pm at least for me, that is when they are closer to their roost. The gobblers I hunt return to the vicinity of the roost 150 yards or so and start gobbling looking for hens, they hear me and either right away or 30 min. come in.