PROS vs CONS... Early May Turkey Hunting
03-08-2013, 09:28 AM
#11
Fork Horn
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Gilberts, IL
Posts: 226
If I had a choice to hunt early or late I'd hunt late. Toms seem to trabel a bit more looking for hens later in the season and are often henned up early. If the property you hunt gets a little but not a lot of pressure and the area in general - neighboring properties get little to no pressure late season can be great.
03-08-2013, 06:37 PM
#14
Fork Horn
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Maine
Posts: 104
Here in Maine it seems they get dumber the last week of the season.
I missed a Jake three times (i think it was the same jake anyways) on different days in the same spot. I go up there the last Saturday of the season and call it in with like 4 yelps.
he came in so quick I couldn't even put my gun out of the blind.
I missed a Jake three times (i think it was the same jake anyways) on different days in the same spot. I go up there the last Saturday of the season and call it in with like 4 yelps.
he came in so quick I couldn't even put my gun out of the blind.
03-08-2013, 07:55 PM
#15
Spike
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 12
I recommend that you plan on going. I have hunted in northern missouri many times and have had decent success in the late season. You are right about maybe missing the sweet spot, but who cares. We all stress about the rut, the spawn and the gobbling peak, but I've found that success can come at anytime during the season if you are using the right tactics. If it is late, slow your pace down and be patient with birds that aren't talking as much or grouping back up. I have seen more Jakes in the past year than I've seen in a long time. There will be a lot more 2 year old birds up there this year than we have seen in the past 3 years. Northern missouri tends to peak a little later than where I live at Lake of the Ozarks and with the weather we have had the last few weeks, you may hit it right anyway. Go! and Good Luck!
Last edited by bangflopp; 03-12-2013 at 08:46 PM.
03-09-2013, 06:40 PM
#16
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 30
I sure hope there's some turkeys in MO, at least 1 or 2 waiting to meet me 
bangflopp - I've heard that from a few folks, that numbers are up because of the last 2 hatches. Hope it's true. I wonder if they will ever get back to what they were back in the early and mid 2000's. Regardless, I'm going to give it a go. On a "normal" year when is the sweet spot? Also that last week, how are the biting insects/ticks?
bangflopp - I've heard that from a few folks, that numbers are up because of the last 2 hatches. Hope it's true. I wonder if they will ever get back to what they were back in the early and mid 2000's. Regardless, I'm going to give it a go. On a "normal" year when is the sweet spot? Also that last week, how are the biting insects/ticks?
03-12-2013, 08:47 PM
#18
Spike
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 12
hunting turkeys is like catching fish on a cold day. If the birds cooperate, you wont' care about the bugs. I predict this will be the best season we have had in the past 4 years in northern missouri based on my jake encounters last year. Good Luck!!!
