PROS vs CONS... Early May Turkey Hunting
 

I have an opportunity to turkey hunt northern Missouri the last 5 days of the season this spring, May 1st to May 5th. The season opens on April 15th. I have access to some land that will have some but not much pressure on it before I hunt it. I know that by the time May rolls around the hunting can get tough in some places with the birds not responding to calling as well as they might earlier in the season. I also know that last year the spring was really early in the Midwest and the birds started breeding much earlier than normal making May hunting tough.

On a typical year, is the hunting still good in May or am I better off postponing the hunt until spring 2014 where I could make April dates work?

Any feedback would be appreciated. Thanks!

I always hunt late season - why not do both? - hunt now - then go early next yr.

Not much pressure - there are birds - I'd be there.

JW

Hunt every chance you get. Sure beats working!

One thing is for sure.You won,t get a bird if ya don't go.

If it is an either/or situation, go April. If it is an opportunity to go now and go 2014, do both. You will find out how the late season hunting is as well as the earlier season.

Personally, I like the late season hunting. By the middle of April the woods have started greening up good. The crappie are biting so there is less pressure. The weather is getting warmer and more hens are nesting. I took my only bird last year on the last day of the season. There were 4 toms together gobbling their heads off and another a few hundred yards off that was gobbling good too.

I have had good luck the last weekend of the season in the past, regardless of how early spring started. In fact in some cases, I've heard more birds gobbling the last weekend than I have opening weekend.

I had better luck last year during the late season, the toms were easier to work in after the hens started nesting.

Our season doesn't start until May 1st. So I guess I hunt the late season every year. I usually get one. Sometimes it can be tough but as long as you roost the bird the night before, your success rate goes way up. Calling one in is great but I bet half the birds I have shot, hit the ground within shotgun range. No calling required. Early season has it's perks, I'm sure, but so does the late season. Most hens have been bread and are nesting, so the Toms are out looking for the next brown feathers of love. Hunt anytime you can, it's better than sitting at home or work.

when to hunt
 

luck is what it almost always takes, go when ya can cause otherwise you will never know, as far as calling and or being call shy, remember, some days nothing works and you will never know that answer for sure, some days turkey like just being turkey and they are not about to let you know how they feel about it. find something else to worry about

cheers

The late season in MO isn't as bad as you think. The birds will work you may have to stay after them but it will pay off. We still here birds gobbling their fool heads off into june here in the southern part of the state. Can't kill em from home.