# Best Time of Day to Hunt These Birds?



## JDLIGHT (Sep 30, 2003)

I am new to Turkey hunting this year and have been reading up on the topic. We will be hunting the 3rd hunt. May 3-31. 

What is a good time to get out and sit?

Thanks,
JD


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## solasylum (Mar 29, 2000)

Can't beat first light. Find out where the birds are roosting and setup in the vicinity. But anytime you can be in the woods is better than sitting on the couch!!

Good luck and let us know if you have any other questions!! You're going to love this sport!

Scott


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## Rupestris (Aug 25, 2000)

> What is a good time to get out and sit?


A: Either when you are alone or when you are with someone.

Scott's is right. First light is probably best. That is going to depend on weather as well. My son took his last year mid-afternoon in a very slight drizzle. It had rained all morning so we went to lunch, came back around 2:00PM and not long after he got his chance.

Don't forget your bug spray in May. (I hunt 234 as well.)


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## mich buckmaster (Nov 20, 2001)

ALL DAY LONG!! 

At first light make sure that you are between their roost and feeding areas. At midday be ready to see them out searching after the hens have hit those nests. In the evening get between their feeding and roost trees, or very close to the roost area. This will allow you to be very close at all areas of the day. 

During the day a good RUN AND GUN sequence is always a lot of fun.


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## duckcommander101 (Jan 14, 2003)

I am a run and gunner for sure, never been comfortable trying to sneak in on the roost for fear of spooking the birds.
Run and Gun really gets your heart going when you get a return gobble and it can happen fast. Last year it was less than five minutes from first return gobble until the killing woods was in full effect!


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## buktruk (Jan 15, 2004)

Another vote for all day.


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## bowhunter4life (Aug 23, 2003)

Can't get one sitting at home on the couch. My vote goes with being out until the tag is filled. Even after yours is filled, being able to go out and spend time out there with family and friends, there is nothing better.

Jay


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## HunterDan (Feb 3, 2004)

Mornings are my favorite, but I hunt them as much as I can.


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## Parrothead (Nov 10, 2003)

I am with Duckcommander. I like to run and gun. I have only shot one bird first thing in the morning. I think most have been shot around 10:00 am when the hens have gone to nest and the toms are out looking for lost hens. 

The best advise I would give is don't put all your effort into one group of bird. Find atleast 5 places you can hunt. This way you won't wear out a your spots to soon..

Good Luck

Parrothead


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## trout (Jan 17, 2000)

solasylum
Said it right on!
The hard part is getting up early for a week and huntin all day for the week 
No pain, no gain.


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## Bookmaker (Oct 3, 2003)

I`ve shot all my birds from 10:00 am till late afternoon.
But then I`m one of those guys who can`t get up at 0 dark thirty.
Good luck and keep us posted.
By the way I got my permit for the zz hunt today


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## Hacksaw (Apr 8, 2001)

They seem to sound off more in the mornings from the roost and less as the day goes on....but you never know


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## Benny (Mar 5, 2004)

Definitley first light is best, you want to set up between the roost and feeding area. best way to find the roost is to go out a couple nights before dark and give off a few turkey or owl calls and see if you can get some respopnse. i usually am sitting at least a half hour before light and like to give a few morning yelps right before the sun comes up. Good Luck!!!


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## Old Hunter (Jan 21, 2002)

Early morning after fly down, but anytime of day is good depending on the area and how the birds work.


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## chuckinduck (May 28, 2003)

If you can get one to fly down to you off the roost mornings are great, if that doesn't happen you might have to wait till 10 or 11 oclock after the hens finish feeding and return to the nest. You also should find oak ridges if there are any. The birds will spend a lot of time on the sunny side of those ridges scratching in the midmornin-midafternoon.


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## Lil' Tanker (Jan 9, 2002)

THEY WILL GOBBLE IN THE MORNING BUT IF THEY ARE NOT COMING TO THE CALLS SETTING UP A AMBUSH AT NIGHT CAN BE EASIER AND MAKE IT MORE LIKE DEER HUNTING


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

First light is the best time to be able to set up with some certainty of where they will be and where they will head for, but I agree with most of you that all day long is good. The advantage to first light is once you have them roosted and know where they head after they come out of the roost, it's pretty simple to set up somewhere in between. But this doesn't mean you'll score. I don't know how many times I've roosted them the night before, set up between the roost and the ground feeding/traveling areas, have them come out of the trees just like you planned, have them coming in just like you planned, only to have them skirt around me. 

The fun, and sometimes frustrating, thing about hunting turkeys is that they are very unpredictable. Just when you think you have them completely figured out, they fool you completely. There are so many variables involved such as weather, breeding patterns, whether the hens are already on the nests or not, etc. I've been fooled more than not when hunting these crazy things.
I consider myself a decent caller, but from my experience, a wild hen will out-lure someone calling any day. If they come out of the roost and right away you hear wild hens with them, it's very difficult to call them away. You might as well focus on a different bird. Although sometimes a dominant Tom stays with those hens and some of the Jakes come to you. If you aren't interested in a Jake, you may be screwed at that point. Like I said, they're often unpredictable, which makes it fun.

From about 10 am on, they are often still active, but they can come from anywhere. I've been surprised many times in mid-morning when you least expect it.


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## davidshane (Feb 29, 2004)

I'm with most everyone else, first thing is best, but I'll be out there looking all day.


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