I believe it’s safe to say that most turkey hunters live for the morning hunt. The gobbling at the break of day removes any question marks as to whether a gobbler is around. Excitement, enthusiasm and adrenaline are at peak readings. The decision making process begins and an approach is applied to a given situation. This usually involves the typical form of closing in on a tom, setting up calling and pointing your gun in the direction of the gobbling. You have an idea of where to be, where the bird is and that it’s time to work the bird. Aggressive tactics, such as trolling and covering lots of ground trying to strike a tom, often yield a positive outcome and put you in a similar setup situation. The fact that birds gobble and their location is known takes some of the guesswork out of it. Again, mornings generally provide faster and hotter action with vocal birds, making it the preferred time to turkey hunt.
The problem with mornings is they fade away and turn into afternoon and afternoons don’t always provide the same scenarios. In fact, gobbling, the success of aggressive tactics and even our energy levels fade with it. The pace of the activity dial turns down a few hours after they leave the roost and then tweaks back up later in the day. Without sound tactics, you can spend the afternoon looking at your decoys and texting your buddies at the diner.
I started turkey hunting afternoons 20 years ago — not because I wanted to, but because I was two hours away from home hunting on the Flint River. I had nothing else to do once the morning hunt was over. The others who hunted our lease at that time were out of the woods by midmorning at the latest, but I decided it was better to spend the afternoon in the woods even if I were napping. At least there was a chance of killing a tom. I did not know how to go about it but I learned. What I soon realized was that I averaged an afternoon bird almost every year and, in some cases, would not have gotten a limit without that effort.
One of the most frequently asked questions by novice turkey hunters is what time they should get in the woods to set up for a morning hunt. The early bird may catch the worm, but being too early can also spook roosted birds. Here are some tips on ideal times to enter the woods and get set up for a morning turkey hunt.
Arrive Before Sunrise
The consensus among experienced turkey hunters is you want to be settled into your hunting spot at least 30-60 minutes before sunrise Here’s why
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Turkeys start getting active and vocalizing on the roost before sunrise. You need to be hidden and ready.
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It allows you to get positioned without spooking roosted birds with excess noise and movement.
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You can observe fly-down activity and patterns before shooting light
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It helps avoid bumping or disturbing turkeys that may already be on the ground
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There’s plenty of time to get camouflaged and make any final adjustments.
Consider the Setup Requirements
The pre-sunrise timing may vary slightly depending on your specific hunting setup for the morning:
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If using a ground blind, arrive 45-60 minutes early to quietly get brushed in.
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For run-and-gun hunting, be on site 60+ minutes pre-sunrise to pick your initial spot.
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If roosting birds the night before, calculate minimum approach time needed in the dark.
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To put out decoys, come earlier to carefully set them up without commotion.
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For public land, allow extra time in case other hunters beat you to the spot.
Listen for Fly-Down Activity
Once settled into your position, pay close attention as sunrise approaches:
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Hens will start “putting” and “keeking” to indicate they are getting ready to fly down.
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Dominant gobblers will gobble on the limb to announce their position.
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You’ll hear the flutter of wings when the birds pitch down to the ground.
Consider Weather Factors
Weather can affect turkey activity and ideal arrival times:
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On cold, drizzly mornings come later since birds reluctant to fly down.
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With stormy wind, rain get settled in earlier in case birds pitch down early.
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On warm, still mornings, be ready for quick fly-down action at first light.
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After full moons, birds may stay on roosts a bit later in the morning.
Adjust to Hunting Pressure
On public land or heavily hunted private ground, hunter pressure impacts timing:
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Come extra early to claim your spot before other hunters arrive and possibly bump birds.
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With lots of pressure, birds may abandon traditional roosts forcing you to scout new areas.
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Be ready to change strategies and hunt later mornings or evenings to avoid crowds.
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Consider weekdays instead of busy weekends to hunt unpressured birds.
Have a Morning Game Plan
Here are some things to do during your pre-sunrise scouting:
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Identify multiple potential fly-down spots so you can adapt if birds roost elsewhere.
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Take note of terrain features like ridges, saddles, and funnels to intercept moving birds.
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Look for signs of strutting toms like wing drag marks and dusty areas.
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Consider backup setup spots in case hunters displace your first choice.
Be Flexible
Every day in the spring turkey woods is different. Remain adaptable:
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If you bump birds hiking in, quietly back out and try coming in another way.
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Adjust your setup spot if birds are roosting or behaving differently than expected.
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Have backup calling locations in mind in case predators or hunters move your first choice birds.
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Be ready to sit all day if needed when hunting pressured public areas.
The most successful turkey hunters let the birds dictate their behavior rather than sticking to a rigid schedule. But as a rule of thumb, be settled into your preferred morning hunting spot at least 30-60 minutes before sunrise to maximize your chances.
Mid Afternoon Trolling for Turkeys
No two turkey hunters are the same and many prefer to stay aggressive. The slower-paced “sit and wait” style of hunting doesn’t work for everyone. I’ll respect anyone’s approach, but I’m willing to do whatever it takes on any given day when it comes to putting a turkey on the ground, as long as it’s rewarding and works for me personally. My program is to always adjust to the conditions at hand and plan an approach based on conclusions drawn on a particular day. If birds are vocal, I’ll stay more aggressive. If they appear to have gone quiet, I turn the dial down.
I have not had a lot of luck moving and calling during the middle of the day when hunting in the Southeast. As a result, I slow down and move less. In fact, I’ve concluded that I do more damage and probably bump birds that I‘m not even aware of when doing this. I believe you can easily contribute to the “pressure factor” if you don’t recognize that a particular style of aggressive hunting is not working at certain times or on a given day. You can wear a good property out in a hurry if you don’t at least make an effort to put thought in the pressure you’re applying. The last thing you want is to push a tom to neighboring property.
If I do troll, it’s more of a slow-motion advance. I will move from location to location, stopping for short periods of time and cutting as hard and loud as I can to try and shock toms into gobbling. I may cut on a glass call, wait a couple of minutes and then do the same thing on a box call. I will use a crow call at times, as well as pay attention to real crows if they appear to be harassing something. I’ll then continue moving forward. I may spend 15-30 minutes in an area that I have reason to feel good about before continuing. This assumes you have a large enough tract to keep moving on. Smaller tracts may require that you set up for a long, motionless afternoon.
Afternoons in the Turkey Woods Can Be Productive
Birds can be taken at any time of the day as long as you’re in the field and vary your approaches. Self-discipline and a larger dose of patience comes into play. Just what the approach entails depends on the time of day, terrain features, hunting pressure and, to an extent, what part of the country you’re in. This is always on my mind as I hunt different parts of the country.
For example, out West in Montana, we may stay on the move most of the day looking for Merriams. In Texas, when hunting Rios, it’s more of a blended style of hunting involving trolling and staying with a setup for longer periods of time along with sequential calling. It’s the same in New Mexico, partly because it’s physically demanding but also because staying with a setup in the right location can be very productive, especially late in the day.
Generally speaking, afternoon hunting tactics for Easterns require a more passive and patient mindset, especially during the mid afternoon. For me, it has required a toned-down approach and picking good setup locations based on scouting and knowledge of the property. It’s much more difficult to simply drive around blind calling an Eastern. Even if you do locate a tom, he is so cautious that if there is any mistake, he is gone for the afternoon.
How To HUNT TURKEYS: Basics With Jay Maxwell
FAQ
What time do I need to be in the woods for turkey hunting?
Birds can be taken at any time of the day as long as you’re in the field and vary your approaches. Self-discipline and a larger dose of patience comes into play. Just what the approach entails depends on the time of day, terrain features, hunting pressure and, to an extent, what part of the country you’re in.
What is the best time of day to hunt turkeys?
When this stage of the breeding season occurs, hunting mid-day becomes more effective. Often, gobblers will head to their strut zones during the mid-day to try and attract any remaining hens to their location. For hunters, strut zones can be great locations to sit as the morning progresses.
What time to be in blind for turkey hunting?
Any time you have time is a good time to hunt your ground blind. However, my best success has come during a couple different chunks. The first is mid-morning, typically 2 to 3 hours after fly-down, when birds have started to wander and gobblers find themselves alone after hens have gone to nest.
How early before sunrise do turkeys gobble?
In the first study, we found >70% of gobbles occurred between 30 minutes prior to and 60 minutes after sunrise.
When is a good time to hunt a Turkey?
Generally, by mid-morning, most hunters are out of the woods. That makes this the perfect start time for your turkey hunt (in states that allow hunting in the afternoon), as it will reduce competition in the field. Furthermore, henned-up toms are more likely to be alone then. Some spots tend to draw more attention than others.
What is a timber turkey hunt?
A timber turkey hunt is different from an easy field-edge foray. It involves scouting and attention to detail in the land around you and every setup. The good news is that once the openings have been hunted into dead zones, getting into the woods should get you around longbeards willing to play along.
What should you know before a turkey hunt?
As excited as we all get for spring turkey season, safety before the hunt, on the hunt and after the hunt should be at the top of everyone’s mind. Checklist for safety: Always keep your gun’s muzzle pointed in a safe direction, never toward a person. Treat every gun as if it is loaded. Only load or cock a gun when you are shooting.
Where can I learn about wild turkey hunting?
If you are fortunate enough to have an NWTF chapter in your area, you may be able to find someone willing to take you under their wing (no pun intended) to teach you about wild turkey hunting. If you are more comfortable seeking guidance on social media, there are numerous groups dedicated to wild turkey hunters and outdoor enthusiasts.
How do you hunt a turkey if you have a decoy?
When hunting, be careful not to move on a decoy. Likewise, watch for other hunters if you have decoys out. Turkey hunting is a nuanced activity, more so than a lot of hunters give it credit for. Don’t just rely on calling and decoying. Use big game tactics as well, such as ambushing turkeys.
When should you scout for turkeys?
There are three basic times to scout for turkeys: during the winter, just before the season, and during the season. All are equally important. In the winter, turkeys tend to gather in large flocks. They will roost in areas that protect them from the cold and wind (like large stands of evergreen or tucked-away hollows).