How long to wait

[Billy74]

After you harvest a turkey how long should you wait to hunt that area/flock again.  I’ll be taking both my boys out on public for the youth weekend and think we have a pretty good shot where I’m taking them.  If one is successful early enough would that same area be productive later in the day or the next?  Or is it best to move on to a completely new area?


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[birddogdad]

  i cant believe it would matter all that much, rather the turkeys will tell you (vocally) if you have their interest... if they shutdown you are too...

im no expert by any stretch, some may say otherwise here.. if you have other areas close by, run n gun...

[brokentrail]

If you are successful on a bird that is with others, my advice would be to let the remaining birds work completely off and do not spook them off by standing up, retrieving the dead bird, etc.  I have been successful within the same day on birds that were with one I killed.  You can usually tell if they work off and gobble within a reasonable amount of time that they aren't very spooked.
You also may be able to double up if you have both boys with you at the same time.  I have seen my oldest son kill a bird and the two others with him started gobbling at the shotgun blast and my younger son then shot one of those as they stood there gobbling.

Best of luck to you and your boys.

[CP]

I’ve seen them attack a bird that was just shot right next to them.  Turkeys aren’t the smartest thing in the woods.

[MooseZ25]

This time of year have the kids be ready as multiple gobblers may come in at once.  I have had up to 10 long beards come to my decoys all at once during youth season.  They are still in flock mentality this early and not broke off yet.   

[nwwanderer]

Neighbor took two minutes apart, second wanted to fight the dead first.  Not always the as smart as some attest

[Turkeyman]

Don’t move after the first bird is down. This time of year you can have multiple gobblers around. Sometimes another gobbler will attack the flopping bird. If not let the birds work off without them seeing you. You can get back on them later.

[dilleytech]

I had one situation a couple years ago where shots were fired 4 times in an area in one day resulting in 2 dead birds. Give them an hour or two or find other birds near by. They aren’t smart. loud noises in the area don’t really shut them down.

[dilleytech]

Neighbor took two minutes apart, second wanted to fight the dead first.  Not always the as smart as some attest

The notion turkeys are smart needs to be done away with.

[avidnwoutdoorsman]

You can hunt the same spot within the hour I'd say. The above comments are right that you can expect multiple toms/jakes to come in at once this time of year. You can go for the ol' 1,2,3, shoot or you can prime your kids that Joe is shooting first but we dont move and if Bob can shoot he then will shoot. More often then not the birds will jump at the sound of the gun firing, start looking around with what the heck confusion, then boogy or turn and start picking on their dead pal. Bob can shoot during the what the heck moment or during the turn on their buddy moment.

Often though turkeys from the same or seperate flock will use the same travel routes. I busted up 20 birds to kill one, took it back to my truck, came back and sat down for a second flock to walk in 45 minutes later and kill another bird.

The biggest thing to this IMO is that you dont start hoot'n and holler'n after you kill the first bird. Wait for all eyes to move off before you go to retrieve it, then sit back down and start hunting again. Only think I wouldnt do is shoot at a bird in a flock, then chase them to try to shoot them again. Let them or others to come back later or the next day.

Good luck!