vacation planning

[spike]

Well it's that time of year again when the boss wants us all to pick our vacation weeks.When do you all think is the best time to go after a spring bird?We hunt public land around colville.I have always hunted a week or two after the opener and we do alright.Is it worth it to fight the crowds on the opener.Do the birds respond to calls better on the opening day or latter in the season?Thanks for your help/advise.

[turkeydancer]

That's some good questions ... they respond well during the opener, but are often henned up to the point that they will go the other way (a olot of the jakes and 2 yr olds still get harvested).  A few weeks later they may respond less due to being bumped and overcalled to, but may not be as henned up and will come in ... but sneaking in silent (I just call a little less often and softer).  It also depends on when they come out of winter mod and start breeding.  Bottom line - you can kill birds anytime of the season, but your tactics and calling need to change to fit the "mode" that they are in ...

[yelp]

Around May 1st is always a good time.  That way you aren't too early or too late. As far as turkey response.  It all depends on where you are hunting.  If you are on private or public.  Turkeydancer is correct that birds may respond less.  I like to adjust by hunting higher (elevation) in the season progress, especially up north.  Them birds like to climb.  Opening day can be great but you also are usually dealing with large flocks of hens, a little later those hens start dropping off and you have better odds IMO of getting a mature tom.  But anytime in the woods is better than anytime at work.

[spike]

Thanks guys I think we are going to take the last full week of April so I can also get the opener for fishing.Plus I hate hunting in a crowd.

[PA BEN]

If you can scout, go out two three days before the opening day. Put toms to bed and the next morning sit and see where they go. Hen-ed up toms will go to a strutting area and strut, it's hard to call them in if they have a spot they go to and strut. Once he has hens to strut for he will follow them as they feed. The hens even have feeding areas they go to w/toms in tow. I've called in hens and let them walk by and killed a tom in tow. Opening day if you have done your home work you can beat the other hunters. I've had toms I located and set up on in the morning, not knowing his strutting area, having him hot as hell just to have him jump out of the tree and go the other way to his strutting area. I would follow him and try to cut him off. The next morning I'll set up away from him and the direction he went to his strutting area and killed him. I had an old tom who would roost above my house, when the toms would roost in these trees they would go up the ridge to his strutting area. I've been just off to the side have him look at my decoy strut a little out of gun range and go to his hens. One evening he was gobbling above the house so I took my daughter out the next morning. He was a hard tom to kill. I set up w/decoys between him and his hens. I ran fishing line to my hen decoy, had him hot a hell in the tree, he jumped out and came in off to the side. He would strut gobble and walk, he was heading to his hens but wanted to put a show on for my decoys as he went by. I pulled on the fishing line and moved my decoy up and down it was enough movement to keep him around so my daughter could swing around into shooting position. I could see he wasn't going to stay long, his hens were making a hell of a racket up the ridge and he wanted to go to them. He was at 50 yds and wouldn't come any closer to my daughter, I told her to aim at the top of his head and shoot, she dumped him. 20 ga. 3" #5, red dot site, ultra full turkey choke.
 I've killed toms that I couldn't call in out of the tree because of hens. I would go in way before day light put out a decoy so he can see it from the tree, when he starts to gobble just make soft tree yelps, when he hits the ground and shows signs of leaving call like hell, cutts work the best. BTW, I carry a lot of different calls when I hunt. Sometimes one call will pull in a tom when others won't.
The tom my daughter shot that morning. Home made boat paddle box call, poplar w/black walnut lid.


  

[fishunt247]

If had to choose, it would be April 20th to the 30th. Traditionally, my dad, brother, and myself kill FAR more birds and have the funnest hunts during this time. Then, it seems, the hens begin to leave (though not all leave then) and they are still pretty fresh as far as calling pressure goes. I've heard a lot of talk, on this forum too, that during these dates is the gobbling lull of the season. From my experience, I don't think that is correct. But to each his own, that is where my bet would be.