Hunting the first week in May......

[squeelin]

My question is  have u guys hunted turkeys in may and had the same results as the opening week in april? The reason im asking is this is the first year i can remember i will not be able to hunt opening week,infact i cant hunt untill the first week in may.Im just curious,how many have killed turkeys in the month of may and did u have to hunt them any different then opening week in april? Im thinking its going to be more of a challenge for me but im ready!

[wastickslinger]

some of my best hunts have been in may and a few of my worst have been opening weekend. all depends on weather, pressure and their breeding

[Tom Tamer]

The first of May should be getting better as more hens start to set the nest and don't come off it as they're incubating. The Toms will be getting more lonely and still the urge to breed. Plus hunting pressure is usually lighter for various reasons, fishing season is open, more folks off doing family things and a lot of guys are tagged out or just plain gave up. The last two years on Memorial Day weekend I bagged a bird right at day break, last year when I tree yelped he hit me so hard I knew he was alone...it was my biggest Merriam's yet... may can be the better of the two months IMO

[squeelin]

right on sounds like i really dont have nothing to worrie about other than i will be working when i really wanna be hunting!Save a few birds for the poor guys!!!! lol

[skagit]

I have tagged several Toms in May and actually prefer the first week of May.   There are less people in the woods!

[carpsniperg2]

i have taken birds all season long date does not matter just diffrent tactics is all. no worries if it gets a bit late in the season u still got a chance

[Hangfire]

Turkey's are available all through May.  The technique is a little different, most will have hens at daybreak. If you can't find a tom without hens, put the emphasis on midday hunting.  Late season they seem to be very vocal early morning while in the tree.  When they fly down they are often absolutely quite. 

In 2008  on the last day,I heard a bird at first light. I got to within 100 yards,  gave a couple light yelps, he answered.  This activated a very vocal hen.  What ever the hen did I repeated, plus one. He flew down, went to the hen, I could hear him drumming.  I gave a few very soft purrs and waited 15 minutes. I heard him gobble one time and could then see him coming, craning his neck looking for me. I let him get to about 17 steps and shot him with my grandads old Long Tom single shot. I borrowed this old gun for a couple seasons, when I was in grade school in the 50's. I inherited it from my cousin in 2008. My granddad died in the mid 80's at 92. I got to hunt with him in 2008.

[Machias]

I no longer even go out opening weekend.  I will hunt the first couple of days if it falls on a weekday, like this year, but opening weekend I leave to the crowds.  Good luck this year everyone!

[baldopepper]

I've had the fun of watching the birds around my cabin in May, after I've filled my tags, and , as hangfire said, they have a tendancy to be very quiet.  Hunting then, you really have to be up before sunrise and pinpoint them when they are sounding off on the roost. Once they hit the ground they go very quiet-not unusual for me to hear numerous birds at daylight and then never hear another gobble all day.  They seem to feed early and then go 'looigag" in the shade for most of the day.  (watched a couple of toms from my deck last year shade up under a big pine and literally not move over 50 yeards out the rest of the day).  When they do come in, it's usually very quietly -often times they just appear with no gobbling at all AND they can be very, very call shy.  I've actually watched them from my cabin start running when cars stop on the main road (about 1/2 mile away) and call!!!  Great time to be out, very few hunters and the birds are there-just have to be a lot more subtle with your techniques and assume all the dump ones are already in a roaster some where.