May turkey hunting

[MerriamMagician]

Ok everyone, I have had a lot of success hunting in April the past five years. I don't think I have even hunted the month of May for five or six years because we have always been tagged out. Same story this year, however I have several people who want to go with me to learn the sport. To be totally honest, I don't remember all the tactics for hunting birds in May. I know it can be both beautiful and ugly with the beautiful being gobblers finally unhenned up and sometimes a lot more responsive to calls and will even come running. The ugly would be callshy, cautious birds that are quiet and avoid open areas a lot. I would appreciate anyones tips for hunting in May just for a quick refresher. Also when do you think the second gobbling peak will occur this year? Last weekend every bird in the valley had lockjaw pretty much all day.

[Limhangerslayer]

There are always gobblers that aren't lockjaw.  If you have impatient hunters that need to hear gobbles be mobile cover ground,  I guarantee with persistence you will find a vocal bird.  As far as tactics a lot of times I read a birds mood, doesn't matter if it's April or May. 

[BOWHUNTER45]

actually my favorite time to hunt... I love hunting in May ... most guys have bagged up or quit ...over the years I have found it much better hunting ..like you said , hens are nesting and gobblers are alone ... just a little better time for calling birds in..but then you have to worry about ticks ...thats the only thing I hate about hunting in May 

[yelp]

It also is the best time to bag the dominate tom as he loses hens to the nesting process making your plea's sounding even more enticing! 

[MerriamMagician]

I know for a fact that your right about less hunting pressure. This was only the third weekend and saw scarcely anyone else. It always seems like the initial week of hunting pressure completely changes the birds patterns but within three weeks or so as the majority of the hunters call it quits, the birds slowly get back to their normal routine and often return to where they were roosting when the season started. The one concern i have for this season is that it seems the birds are a week or two behind normal schedule. I have seen many large hen flocks that completly lacked the presence of any male birds. I did call up one lone gobbler last weekend and it was intense, heartpounding action!! Probably one of the top five most exciting turkey hunts I have ever experienced! I'm really looking forward to some more of that. I'm busy next week, but will be returning to the woods for the second weekend of May.

[BOWHUNTER45]

Exactely....this is why I only went for 2 days ....I never saw more than 2 other hunters and a gamie who checked us which was the first time I ever seen a warden in these parts . But once I saw one flock with over 150 birds in it and many with 20 to 50 in it I decided I was not wasting all my time and money on staying for a week ...yes I know we could of killed more birds and should have but I seriously have more fun with lonely gobblers than flocked up gobblers...one good thing to remember though is that its  not because the bird has gotten any dumber and the rule for me is once you locate a gobbler and move in on him and get him to answer be patient . We all get excited when we get one to answer and seem to want to call alot ....I kinda read the mood of the bird...if I cut a few times and he just goes off doulble & tripple gobbling then I will try keeping him excited by yelping and cutting...but if he gobbles once or twice every 5 min or so I go silent ...the best thing to do if he is not so excited is to wait and see he will answer you on his on without you making another sound ...If he does then what I do is just be quit until he gobbles at least 3 times on his own without me saying a word...hopefully when he does gobble he is moving closer with every gobble he makes...after 3 or 4 times of gobbling on his own then I will cluck softly a couple times or go to doing whit whits ..if I am in the timber I do not use decoys late in the season because I want the bird to come looking for me ...he already knows about where you are but not exactely because your not calling alot to give up your EXACT LOCATION SO NOW HE IS THINKING Hmmmm she must be over there.....just my  but its worked more times than not of me ..

[turkeydancer]

    Works for me ... good advice.

actually my favorite time to hunt... I love hunting in May ... most guys have bagged up or quit ...over the years I have found it much better hunting ..like you said , hens are nesting and gobblers are alone ... just a little better time for calling birds in..but then you have to worry about ticks ...thats the only thing I hate about hunting in May 

John - I haven't had a tick problem in over a decade. Next time you're at Cabelas buy some cans of Sawyers Tick spray and treat your clothes, hat, gloves, boots, face mask before you go out and let them dry (dries in a short time)> Pay special attention to any openings such as under the hat brim, cuffs, collars, button or zip up areas, etc.  It lasts thru 3 washings before you need to repeat. Helps with other insects too!

[Tom Tamer]

, heWhat everyone else said here, plus what you mentioned...being tagged out. I think the pressure is way less, because of the tagged out guys , plus lakes open up and the weather gets nicer. Heck my favorite time to hunt the past few years is Memorial dayweekend. There ain't another turkey hunter to be found by then. And usually the Toms haven't heard a receptive hen in a couple weeks. 3 of the last 4 yrs I've had my quickest hunts and also my Largest Merrriam's on that weekend. I love May hunting. Tatics do change, I do a lot more run and gun stuff, but also let them work to me.Last year we had a bird that would gobble constantly but move away he had no hens but would still make rounds, we sat right where he gobble from when he hit the ground, took a nap and when he came back he kindly woke us up with a gobble before walking down to 25yds of my Dad's Mossberg. Love a considerate May Tom like that.

[turkeydancer]

My "run and gun" days have become more like "walks really slow and guns" ...    

[dawei]

My "run and gun" days have become more like "walks really slow and guns" ...    

Like me, Limp & Lounge; or Wobble & Gobble! LOL!!!!!

[BOWHUNTER45]

I will do that AL ... Need to go to Cabelas again soon and see what is walking around there  Some fine scenery last time and I do not mean animals & guns 

[ghosthunter]

We just got back from a week of voodoo chickens. We should have had two birds but crap happens. Only saw three hunters. Last year we hunted May second week and had gobbles and no hunters.Thinking about another trip around mid May.

[MerriamMagician]

I cant wait to get back at it!! Im looking to go on the 12th and 13th and possibly memorial day weekend. Made some wingbone calls from my birds and from some older wings and gonna give it a go with them!! I made a wingbone call years ago, but lost it before the season started so using one will be a new experience. Also hoping to get some good video footage. I filmed a really awesome hunt last week that ended with success only to discover that the media card had mysteriously not been in the cam. Bummer

[hawksfan75]

Memorial Day weekend is the only opportunity I'm going to have this year. So, here's to hoping that the May hunting is good this year 

[Gobble Doc]

Last year I went on Memorial Day.  It was a zoo.  ATVs, yellin, etc.  It would have been a good time to get much further off the normal path but I wasn't prepared for a long hike back into the woods. 

[Phantom Gobbler]

It also is the best time to bag the dominate tom as he loses hens to the nesting process making your plea's sounding even more enticing! 

After striking out the second weekend of the season with henned up birds and mishaps, we hit paydirt last weekend in the NE.  In the areas we hunt there are still alot of Gobbler's roaming the hill's (although at times they can be awfull silent).

After callling occasionally all the way to an upper field, (and not hearing any replies) we chilled out and my hunting partner promptly fell asleep.  I had periodically ran through all the calls in my vest, when suddenly a loud gobble split the windy afternoon behind us!   

With sparse calling over the next 10 minutes, we coaxed in a Jake with a Tom bringing up the rear.  The Tom popped his large head up at 20 yards in full strut and my partner whispered that he was going to take the shot.  Blam, the Tom ducked and then his head popped back up and he started to run.  A miss I thought as I swung my 24 inch barrel on him.  Pow, over he went.  I jumped up to get the bird and then noticed that my buddy was running for the Jake he had shot!

A May Hunt to remember!  My bird turned out to be a dominant 4 year old with 1 1/4 inch spurs, my best Merriam's to date!

[MerriamMagician]

Awesome pics and story Phantom gobbler!! I'm taking some buddies up this weekend, and expecting some hot action!! Still lots of birds on my spots and should be some lonely gobblers runnin around.

[Phantom Gobbler]

Have a great hunt MM!

P.S. Turkey Slayer (Plateau Taxidermy) in the last photo was not on this hunt.  The picture is of him weighing and measuring the Tom before he skinned it.

[turkeydancer]

 
Way to put the double smack down !!!

[Chesapeake]

I have an old school baby scale much like the one in the pic. Never thought to toss a turkey on it.

Good job on the double. Thats classic.

[BOWHUNTER45]

Good job Phantom.......way to get it done 

[Phantom Gobbler]

Thanks all.  Good luck to everyone still able to get out and enjoy the end of the season!  Look forward to hearing about your late season hunts.

[BOWHUNTER45]

Hopefully next weekend I will be back at it ....Been working my butt off So I can get back over again....picked up a huge remodel in Seattle within 5 blocks of the space needle ....no turkeys gobbling there 

[bearpaw]

Great shooting, sweet birds.... 

[buckcanyonlodge]

Here's one from third week in May last year...

[BOWHUNTER45]

It always seems you get the bigger and smarter birds later in the season ... Last year we never called in one jake the last week of the season just all big boys ... wonder where all the jakes head off to... seen many jakes around your place lately ?

[buckcanyonlodge]

It always seems you get the bigger and smarter birds later in the season ... Last year we never called in one jake the last week of the season just all big boys ... wonder where all the jakes head off to... seen many jakes around your place lately ?

Had three jakes in the back yard this am along with a couple big boys.

[fimohead]

I'm new to turkey hunting (actually, I'm new to hunting altogether), and am planning on going hunting during Memorial Day weekend.  I have a question for those more knowledgeable:  I know there are a lot of turkeys in the NE corner of the state, but are there potentially good hunting locations around Leavenworth?  The buddy I want to go hunting with doesn't want to drive 6 hours out from Seattle, and he was hoping to find some good hunting a little closer.   Any tips?  Thank you very much!

[BOWHUNTER45]

I would definately try going the last week of the season .... you can get birds right now but you may need to work for them ....we did see a flock of 30 or more and I am not sure what that was about but when we hiked in there we found the biggest roost site I think I ever seen in my life ...yeah under 3 different trees there was turkey poop at least 3' round and 6 inches thick  I will post this as soon as I get the pictures sent to me .....

                                        Here are a couple more with my friends ....May MADNESS 

[MerriamMagician]

Beautiful pic of that stutter in the first pic bowhunter. I love pics like that. I'm taking some friends out for memorial weekend and try to get a few more. Its been a great year so far with 8 longbeards and 2 jakes taken out of our group. Still have 3 tags left too among two people. I'm going to share a quick scouting story from Saturday the 19th of May. I found some birds friday evening near the same roost that I killed one at this year and the birds traditionally use year after year. I got in there early in the morning armed with 2 cameras and a head cam that I use for snowboarding. I put out a single hen deke right in the favorite flydown zone near the top of a small pasture. The gobbler went off about 15 times from the roost. He was the only bird sounding off in the whole valley. I let a few soft yelps near flydown time just to let him know I was there. He was roosted about 120 yards above his hens. The hens were roosted directly behind me bout 80 yards. He flew down right over my head but overshot the decoy and landed bout 100 yards away. He instantly went into strut and started gobbling something fierce. Minutes later two of the hens dumped right into the deke and started cluckin like crazy. Then the remaining two hens dumped literally into my lap, I nearly took a wing in the face!!  The gobbler was goin crazy tryin to lure his hens down to him, but I hit the slate call and the hens hung around. Its amazing to watch them behave around an intruder decoy. They puffed up like gobblers and were givin the deke nasty looks!! Every time they wandered towards the gobbler I turned it up with the slate and they came whippin back, as close as a single yard trying to find the source of the call. Finally the gobbler slowly worked his way up to the hens. I captured all of this on video and managed to collect some awesome pics. He was one of the biggest merriams gobblers I have ever seen with a Paintbrush, ground dragging beard similar to a monster Eastern beard. After nearly an hour they eventually worked themselves back into the timber and I snuck out. I know exactly where he will be next week and we will be there waiting for him, with shotguns this time instead of cameras. Can't wait!! 

[BOWHUNTER45]

sweet...love it when those hens strut 

[MerriamMagician]

Hey bowhunter45, iv noticed that you talk a lot about using a peacock call to locate late season birds. I'v got one myself that I use with good success, but I definitely get more results with it early in the season than late. When you use yours do you try to imitate the quick call of a hen peacock that just sound like a drawn out"aaaaa-awwwww" Or do you try to imitate the male peacock call where it is much longer and sounds more like a series of aaa-awww, aaa-awww, aaa-awww?? I'm sure either call would work, but I usually just use the hen sound.

[MerriamMagician]

My buddys second gobbler from memorial weekend!! What a hunt it was!!