Hunting Washington Forum

Other Hunting => Turkey Hunting => Topic started by: Dan-o on April 20, 2025, 10:49:20 PM

Title: turkey hunt - timing qustion
Post by: Dan-o on April 20, 2025, 10:49:20 PM: So I've hunted turkeys for bout 15 years now.

I've always hunted the opener, and never gone back midseason.

I'm considering going back for a 2nd hunt this year.

For you turkey guys, when's the best time to plan to go back?
I've heard 2nd week of May.......
Title: Re: turkey hunt - timing qustion
Post by: hunter399 on April 21, 2025, 03:17:55 AM: Quote from: Dan-o on April 20, 2025, 10:49:20 PM
So I've hunted turkeys for bout 15 years now.

I've always hunted the opener, and never gone back midseason.

I'm considering going back for a 2nd hunt this year.

For you turkey guys, when's the best time to plan to go back?
I've heard 2nd week of May.......
I've heard that 2nd week of May before.
But I really don't know,they are pretty quiet this year.
Russ or somebody with more turkey experience would know best.
Maybe PM Russ McDonald.
Title: Re: turkey hunt - timing qustion
Post by: Mfowl on April 21, 2025, 05:14:20 AM: If the birds are quiet now it's probably because they are henned up and breeding daily. They have no reason to advertise or go looking for hens. If that's the case it will probably improve at the end of the month or the first week of May. Hens will become scarce as they lay/sit on their nests and the toms will become more susceptible to calling as they will be out looking for the remaining available hens. It will also pay off to be in the woods all day, the 9AM-3PM window especially. From what I've seen and read it seems the breeding cycle might be ahead of schedule this year. That could make the late season from Mid May to the end kind of tough as the toms will move in to their summer patterns and be difficult to call/decoy.
Title: Re: turkey hunt - timing qustion
Post by: nwwanderer on April 21, 2025, 05:53:21 AM: In my yard covered hens are separating, laying eggs, jakes are acting gooofy and mature toms are starting to travel. Probably time for that second hunt soon
Title: Re: turkey hunt - timing qustion
Post by: trophyhunt on April 21, 2025, 05:59:22 AM: This past week it was pretty quiet, on our way back home yesterday we saw 3 toms all together with a few hens. Then further down the road, two big toms with hen close together, all on private of course. I'm a turkey rookie, so, are the Toms supposed to be together right now?
Title: Re: turkey hunt - timing qustion
Post by: Deadeyety on April 21, 2025, 06:41:06 AM: First or second weekends in May are both great. I prefer that timeframe over the opener.
Title: Re: turkey hunt - timing qustion
Post by: trophyhunt on April 21, 2025, 06:43:52 AM: Quote from: Deadeyety on April 21, 2025, 06:41:06 AM
First or second weekends in May are both great. I prefer that timeframe over the opener.
That deer in your profile pic is a beast, did I miss the story??
Title: Re: turkey hunt - timing qustion
Post by: 92xj on April 21, 2025, 06:51:05 AM: March 29th and 30th were two days that lots of the hens were bred in the NE corner
Title: Re: turkey hunt - timing qustion
Post by: Deadeyety on April 21, 2025, 07:33:26 AM: Quote from: trophyhunt on April 21, 2025, 06:43:52 AM
Quote from: Deadeyety on April 21, 2025, 06:41:06 AM
First or second weekends in May are both great. I prefer that timeframe over the opener.
That deer in your profile pic is a beast, did I miss the story??

Thanks! It was the raffle mule deer from 2022, I did a thread on here about it.
Title: Re: turkey hunt - timing qustion
Post by: trophyhunt on April 21, 2025, 07:45:29 AM: Quote from: Deadeyety on April 21, 2025, 07:33:26 AM
Quote from: trophyhunt on April 21, 2025, 06:43:52 AM
Quote from: Deadeyety on April 21, 2025, 06:41:06 AM
First or second weekends in May are both great. I prefer that timeframe over the opener.
That deer in your profile pic is a beast, did I miss the story??

Thanks! It was the raffle mule deer from 2022, I did a thread on here about it.
I’ll have to look for it! I guess one good thing about Alzheimer’s is I can reread stories like it’s the first time, lol. I’m not being serious about the Alzheimer’s, but I swear sometimes I got it.!
Title: Re: turkey hunt - timing qustion
Post by: Tree Killer on April 21, 2025, 07:55:41 AM: Ive had some great hunting in northeast Oregon the second week of May.

The hens are sitting on nests and the tom's are lonely.
Title: Re: turkey hunt - timing qustion
Post by: Dan-o on April 21, 2025, 10:15:17 AM: Thanks all!!!
Title: Re: turkey hunt - timing qustion
Post by: tgomez on April 21, 2025, 11:55:34 AM: May 7th-14th.
Title: Re: turkey hunt - timing qustion
Post by: baldopepper on April 21, 2025, 12:19:26 PM: Every year is different. This year is no exception. Still seeing a lot of of fairly large flocks with several toms and many smaller flocks with 1 tom and a few hens. Winter flocks broke up a bit earlier than usual and birds are pretty well spread out now. Think it's going to be really dependent on the area you're in. One problem with the later hunts is the undergrowth leafs outt and vsibility becomes more difficult. That bird you could see 30-40 yards away is now hiidden behind the leafed out underbrush. Last year the birds stayed quiet thru May and this year seems off to the same start. Came across a flock of 5 Jake's and after a quick return gobble they just kept going on their way with no more responses. Unusual for Jake's this time of year.
Title: Re: turkey hunt - timing qustion
Post by: brokentrail on April 21, 2025, 04:32:22 PM: I just got back from a quick 3 day bomb with my youngest son, now 18, to Colville area. The one weekend there was no baseball and HS stuff going on. We found birds but they were henned up really bad and within an hour or so off the roost, you would likely never hear another gobble, even if you stayed with them. Once of them had a mouth jake and we stayed with them for almost 6 hours without ever getting a shot and never hearing a gobble, but you could hear him drum and the Jake would caulk every time he did.

I'll be back over in May with my oldest son and will hope the hens are on the nest so we can find a cooperative bird.

Good luck to all.
Title: Re: turkey hunt - timing qustion
Post by: Russ McDonald on April 21, 2025, 07:12:39 PM: Hey use the @ and the user name if you need to also get someone's attention on a post. The best success I have had is the first 2 weeks of May. Opening weekend is usually good if you have private property with heavy bird population. From what I am hearing the hens are starting to lay eggs. So the boys will be looking for more love mid morning till afternoon. Keep in mind that once a hen starts intubating her clutch she doesn't roost anymore until the poults are old enough to fly up into a tree

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Title: Re: turkey hunt - timing qustion
Post by: Dan-o on April 21, 2025, 08:57:19 PM: Right on.

Looks like I'll need to make a second trip this year.