This month we asked W2 Prostaffer and Hunting Editor Robert Runnett to explain the intricasies of late season spring gobbler hunting.
The nearly 30-something native Virginian resides in Louisa County and does most of this hunting on properties around the region. He’s taken numerous turkey and enjoys carry youngsters with him when he’s not working as a City of Fredericksburg firefighter.
We asked him a series of questions to help him explain his proven system and share methods for taking a late season Tom.
What is the main difference between early season spring gobbler hunting and May hunting? Why?
The biggest difference between early and late season spring gobbler hunting is the routine that the birds are in. Most hens have committed to their nests by the late season and are no longer seeking out vocal gobblers in the morning. Toms are aware that the hens have changed their patterns and will feel less driven to gobble for two reasons: necessity and pressure.
Now that most hens are no longer breeding, a Tom may feel that gobbling is unnecessary, he may focus his efforts more towards feeding. Along with lack of necessity, a Tom that has made it to the late season has likely felt pressure from hunting and overcalling over the last month.
Aside from human hunters, he may have had an encounter with a coyote or fox in the last month that has led him to keep his voice down. This does not mean that he is no longer interested in breeding. Given the opportunity he will likely seize it, but may proceed with caution.
What different tactics do you use during the later spring gobbler season?
Slow down. I still employ the same tactics first thing in the morning. Listen for a gobble and try to make a play on it via setting up in the vicinity.
If I can’t get any action first thing in the morning I will resort to the slow game. This involves going to areas where I know turkeys like to feed and sitting down and calling. While moving from place to place I may stop to glass a field or scan ridges looking for turkeys. I have scared many birds that simply were not answering me when I called.
When calling in the late season I will take a much softer approach. The early season is fast paced and loud. In the late season I have much better luck staying away from loud yelps and focusing on soft purrs and clucks. Softer calling isn’t easy though, by the first week of May the woods have greened up and sound does not travel like it did on that first crisp morning.
Please describe the gun, ammo, calls and camo pattern you use for spring gobbler hunting?
My gear is nothing special and can all be bought on a budget four our friends at Green Top Sporting Goods or Dance’s Sporting Goods.
I use a Remington 870 shotgun for all big game. When hunting turkeys I use a Remington Xtra-Full turkey choke and shoot Federal 3rd Degree shells. Tighter chokes can come in handy during the late season when dealing with a timid gobbler who may hold up at 50 or 60 yards.
The calls I use can vary on the situation. When I’m trying to locate a gobbler by drawing a gobble out of him I will use a box call, they are loud and very easy to use. Once I have located a gobbler and am set up to make a play on him I will usually revert to a diaphragm mouth call. With a little bit of practice they are very effective at mimicking a hen turkey.
Slate calls are great however I have found that when running and gunning it can be easy to misplace or drop your striker, I managed to pull that exact move on the first day of the season last year and it cost me a gobbler. They can also be difficult to use in a solo setting when you also have to man the gun, the less hand movement the better.
I don’t use any specific camo pattern for any type of hunting, it can be Realtree one day, Mossy Oak the next, or a combination of the two. I find that camo is nowhere near as important as being smart in the woods.
When picking a set-up, find a tree that has a wider base than the outline of your body. Avoid walking across fields or ridges where you can be spotted from a long distance.
Do you roost the birds the night before or listen for birds in the morning?
I do not. I prefer to listen in the morning and come up with a plan on the fly. More often than not I have spooked birds while scouting when I would have been much better off to leave them alone.
How effective are decoys later in the season?
Decoys will work later in the season. Avoid strutting Tom decoys and be cautious to even put out a Jake. Gobblers are at the end of a month of breeding and are unlikely to commit energy to defending territory. A simple submissive or feeding hen will be sufficient. At this point you are giving the gobbler a chance to put a face with a voice.
What advice would you give to a beginning spring gobbler hunter for the late season?
Stay the course! This time of year it is hot and the bugs are biting. On top of that the sun is coming up much earlier than it was at the beginning of the season and it’s much easier to press the snooze button at 4:30 am than it is to get up and hunt. Use a bug spray such as permethrin to keep the insects away and set the timer on that coffee pot. Your patience and persistence will pay off.
How important is completion of hunters’ safety education prior to hunting in your opinion and why?
Hunter’s education is incredibly important. I have personally been affected by a hunting accident that involved a person falling from a tree stand. Aside from personal experience I, as a first responder, will usually respond to about three hunting accidents a year. It is vital that we promote hunter’s safety and education as well as demonstrate safe practices to youth hunters.
What type of terrain/venue are you looking for a late season spring gobbler hunt?
Turkeys can be found just about anywhere. Look for a place that hasn’t seen hunting pressure. If you can find a place that has gone untouched all season you will likely have the best day of hunting you’ve ever had.
