Late Season Turkey Tactics Eastern Washington

[Clete]

Newish Rokslider here, pretty much just been creepin the forums, I’m impressed with the amount of knowledge and civility on here. It’s a welcomed divergent from a lot of other sites.
Anyway, I have been hunting turkeys here in Washington for a long time and have been very successful, however due to work/life commitments this year my hunt will take place the 3rd week of May, almost two weeks after the weeks I have traditionally had the vast majority of success. I’m looking for any advice for later season tactics to strike up a gobbler and get him to come in. I’m not above spot and stalk whatsoever and will do what it takes to punch a tag but I prefer to call. Any advice is welcomed and good luck to everyone headed out for the opener today!

 

[MuleDeerMike]

Just keep doing the same thing you've always done but plan on covering more ground and you will connect with one. If you're consistently successful the first week of May then you should have no problem the 3rd week at least getting an opportunity. I'm heading over East next weekend.

 

[Marble]

The hens will be sitting at that time. As long as it isn't too warm in the afternoon the Tom's will be cruising for hens. So set up ina spot you know they like to hang out at and cold call. Plan on a few hours between 1 and 4 in the afternoon. They will normally come in silent.

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[Clete]

Just keep doing the same thing you've always done but plan on covering more ground and you will connect with one. If you're consistently successful the first week of May then you should have no problem the 3rd week at least getting an opportunity. I'm heading over East next weekend.

That’s good to hear. I’ve only got a few days, so the thought of trying unfamiliar tactics had me skeptical that I’d get on a bird this year. Thanks!

 

[Clete]

The hens will be sitting at that time. As long as it isn't too warm in the afternoon the Tom's will be cruising for hens. So set up ina spot you know they like to hang out at and cold call. Plan on a few hours between 1 and 4 in the afternoon. They will normally come in silent.

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That’s great advice, thank you.! You think they’re coming in silent because they’ve been scrapping for a month or they think they’ve found a straggler and don’t want to draw attention? I ask because I’m thinking about using a decoy set up, lone hen or hen/jake?

 

[WRM]

Way up there in Eastern Washington, you may still be a little early for "phase 3" of the season (tactics outlined well by Marble above). If so, you may have intense roost gobbling and little chance to call in a dominant bird (he will call up a harem and fly down to them and typically pay you little attention). You'll need to try and get within 100 yards of roost to have much chance with him.

Listen for the satellite/sub gobbler to fire up around 9 looking for a lonesome hen. Target him.

Lot of looking, listening and patience.

If you actually are in "phase 3", the roost gobbling can be very intense and long lived. Hens aren't coming as they had been earlier in season. Hard to convince these birds to fly down to you if they don't see a deke to come to and super hard to get close enough to them to set that up. Thus, Marble's suggestions on how/when to hunt spot on (if you can pm hunt).

 

[WRM]

That’s great advice, thank you.! You think they’re coming in silent because they’ve been scrapping for a month or they think they’ve found a straggler and don’t want to draw attention? I ask because I’m thinking about using a decoy set up, lone hen or hen/jake?

If he's coming to you, he doesn't so much need to gobble, much (and a sub bird definitely does not want to attract a dom's attention anyway).

I like this setup most times of the year, but it's really primed for this part of season:

Funky chicken jake (super non aggressive)
Avian lay down hen

Avian spotter hen (place 15-20 feet away)

 

[WRM]

Always listen carefully for spitting and drumming. This often takes the place of a lot of gobbling this time of year, particularly on pressured public land.

If you can find the area "they want to be", that's your gold mine. Go there and set a blind and wait, calling every 15 minutes or so. I've got one where I've killed 4 birds on the last 4 sets. Missed 5th one and broke my string. Had 3 or 4 other shots I didn't like and didn't take. It's a literal gold mine, but I hunted that tract for several years before I figured out where the seemingly "random wanderings" of the birds was crossing.

 

[Clete]

If he's coming to you, he doesn't so much need to gobble, much (and a sub bird definitely does not want to attract a dom's attention anyway).

I like this setup most times of the year, but it's really primed for this part of season:

Funky chicken jake (super non aggressive)
Avian lay down hen

Avian spotter hen (place 15-20 feet away)

That makes a lot of sense. I appreciate the tip!

 

[WRM]

Also, learn to play a trumpet call (not this season, probably). They really carry, but not in the loud obtrusive way of, say, a big boat paddle box call.

Bottom line--use some finesse and don't overcall, whatever you are using. They can almost certainly hear you if they're about, but "more cowbell" almost never tips the odds in your favor.

Let us know if you connect. Good luck!

 

[Clete]

Also, learn to play a trumpet call (not this season, probably). They really carry, but not in the loud obtrusive way of, say, a big boat paddle box call.

Bottom line--use some finesse and don't overcall, whatever you are using. They can almost certainly hear you if they're about, but "more cowbell" almost never tips the odds in your favor.

Let us know if you connect. Good luck!

Hahaha! But I got a fever and the only cure is more yelp calls! Jokes aside, I’m a big fan of the slow play unless they’re going off in their own. Thanks for being so generous with your knowledge. I’ll check out a trumpet. I usually run pot and mouth calls but I definitely enjoy learning new stuff. I’ll try anything to be more well rounded in the woods. Thanks again.

 

[Marble]

That’s great advice, thank you.! You think they’re coming in silent because they’ve been scrapping for a month or they think they’ve found a straggler and don’t want to draw attention? I ask because I’m thinking about using a decoy set up, lone hen or hen/jake?

I would prefer a hen only or a couple of them. Whether or not they are gobbling back is very dependant on a lot of factors. Day of the week which is pressure related, weather, dominance status, what mood they are in, time of day, the terrain they are in, how good of a caller you are. All factor into a Tom's vocalization. I prefer to not call too much in these situations and let them search for me. If you are calling every 5 minutes or whenever they gobble, then they expect for you to do the natural thing turkeys do which is go to each other. Tom's just don't run to hens when a hen calls, they both work towards each other.

You are searching for Tom's only. If there is a hen responding to to you then most likely your screwed.

And be patient.

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[WRM]

But...the only thing more yelp calls usually cure...is your fever for more yelp calls!

Sure thing. The trumpet gives you something "new" they aren't hearing in most places. Although they are becoming a bit more popular, I've never seen one in the woods with anyone else (I usually carry 4).

Don't overlook the lowly push/pull call either. I've got one that's a death knell when a lot of other calls just won't do much.

 

[WRM]

If you have a hen calling near you and you think (or know) there is a gobbler about, you can try and fire her up with some aggressive cutting. If she'll respond in kind, you can get a loud, natural exchange going. I've hit a couple of those situations earlier in our season. Sometimes, they'll come to you and lead a gobbler with them. Or, the gobbler may just pay a visit to the area later to see WTH??

But, if she won't fire up at you pretty quickly you likely should knock it off. And, when she's done, turn it off and go back to the soft intermittent calls. He knows where you are, to the tree.

 

[Laramie]

Pattern the birds. Set up with a single hen decoy. Use soft calling with plenty of fairly quiet purrs and clucks and don't yelp too much. As mentioned above, mid day is a great time for this strategy if you know their travel pattern.

 

[Clete]

Thanks for all advice everyone. We got our butts kicked the first part of the trip but stayed vigilant and ended with two birds on the last day! I committed to being the last shooter of trip had more fun calling for my buddies than I’ve ever had on a Turkey hunt. Got my life long friend his first first bird and first ever hunting kill (a Jake in the bottom of the 9th) and another friend a nice Tom our first time getting to hunt together. Truly an awesome day. Thanks again for all the tips and info.

 

[MuleDeerMike]

Right on. Glad it worked out

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