Nebraskaland

14 Nebraskaland • May 2020 While the majority of turkey hunters have put away their gear for the season, I usually have not. Since the joy of hunting turkeys for me comes solely from the experience, not the harvest, I like to spread out my hunts over the course of the season. Here are some late-season tactics that have worked for me. Establish Where They Are Roosting By late May many toms are roosting on their own. Although they still have interest in hens, most hens are nesting and move quickly from roost to nest. If you can get close enough, and they can hear you calling, a single tom may just be curious enough to come investigate. It is crucial that they hear you from the roost, so getting in the woods early enough is important. You can also catch them coming back to roost in the evening as birds tend to sleep in the same spot if not bothered. Decoys and Calling Both should be kept to a minimum. They've seen and heard it all by this time, so thinking a large decoy set-up with a bunch of calling will trigger them is a recipe for disaster. Late in the season I've used one hen with success, including one last day hunt close to sunset. The big tom had actually gone to roost but some purring and soft calling made him curious enough to come out and find my lone decoy. They are also not as territorial it seems, so a lone jake decoy doesn't work like it does early. Cut and Run You need to be mobile this time of year. Because they are not strutting as much and not moving in big groups, toms will cover a lot of ground in a day. Any gobbles should be pursued in a non-traditional way. Get out in front of them and hope they find a path within range. If you call, only continue if you get a response. If not, shut it down. Although it's not my preference when hunting turkeys, stalking might be your best option. Weather Changes Look for a cool day to get after them late season. Heat will shut them down and they won't move near as much. I've seen turkeys lay for hours in the shade once it heats up. On windier days they tend to be more cautious, but can also allow you to stalk on the downwind side of them. Look for early morning and later evening on warmer days as the turkeys will be more active during that time when it's hot. Turkeys are unpredictable creatures. Just when you think you have them patterned, they can change. However, as a turkey hunter the single most important ingredient is knowing your terrain. I spend way more hours scouting than hunting it seems … and late season this is no exception. Todd Mills is a former Avian-X and Mossy Oak pro staffer who divides his outdoor time between hunting waterfowl and turkeys. LATE-SEASON GOBBLES By Todd Mills IN THE FIELD PHOTO BY JEFF KURRUS

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