Thread: Hunting Spring turkeys

I need some help. When is the best time in April to hit the gobblers? I have been invited to hunt around Indianola, IA this Spring. When would the best time be to come up during the season? Aren't these primarily easterns or are some of them merriam's?

I cant tell ya when the season starts in Ia, but I live in N. Mo not far from the Ia line and our season starts in the neighborhood of the middle of the month, during the beginning of the season I like to hunt the birds on the roost hoping the ol tom isnt henned up already, if he is, good luck with that.
if im not having any luck by 0830 i usually back out and go back to the truck and have some coffee and breakfast then hit them again around 1030 or 1100 after the hens leave the toms, if you can try to find out where the toms struttin zones are at and hit those areas.
if its later in the season and the ol boys are gettin call wise i dont usually go out till 1000 or so and hunt the method i just mentioned.

this may not be the best way but its worked for me, i try my best not to over call, just enuff to get a tom to talk and get a location on him then sneak in for the attack:D

as i said this method might not be best but hopefully it will give ya some ideas anyway, good luck with your hunt and any day in the woods or on the lake is better than any day at work wether you fill a tag or livewell or not

JL - I use that method too and it works. I have also killed a nice eastern by sitting in a 15' deer stand in late evening. Bird had 10.5" beard,23#s.Thanks for the help.

hmm, goin back and reading your post I guess i didnt really answer your question huh? I think I would try to find out when season starts and either hit the beginning or the middle of the season, to me the end gets harder cause the birds are call shy and pressured. (but then again the end of season is when I start finding the elusive morel mushroom:D)

Originally Posted by JohnnyLaw

hmm, goin back and reading your post I guess i didnt really answer your question huh? I think I would try to find out when season starts and either hit the beginning or the middle of the season, to me the end gets harder cause the birds are call shy and pressured. (but then again the end of season is when I start finding the elusive morel mushroom:D)

The first of the season should be the best before the old toms get call shy.

JL - Don't get me started on the elusive morel. Yum.

Originally Posted by cricket george

I need some help. When is the best time in April to hit the gobblers? I have been invited to hunt around Indianola, IA this Spring. When would the best time be to come up during the season? Aren't these primarily easterns or are some of them merriam's?

Cricket, I don't turkey hunt ( to busy looking for sheds, arrowheads and roons in the spring), but you might want to ask the ? on this other Ia. site free to sign up on and there's many on there from other states. Here's a link to it and good luck on your hunt. Iowa Sportsman - Hunting and Fishing

Lebruce - Thank you for the tip.

Youll be hunting all Eastern Turkey shere in Iowa.Indianola is only 10 minutes from me. Id also shoot for the middle to the end of April. First season in Iowa you cant count on the weather. you could be hunting in a snow storm.Second or third season is usually the season you want to hit first and last are for filling the second tag if possible.PJ