Bagging a tom late in the season is possible, but you need to adjust your tactics to achieve the feat. Photo by Rod Hunter

It is no secret that getting there "firstest with the mostest" is a pretty good game plan for just about any endeavor, and spring turkey season is no exception. Those who do their pre-season scouting properly, pick the right spot on opening day, and do not commit any flagrant fouls that screw up the proceedings have put the odds significantly in their favor when it comes to bagging a gobbler.

Unfortunately, circumstances can prevent some hunters from participating in the early season. And for those who can make opening day, that legal scholar Mr. Murphy often makes one of his routine appearances, dispensing some of his laws and laying waste to even the best laid plans.

Fortunately, hunters do not have to put all their eggs in the opening-weekend basket. There are still plenty of days left to score during the later portions of the season. While getting in on the action late does not have any advantages, it does not have as many negatives as some might think.

"A lot of turkeys get taken during the last half of the season," said veteran Florida turkey hunter William Sullivan, "and while it is a bit tougher than getting in on the opening days, it's not as hard as many make it out to be. The birds shift their habits in response to pressure, and hunters need to make some changes in their tactics. But if they do, they can be successful."

Those changes in tactics center on three key points: understanding the late season breeding cycle, learning how to deal with pressured birds, and shifting calling tactics to speak the language the birds want to hear. Do those things and you can score on late season toms.

NESTING HENS EQUAL SEARCHING GOBBLERS
Savvy turkey hunters have learned that if you count the hens in a flock you can determine how the breeding cycle is progressing. Unbred hens normally flock together to feed, but as those hens are bred they break off from the main flock and begin nesting singly. If you were watching a flock of eight hens on Saturday, and that same flock only has four birds in it a week later -- and you are now seeing single hens darting out into the fields to feed -- it is a good bet that one or more gobblers has made an appearance and found receptive hens among that flock.

That is a good indication that at least one gobbler is working the area, but it also means that he is going to have to alter his routine soon.

"When the number of unbred hens is reduced, the gobbler is still seeking hens and will continue his search," explained Sullivan, who spends a lot of time studying turkeys in his role as vice president of the Florida Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation. "But that also means he has to move more, cover more ground, and stay at it longer. What that means for the hunter is that the midday hours can be very productive during the later part of the season."

For many turkey hunters, 10:00 a.m. is often the time to leave the woods and take it to the house. That may be a good approach during the early season, before the gobblers have "henned up," but it can work against you during the last couple of weeks. As the breeding season progresses, gobblers have found many hens, and they are often with them during those morning hours. Even the most expert caller has trouble calling a gobbler away from hens.