Youth Hunt Reminder

[ohiosam]

Many people don't realize the Youth Turkey hunt is all day. I know I didn't till last year.

Spring Youth Wild Turkey Hunts A statewide youth wild turkey season will be offered on Saturday and Sunday, April 19 and 20, immediately prior to the regular wild turkey season in 2008. All public and private lands are open, EXCEPT for Lake La Su An Wildlife Area which will conduct a controlled youth hunt. Youth hunters may only take one bearded turkey during the youth season. Youth turkey hunters may only kill a total of two turkeys during the youth-only and spring turkey season combined. Young hunters (17 years and younger, accompanied by a non-hunting adult) must have their hunting license and spring wild turkey permit to participate. No other permits are required. Hours are 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset. Only shotguns using shot, crossbows, and longbows permitted.

[crossbow hunter]

nope, I did'nt realize that, thanks, my daughter and I will be out.

[Francis]

Oh thats sweet I didn't know!

[jackalope]

Oh thats sweet I didn't know!


Wow You mean Ohio actually lets people hunt turkeys in the evening after their hens leave. That’s good for the youngins

[aholdren]

:cool: Thank you for the reminder.

[ohiosam]

Does anyone know any strategies for a late day hunt? Do you try to get them on the way back to roost?

[bluedog]

Does anyone know any strategies for a late day hunt? Do you try to get them on the way back to roost?

I was along on a youth hunt two years ago and the youth with us got his first turkey at around 6pm. It had rained earlier in the day and while not raining in the afternoon it was gray and dreary. We set up on a field near the roost area where turkeys liked to feed almost every evening (where scouting pays off :) ). Set out a hen decoy, someone called intermittantly (I'm sure it was the youth hunter ;) ;) ) and about 1 1/2 hours after we sat down, a turkey came into range of a very excited youth hunter's gun. Very cool!

The funny part was that the check station we were near had already closed, but one of the guys in the hunting party personally new the guy that owned the little store. So he called the store owner at home and he came and checked in the turkey for us. The store owner didn't realize that youth season ran all day.

If I am unsuccessful with my youth in the morning, I am going to take him to a field where they feed in the evening before going to roost. The trick will be to get a turkey into range. I'm leaning toward not using a decoy because I think I know where we can be successful, but of course there are no guarantees in turkey hunting.

[mrex]

Does anyone know any strategies for a late day hunt? Do you try to get them on the way back to roost?

A few years ago, we left a gobbling turkey mid morning because my son had a baseball game. We came back that afternoon and the bird hadn't moved 100 yards until going for a ride in our truck.

Roost birds are fun to listen to but can be very hard to kill if you call to them. We've joked for years about drinking coffee at the dinner until 9:00am and taking to the woods after the crowds have left and the hunting gets good.

IMO, the majority of birds killed off the roost, especially the limb hangers, are the result of the hunters being in the path the birds want to travel. No doubt, most gobblers are killed within the first hour of daylight. IMO, this is more a result of a hunter setting up within a few hundred yards of a bird, which certainly increases your odds, than it is a result of the turkey coming to the call. I also believe a lot of people give up after the gobblers quiet down. With many hunters, (myself included), the temptation to keep them gobbling (call to them) is great and usually accomplishes nothing but keeping them on the branch longer waiting for the hens.

If you can make a turkey gobble in the late morning, or in this case afternoon, I believe your chances for success go up dramatically. Over the past 20 years, the vast majority of the successful Ohio hunts that I've filmed have been between 10:00am and noon. I don't have much experience with waiting on them to come to roost but it is popular in states that allow all day hunting. Once their hens have left them, they become much more cooperative.

[Darron]

Also, the more you keep that bird gobbling on the roost the more people can hear him on neighboring lands. Even on private property this creates problems. If I have a bird that gobbles to my calls on the roost I stop calling until he hits the ground. The last thing I need is someone coming in busting my set-up.

Two years ago I had a hard gobbling bird gobbling on his own. Once he flew down I would give him some soft purrs and clucks and he would answer every call (which wasn't much). After about 30 min of this I heard someone owl hooting 2 ridges over on my neighbors property. After 2 owl hoots that bird never gobbled again (he never would gobble to his hooting). I am a firm believer turkeys can become conditioned to locator calls as well, just like calling before season is a bad thing, I feel using locators before season is also a bad thing.

It still baffles me why people use owl hooting in the middle of the morning. In all the years I have been hunting, I have yet to hear an owl hooting after day break.

[ziffle]

Less than a week to go and we will be down there. The plan is coming together, We are going to stay @ lazy dog campground and hunt at cooper hollow. My daughter has been working on her calling, just in case, did get her a push button yelper. I truly appreciate all the good info that everybody on this site is willing to share. Thanks to everybody.Remember during the youth hunt to have fun and be safe. Enjoy the hunt not just the kill, they grow up quick, and you just never know how many hunts are left together. If you are going to be in the area let me know.