Let me start off with a disclaimer. I am not a professional turkey hunter. I have, however, been turkey hunting for over 20 years and have read just about everything I can get my hands on about the sport. What follows is an accumulation of what I have read and experienced over that time.
I would love to start hunting earlier in the spring too, but I really believe that it would lead to more frustration and less future hunting opportunities.
It is not unusual to hear birds gobbling in February in Indiana. The increasing amount of daylight entering the birds eye throughout the day is what triggers the breeding urge, just like the decreasing amount of daylight triggers the whitetail's rut in the fall. If we could hunt in early March before the hens become receptive to the toms, we would probably score on some, but there would be less toms to breed and correspondingly, less turkeys to hunt.
When you see the toms with hens in the fields in Indiana in March and early April, there is not much breeding going on, if any. The weather typically is not condusive to good nesting for the hens.
In my experience, trying to call a tom away from hens that he can actually see is typically a waste of time. It can be done as I have done it on a few occasions, but typically it is a waste of time. Never mind the fact that when a tom does come to our calls, that is a reversal of nature. Toms usually do not go to hens, the hens go to the toms.
Typically the first week or so of the season here in Indiana has the toms with the hens most of the day and alot of breeding going on. That starts to taper off as our short season drags on and by the middle the season, the toms start to actually come to the call because there are less hens to breed and they suddenly find themselves alone. Before that, they can gobble at you all day and never come in, typically because they have a hen with them or are just not ready come to the call.
I prefer the later part of the season for this reason and typically do not worry if I do not get there before the birds start gobbling at first light. Around 9 am -10 am, the few hens left still breeding have left the toms and the toms start to gobble, looking for more fun. This is my favorite time. If you strike the right note, a tom is liable to run you over coming in and gobble in your ear doing it. They do some things that will make you scratch your head and laugh.
The weather does affect my above findings. It has been very warm and for the most part dry this spring at home. That is liable to move things up a few weeks. Greenup is about 4 weeks ahead of schedule. The breeding could possibly have moved up as well. Hopefully, the toms will be receptive to calls, as it does not seem to take the toms long to cool the urge after the hens do not come to them anymore and ignore calls all together.
I am still in Saudi this spring and will not be able to hunt. That sucks mainly because my 9 year old son is going afield for the first time with my Dad and I will miss it. He is all set though. New Mossberg 500 20 gauge youth and new camo. From what Dad has told me, he is shooting good and not afraid of the gun.
I want to wish everyone going out this spring a good, safe hunt. It is all about having fun and learning. Turkeys continue to educate me everytime I hunt them. I doubt I will ever know everything about them as they continue to adapt to climate and habitat change.
Good luck and be safe!
