Ask any hunter about their ideal hunt, and chances are the hunt will include setting up, calling in a monster tom with ease, and getting back home or to camp before work or, even better, in time to grab a nap before an afternoon hunt. It isn’t for lack of wanting to spend time in the woods or work a bird, because the thrill of the hunt is what makes the hunter get up early, set up in the dark, and work his best calls. There’s just something to be said about harvesting a bird before the sun is high in the sky. Jay Nehrkorn shares his stories about hunting in the afternoon after his luck with early morning birds ran out.
“When gobblers are too busy with real hens to pay much notice to your calling, it’s easy to get frustrated and start thinking about all the things you could be getting done at home. Catching up on sleep, eating an early lunch, enjoying a late breakfast or even taking care of some chores might seem like a better use of your time than staying out during the final hours of the morning. But don’t give up just yet, because sunrise isn’t the only good time of day to kill an old tom.”
Photo by: William Palmer Smith
