When it comes to hunting spring turkeys, birds will be taken every day of the season. However it’s hard to agree with that statement if you’ve been hunting since the first day with little success. Simply put, this season has been different from others in a number of ways.

Early on, the turkey forecast from across the state indicated there were plenty of birds to be found. No matter who you talked with, it seemed like everyone was seeing birds. That was the good news. The bad news was that during the first half of the season, the birds, in many areas, were tight-lipped, and hunting was tough.

Hunters who experienced good luck early on either worked birds off the roost or happened to find a bird that was receptive to the call. However, in general, the birds were not that receptive to the early calling, unless you caught them at just the right time.

The lack of birds gobbling consistently has made hunting difficult. Factor in the grind of early morning hours, walking the woods, then only hearing a songbirds, and that can erode even the best turkey hunter’s confidence.

The good news is that a number of reports indicate that hunters have been locating turkey nests. A recent finding of one nest contained ten eggs. That’s a good sign because hens control a gobbler’s activities.

Early in the season a gobbler will keep in close proximity to his harem of hens and will seldom leave them. After all, why should he leave what he has in plain sight for a lone hen calling from a distance?

Hens will remain with the tom until each completes laying their clutch of eggs. But the process doesn’t happen overnight. Hens lay only one egg a day. So at some point during the day she will drift off to her nest, deposit an egg, then she will reunite with the gobbler. As this ritual plays out and hens remain on the nest to begin the incubation process, gobblers that were once in the company of hens become vulnerable and more receptive to the hunter’s call.

However, it’s been a long season. Between seemingly endless days of rain showers coupled with more than a few dreary days, these have added to the disappointment of not hearing birds.

At this point in the season the vast majority of gobbler hunters leave the woods by 9:30 or 10 in the morning.

Now it’s the diehards who remain in the woods joined by those who hunt what some refer to as “banker’s hours”.

For some the strategy works like this.

Their reasoning is that even into the second half of the season the toms are not very receptive to calling since they are with hens. However, gobblers will have renewed interest to the hunters calling as the hens leave to visit their nest and deposit an egg. As fewer hens are available, gobblers are willing to sound off in an effort to attract hens. This situation offers opportunity.

Once the hens have laid their clutch of eggs and begin the incubation process, fewer and fewer hens return to the gobblers. Now is about the time this begins to happen and that provides for some interesting hunting.

Weather conditions are another part of gobbler hunting. Some believe air temperature will affect gobbling.

Some believe inconsistent weather conditions contribute to keeping the birds quiet. Still, many feel gobbling activity during the hunting season hinges on where the birds are within the nesting cycle. The wide variety of theories, mixed in with a good dose of speculation, provides for interesting conversation. Here is a case that only the turkeys really know for sure.

From all indications, the consensus among the best turkey hunters I know believes the best hunting will be experienced during the latter half of the season. Find a gobbling bird and there is a good chance he will come into the call. However by then many gobblers have been, in one way or another, exposed in some way to hunters. And due to that encounter changing tactics may improve your chance of filling your gobbler tag.

Late in the season consider approaching the hunt from a different angle. Hunters are creatures of habit. For several weeks hunters will consistently return to familiar locations and call. Turkey hunters know what we’re talking about.

Don’t call from “the same old spots”. In some cases go against traditional turkey hunting thinking and be creative to your approach. The change can make a big difference in bringing in a bird to your call rather than having him gobble and then walk away.

This season there have been a number of really nice birds taken. One thing to remember is to keep turkey hunting enjoyable. And, when possible, share the hunt with someone new to the sport or share the experience with a seasoned hunter. After all, part of the adventure is that the birds are so darn unpredictable. Besides, it’s fun to share the frustration while trying to figure out a contemptible spring gobbler.

Remember, time is growing short. PA’s Spring gobbler season ends on Friday, May 31.

Charlie Burchfield is an active member and past president of the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association, an active member of the Professional Outdoor Media Association, Outdoor Writers Assoc. of America and the Mason-Dixon Outdoor Writers. Gateway Outdoors e-mail is GWOutdoors@comcast.net