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Gobblers at Crunch Time

By Steve Hickoff

May 19, 2008

If you started out early in March and April as I did, finish strong in the states where some spring turkey hunts run until the last day of May. I've defined "late season" as May 20, 2008 or after. Double-check your regulations, and you'll be good to go to the wire.

First 4 late-season tips, then states where you can do it . . .

1. Back to the Future: Did you hunt henned-up toms early in the season? Go back there now. Those hens may be nesting  and that gobbler might be alone.

2. Hold the Calls: Sometimes the best way to draw in a late-season longbeard that has heard it all is to use Plan B tricks such as imitating turkey wingbeats around fly-down time or scratching the leaves at your setup. Soft clucking and yelping may turn the trick as well.

3. Cover Yourself: Late-season leaf out allows us turkey hunters to set up closer on gobbling birds. Use cover and terrain to get inside that turkey's safety zone so that you can start out closer, and have a shorter distance to call that bird in.

4. Take a Jake: I know, I know, our egos demand that we put the smackdown on big, longbearded gobblers, but what if you've done that on hunts around the country this season? Congrats, if so. Maybe now you just want to hunt turkey—any legal bird. Maybe only shortbeards are left where you hunt. Would you take that jake in October? Why not in late May? How about with a bow?

Check out our late season turkey tips here ON VIDEO!

Still got the urge? Here are some states that offer late-season spring turkey hunting . . .

New England:
Connecticut: Runs until May 31. Web: www.ct.gov/dep/
Massachusetts: Ends May 24. Web: www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/
Rhode Island: Over May 26. Web: www.dem.ri.gov/
Maine: Finishes up May 31. Web: www.maine.gov/ifw/
New Hampshire: Done May 31. Web: www.huntnh.com/
Vermont: Closes May 31. Web: www.vtfishandwildlife.com/

Mid-Atlantic:
Maryland: Finishes May 23. Web: www.dnr.maryland.gov/
New Jersey: Done May 23. Web: www.njfishandwildlife.com/
Pennsylvania: Concludes May 26. Web: www.pgc.state.pa.us/
New York: Over May 31. Web: www.dec.state.ny.us/

West/Midwest:
Colorado: Closes May 25. Web: www.wildlife.state.co.us/
Kansas: Done on May 31. Web: www.kdwp.state.ks.us/
Wyoming: Over May 20. Web: www.gf.state.wy.us/
Idaho: Over May 25. Web: www.fishandgame.idaho.gov/
Michigan: Concludes May 31. Web: www.michigan.gov/dnr/
Minnesota: Finishes May 31. Web: www.dnr.state.mn.us/
Wisconsin: Done May 25 (Season F). Web: www.dnr.wi.gov/
Ohio: Over May 20. Web: www.ohiodnr.com/wildlife/
West Virginia: Done May 24. Web: www.wvdnr.gov/

Southwest:
Arizona spring hunts last until May 22. Web address: www.azgfd.gov/

Northwest:
Oregon: Runs until May 31. Web: www.dfw.state.or.us/
Washington: Over May 31. Web: www.wdfw.wa.gov/

SEE THESE VIDEOS THAT ARE SURE TO HELP YOU SNAG A TURKEY BY THE END OF THIS SEASON!!

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