Itching to scout

[catman529]

Since finding and videoing the birds in city limits the other day, I have been itching to start scouting public land for hunting. Picked a couple spots via satellite image that I might check out. I want to branch away from the spot I hunted last year so I have more options and might isolate myself from some of the crowd if I'm lucky.

I think it's probably too early though, cause I will be looking for longbeards, roosts and travel patterns. I think the birds will probably break up and shift patterns a lot before season, what do yall think? This year my goal is to scout enough to feel confident about where the birds will be roosted and which way they will go after fly down on opening morning. And to have a plan B and possibly plan C if someone beats me to my spot. (last year I was the first one to the spot by literally a minute... another guy pulled up and got out of the truck, we hunted the same area but didn't see each other again).

 

[REN]

never TOO early but if you are looking to try and pattern some for April then you will not find much to use now. From all days i have been out the past 2 weeks they are still in winter patterns and still in winter flocks.

HOWEVER there are times when the habitat can support it that the split will not be sever, meaning there may not be 100 birds in the same spot but 10-20 will still be there using the same patterns come april.

 

[catman529]

never TOO early but if you are looking to try and pattern some for April then you will not find much to use now. From all days i have been out the past 2 weeks they are still in winter patterns and still in winter flocks.

HOWEVER there are times when the habitat can support it that the split will not be sever, meaning there may not be 100 birds in the same spot but 10-20 will still be there using the same patterns come april.

Yeah I think they are still in winter flocks. Did you see my video I posted a couple days ago... there were 4 or 5 male birds in one group, about 30 hens in another group. But they did roost right next to each other... you'd think it was one big flock if you had just seen them in the trees.

 

[REN]

that can happen even in the dead of winter depending on the terrain and habitat. Like i said its never to early to be out in the woods but if you are doing it now just be sure to mentally prepare yourself for it to be much different 3 weeks from now.

I typiclly look for fighting to really start to peak in the males as well as a higher then normal dominance fighting in the hens as well as overall group dynamics as spring gets closer.

Flocks will start to get much smaller and turn into sub groups of a handful of birds. You will still have bachelor groups of toms with the younger ones still running together but the older ones will start to split off on their own.

once into april you really start noticing birds in places you dont normally see them or in places you have not seen them in all year. THATS WHEN IT IS GO TIME!

 

[bvoss]

Its a great time to learn the lay of the land.

 

[TNTomtaker01]

Bvoss beat me to it! not only do you scout for turkeys you need to learn the lay of the land as well. Know where creeks and other places that can cause hang up etc. Also if you have a henned up bird gobbling and you need to circle and get infront of them with out know the land you pretty much shooting in the dark and hopping for the best!

 

[catman529]

Well I'm on a fairly tight budget, gas is hurting the wallet more now, and it's at least an hours drive from home to a hunting spot on the wma so I'm limited in how much I can scout.... However, less junk food and other useless purchases for me means more gas money and there are honey holes to be found and birds to be killed...

 

[ClubHead]

I havent scouted on foot for Turkeys in the last 15 years,even new spots.I just ride around and listen at daylight.If I need to look at the lay of the land,I just get on the Computer.Call me Lazy but no need to Bump birds.Works pretty good for me!!!!!!!

 

[REN]

I havent scouted on foot for Turkeys in the last 15 years,even new spots.I just ride around and listen at daylight.If I need to look at the lay of the land,I just get on the Computer.Call me Lazy but no need to Bump birds.Works pretty good for me!!!!!!!

hahaha