Scattering turkeys in the spring?

[Atchman2]

I have this flock I've been trying to hunt for a few days now. They fly right in the middle of the field and then just bunch up. After that they fly across the creek and are gone for most of the rest of the day.

On a foggy morning would you scatter these birds and try and call them back? Or would you put on your waders and follow them over the creek later in the day?

 

[REN]

if you are going to scatter them id do it at roost time in the evening or super early in the morning. If you do it once they are on the ground you are prob gonna do more harm then good in the long run.

 

[Boll Weevil]

Yep, solid tactic for ornery field turkeys but not a lot of folks will try it because it's more than a little unorthodox and totally counterintuitive. Scattering can definitely work in your favor on mean field turkeys.

Scatter'em in the evening and oward a roost area that there's enough timber to allow you to get between the gobbler and the field; that's ultimately where he'll want to get back with his girls.

You're basically trying to isolate the gobbler so you can work him before he hits the big field.

 

[JRA]

By scatter I assume you mean that you run out into the field scaring them away? haha sounds crazy and the making of a good you tube video

 

[Setterman]

It can either work great or really screw you up. And there's no way to know until afterwards. I would leave them be for about ten days, go back and I'd bet you'd be surprised how things have changed

 

[Boll Weevil]

It can either work great or really screw you up.

Absolutely true. Agree 100%.

 

[Hollar Hunter]

Worked great for a couple of us last year. Even called them back over a major flooded creek but it wasn't intentional...

 

[timberjack86]

It can either work great or really screw you up.

Absolutely true. Agree 100%.

Sounds to me like he's got nothing to lose.

 

[Setterman]

It can either work great or really screw you up.

Absolutely true. Agree 100%.

Sounds to me like he's got nothing to lose.

Could cause them to vacate the property for a long time
Could relocate the gobbler and he gets killed
Could spook them to the point where their virtually unkillable

There's a million bad things that could happen, but it also could work like a charm. I wouldn't do it, but I hate spooking birds, and avoid it all costs.

But I understand the need to sometimes get crazy to kill the crazies

 

[timberjack86]

It can either work great or really screw you up.

Absolutely true. Agree 100%.

Sounds to me like he's got nothing to lose.

Could cause them to vacate the property for a long time
Could relocate the gobbler and he gets killed
Could spook them to the point where their virtually unkillable

There's a million bad things that could happen, but it also could work like a charm. I wouldn't do it, but I hate spooking birds, and avoid it all costs.

But I understand the need to sometimes get crazy to kill the crazies

If it doesn't work he COULD find another turkey

 

[Setterman]

It can either work great or really screw you up.

Absolutely true. Agree 100%.

Sounds to me like he's got nothing to lose.

Could cause them to vacate the property for a long time
Could relocate the gobbler and he gets killed
Could spook them to the point where their virtually unkillable

There's a million bad things that could happen, but it also could work like a charm. I wouldn't do it, but I hate spooking birds, and avoid it all costs.

But I understand the need to sometimes get crazy to kill the crazies

If it doesn't work he COULD find another turkey

Or go find one now, and come back to those in a few weeks when the hens are nesting

Geez, there's a million scenarios here none bad IMO.

My head hurts I'm going to bed, where's the Tylenol....

 

[timberjack86]

Take a shot of whiskey and sleep well tonight

 

[Gravey]

Never brought myself to scatter them. With my luck they'd fly to Kentucky.

 

[sure shot]

I'd have to agree with setterman on this , scattering is a overly bold move in the spring jmo

 

[YEKRUT]

Throw up a blind right where they are hitting he ground and kill the piss out of him when he hits the ground. Turkey's don't pay attention to a blind like deer do. As long as it is not moving they could care less. Drastic birds require drastic measure,

 

[Atchman2]

Thanks for the input folks! I may just bring a friend and each of us setup in the area where they fly back across the creek. There are two groups that seem to combine into one big group for awhile then they split up and take off for the day.

Not sure why they fly back across the creek though? I may find a way across the creek and try calling over there.

Last weekend someone else was hunting on the other side! They kept yelping away with a big box call. It drew the turkeys towards the creek, but they didn't cross until their "normal" time. Hopefully though they got one, its always nice if someone does!

(BTW I've decided I'm the worst turkey hunter ever, in four years I've gotten one turkey).

 

[RF270]

It's a great strategy early in the season when the group is huge and has multiple gobblers and jakes chasing 10 plus hens. I usually would avoid it with small groups of birds. I'm talking about scattering them off the roost in the evening and them coming back the next morning to try and get between the gobblers and hens. Done it with success only during the juvenile and early season when they are grouped up and they haven't been messed with much.

 

[dogman]

it worked well for us opening weekend we had a group of 5 toms with ab 30 hens, with the rain coming in that sat we went out and put up a pop up that fri mid day we rode right in the the middle of them not meaning to just come over a hill and there they where hens went one way toms went other way. next morning we set up next to a logging road could hear hens one way toms the other we never hit a call they walked right by at 20 yard.. 2 birds down

 

[Atchman2]

I didn't break them up this morning. I just put out a mass of decoys. That didn't work at all! I think the decoys scared them even though they were just jakes and hens.

I have MS and sometimes it kicks in and this morning it hit me really bad. I had to give up hunting, but I did move my blind to the fly down area in hopes of ambushing one tomorrow at least.

These turkeys do not respond to calling it seems! Not sure why not, but the only thing I could get them to even gobble was with my box call.

 

[Boll Weevil]

Field birds are mean and these'here turkey's might be the proverbial season wreckers..day after day after day of the same outcome and next thing you know you're out of time. Lots of season left though, and with every passing day it becomes more likely you'll catch one of those toms alone.

Hang in there, you'll get a crack at them.