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Your method on locating and getting to birds?

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Reemus Buckshot

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I was just curious on y'all locate and get to birds without spooking them off of the roost. 80% of the season last year I was hunting 3 gobblers that would roost on the edge of a winter wheat field. We would first wait till sun up to see if any birds sounded off on their own. If not, we would hit the owl call a few times. After hearing a gobble we would try to get near where the bird was rooster but this involved crossing a wide open field with little cover. We would set up just out of sight of the roost, set up decoys, and make a fly down call or two. We could just never get birds to check our decoys out at dawn. If you have a bird roosted...how do you get set up on him and what tactics do you use once your set up?
 
If I have a few days, I like to be silent and try to pattern the bird's activities, watch and listen to where he goes and then pick my spot to set up. If not, I will try a locator in the dark and try to sneak as close as possible and use very little calling. If he goes the other way and is vocal, try to cut him off. IF he stays in one spot, I will call to him with increasing intensity and regularity until I eventually give him everything I got with a mouth call and box/slate call at the same time then put the calls down and wait.
 
Getting to birds roosted on the fields we have here in W Tn and N MS is a difficult proposition at best with as wide open as it is. Most fields will have ditch banks with a little cover. This has been my best early morning approach...sometimes, you just have to gamble and get there well before first light and hope you are close to the roost. Otherwise, you would be best to wait until after flydown and hunt them mid morning by sneaking the edges and utilizing any roll in the field to hide your movements...
 
A buddy watches them go to roost the night before. Then he goes in a couple of hours before daylight and gets "close".

It's a very deadly tactic!
 
Putting them to bed the night before gives you the best advantage over them. If that is not possible to do then I would get there early and cross the field in the dark and just roll the dice that they are there. You might not win on every dice roll but your odds will be better than sitting on the wrong side of the field all season.
 
even if you dont roost them and know approx where they should be get in there at dark and hope you are right. make sure where you get to in the dark leaves you options to move if they are not where you thought but still somewhat close. A big mistake is getting somewhere to set up and it has no escape options. make sure you can be able to move to a new spot without crossing an open field or having to back track a mile if possible.
 
Go the evening before opening day and take an owl hooter and a good set of binoculars. You will want to be completely camo'd and set up where you can see the field the birds usually are in when they fly down in the am. I would keep my distance so that you dont spook them.
If you spot the birds in the field there will be no need for the locator calls just, keep an eye on them until they fly up and try to mark the exact tree they fly up in. You will need to wait until its pitch black,then ease out.
Early in the morning, while it is still dark, sneak to within 50-70 yds of their tree and set up just inside the woods. I would place a strutting jake decoy with one or two hens a step or two in front of him about 25 yards or so from the fields edge where you want to set up( you want it far enough out that the birds can see him in the field come day light).
Let them do the talking first. Once they get to gobbling. Give him some very soft tree yelps and shut it up. He may just pitch off on the Jakes head!

If you dont spot them the evening before, at dusk sound off on the locator call and try to locate their tree by ear as best you can. Then apply the same strategy.

And if your like me and too busy to go until opeing day, I'd do like the other guys are saying and get to one side of the field in the dark and hope you picked the right side.
Good Luck with him.
 
Lets say I didnt roost them the night befor. I go to a new area. Im going to get there real early, pitch black dark. I will have my gear, gun, and all on, standing where I can hear the first owl, bird or what ever. I want to hear the first gooble. Sometimes im amazed at how early a bird will gobble. When I hear a gobble, Im going to b line that way. As lt gets lighter the more usually he will gobble. By the time its breaking any light I want to be above or at least even with the bird. Most time im sitting fully ready and can see and hear him fly down. If hens fly down first ,I can see or hear which way they go. Its going to be a short hunt or I will have to make a move.
 
I havent been turkey hunting long, only a few years, and only killed a few birds, but I did have the older fellar who taught me what lil I do know, to tell me never to cross a open field, unless there was heavy fog. We wouldnt even cross them in pitch black darkness, we would get there extra early and ease around field edge.
 
Trevor2 said:
I havent been turkey hunting long, only a few years, and only killed a few birds, but I did have the older fellar who taught me what lil I do know, to tell me never to cross a open field, unless there was heavy fog. We wouldnt even cross them in pitch black darkness, we would get there extra early and ease around field edge.
Click to expand...

sometimes you cant help it but that is a very good rule to live by in the woods if you can help it. I will do most anything to NOT cross one unless it is a new moon and dark or a very thick fog.
 
Trevor2 said:
I havent been turkey hunting long, only a few years, and only killed a few birds, but I did have the older fellar who taught me what lil I do know, to tell me never to cross a open field, unless there was heavy fog. We wouldnt even cross them in pitch black darkness, we would get there extra early and ease around field edge.
Click to expand...

This is true. It's gotta be DARK DARK. Or foggy in order to do it. Like you say, I would prefer a heavy fog.
 
Honestly I do more spot and stalk hunting than calling, I guess I've I've only called in 5 ever, saw or heard the rest and circled in front of them
 
I never ever, never ever, never ever, blow an owl call. EVER!!

IMO if a bird wants to gobble and is in the mood they will gobble on their own.

I do not use locators, and do not carry or own any either. I do alot more listening then the vast majority of hunters. I do cruise and call sometimes, but mostly in areas where I know birds are likely to be.

Most of the time, I sit somewhere I can hear, and wait for a bird to disclose his location. It is amazing how many times birds will fire off on their own at all times of the day.
 
Setterman, just for you, this spring when I go out for the first time alone as a new turkey hunter I will use my voice to do the best hoot-owl I can right before daybreak. ;)

actually I am going to give it a try with my voice since it's not too hard and I've seen other people do it.
 
over the years i use less and less locater calls. I never use one after first light anymore but will use an owl from time to time in the morning. If i get him once with an owl i will put it back in the bag. I tend to use a tube call and make it gobble as my locater call these days.
 
REN I might take your advice...I was thinking of using an owl only before sunrise and I will definitely be using a tube call a lot since I make them (just made a couple last night). Not easy to do a good gobble on a tube call at least for me, but I can do an OK sounding jake gobble on it.
 
Setterman said:
I never ever, never ever, never ever, blow an owl call. EVER!!

IMO if a bird wants to gobble and is in the mood they will gobble on their own.

I do not use locators, and do not carry or own any either. I do alot more listening then the vast majority of hunters. I do cruise and call sometimes, but mostly in areas where I know birds are likely to be.


Most of the time, I sit somewhere I can hear, and wait for a bird to disclose his location. It is amazing how many times birds will fire off on their own at all times of the day.
Click to expand...

Right on the money!
 
Do whatever makes you happy, and whatever works best for you and I will do the same. It makes no difference to me if you owl hoot a thousand times each morning, or crow call until your ears bleed. It is your hunt.
 
Before I can get my boots tied on the back porch, I usually have 4 or 5 already gobbling. It's just a matter of getting to them and calling them in or getting close enough for a shot without being seen.
 

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