Spring Turkey Scouting

[Hookhunter20]

I was curious as too how many fellow turkey hunters deploy scounting techniques into their preperation for the spring season. I had been lucky to have been graced with spots full of birds so scouting for turkey was never a thought that crossed my mind. However this last year i have lost 4 deer hunting spots that had proven to be just as good for turkey due to people moving and my job relocating from its previous location. I luckily kept one proven winner (a pain of a walk in and out though) and picked up a spot, pretty much a lot of open hardwoods, flat nothing special to the layout except one field the land owner has told me about. Any tips on preseason locating and scouting would be appriciated.

[genesee_mohican]

If you have snow on the ground, now is a good time to take a walk and look for tracks and sign of scratching. Once you locate a flock or 2 you can start keeping tabs on them with more scouting and try to figure out thier patterns with early morning sits.

The last 3 weeks before the opener it is very beneficial to get out on your days off and listen for them. I like to hike in to an area well before sunrise and take a seat for a few hours. This will help you locate roosting locations, and the areas they travel to in the first few hours. It's amazing how much you can learn from the birds just by sitting there and listening. I don't like to call because I don't want to educate them or draw them off of the normal routine.

Once you have figured out what they are doing, you can then pick a few spots along known travel routes to set up. This doesn't gaurantee a bird, but it puts the odds in your favor. Scouting for them is half the fun.

[alloutdoors]

There isn't much point in scouting right now. The birds are bunched up in winter flocks right now and will disperse before the season. I do some scouting in April, but mostly it's to look for a new property or two to try and get permission on. I try to add at least one new one each year. One thing I will do is drive around and watch birds from a distance on the properties I can hunt. I like to look for gobblers that have attracted a large harem of hens, even better if there are a few satellite gobblers that the boss is clearly dominant over. If I see one strutter with three or more other toms that won't dare to strut in his presence I get pretty excited because I know it's a dominant bird and that's the one I want to hunt.

[Arrow Flinger]

I do 95% of my deer scouting in the spring before Turkey season. I'm always on the lookout for turkey sign while I'm out. Whenever I find an area that's being used pretty heavily by Turkeys, it usually turns out to be a pretty good spot to hunt them in May. They wont be far from where they are hangin out in March & April.

[TeeBugg]

If you have snow on the ground, now is a good time to take a walk and look for tracks and sign of scratching. Once you locate a flock or 2 you can start keeping tabs on them with more scouting and try to figure out thier patterns with early morning sits.

The last 3 weeks before the opener it is very beneficial to get out on your days off and listen for them. I like to hike in to an area well before sunrise and take a seat for a few hours. This will help you locate roosting locations, and the areas they travel to in the first few hours. It's amazing how much you can learn from the birds just by sitting there and listening. I don't like to call because I don't want to educate them or draw them off of the normal routine.

Once you have figured out what they are doing, you can then pick a few spots along known travel routes to set up. This doesn't gaurantee a bird, but it puts the odds in your favor. Scouting for them is half the fun.

This ten times over. Couldnt have said it better myself!

Sent from the woods

[Hookhunter20]

Thanks for the tips I will be sure to keep a look out for signs when I walk the property in a couple of weeks probably towards the end of March. Hopefully I can pick up a few more to expand the possibilities.