is it too soon?

[Iluvracks1359]

To go out and try to roost birds this weekend? I have been seeing absolutely ZERO strutting action in the areas I would normally be seeing birds strut this time of year. I wanted to go out this Saturday morning and see if I can hear them gobbling in the trees,. but is it too soon for that? Is the information I gather this weekend going to change by May 1st? 

Also wanted to throw another question in here. What is your guys real opinion on a owl hooter, is it a must have on all turkey hunts? I was thinking of picking one up this year, especially since im on a new property and have no idea where the birds are roosting. Furthermore, when is the right time to use this call when trying to locate, right before sun up? while its still dark? 

As always thanks ahead of time for any input

[Pygmy]

The warm temps the next couple of days should have the birds gobbling their tails off...

A good rule of thumb is that  they usually start gobbling about a half hour before published sunrise..

Just get into a good listening spot before daylight... I prefer to let the birds gobble on their own.

As far as locator calls go, I  much prefer a good loud crow call to an owl hooter...

[wooly]

I think every situation and location are different.

I can head out to my spot tomorrow and not see a bird or hear a peep from one right now in my best roost locations. Birds here usually don't really get tuned up vocally until the third week of April. That's just the way it is, and always has been on this property. Other guys a few towns over are already reporting vocal birds and confirmed strutters as usual. Guess it just takes our winter flocks a little longer to break up and establish their spring territory here in hill country, but eventually it will happen according to schedule like it does every other year around this time. Scouting for me right now would probably be a waste of time as it has proven to be in the past, so I just count on them returning to the area according to schedule in another week or so.

 

As for the owl call, I've used them in the past with some success but wouldn't consider them a must have. Now that most of my turkey hunting is done from blinds set up in pre-determined locations, I don't rely on locator calls too much other than the turkey calls I bring along with me since I'm not trying to put the sneak on them any more by changing locations on unresponsive birds.

Edited April 11, 2018 by wooly

[Iluvracks1359]

9 minutes ago, wooly said:

I think every situation and location are different.

I can head out to my spot tomorrow and not see a bird or hear a peep from one right now in my best roost locations. Birds here usually don't really get tuned up vocally until the third week of April. That's just the way it is, and always has been on this property. Other guys a few towns over are already reporting vocal birds and confirmed strutters as usual. Guess it just takes our winter flocks a little longer to break up and establish their spring territory here in hill country, but eventually it will happen according to schedule like it does every other year around this time. Scouting for me right now would probably be a waste of time as it has proven to be in the past, so I just count on them returning to the area according to schedule in another week or so.

 

As for the owl call, I've used them in the past with some success but wouldn't consider them a must have. Now that most of my turkey hunting is done from blinds set up in pre-determined locations, I don't rely on locator calls too much other than the turkey calls I bring along with me since I'm not trying to put the sneak on them any more by changing locations on unresponsive birds.

what county are you located in? I feel the same about my area, last year, even as warm as it was, the winter flocks weren't really broken up until the third week of April, and I found that they were strutting really hard at that time. I got the chance to hunt before season started last year, under a special permit on a private airplane strip, and mid April those birds would have come in to literally anything. hunted the same spot the second weekend of season and the toms hung up 70 yards out, but still managed to bring 3 jakes in. couple weeks makes a big difference with these birds

[wooly]

5 minutes ago, Iluvracks1359 said:

what county are you located in? I feel the same about my area, last year, even as warm as it was, the winter flocks weren't really broken up until the third week of April, and I found that they were strutting really hard at that time. I got the chance to hunt before season started last year, under a special permit on a private airplane strip, and mid April those birds would have come in to literally anything. hunted the same spot the second weekend of season and the toms hung up 70 yards out, but still managed to bring 3 jakes in. couple weeks makes a big difference with these birds

I'm in Southern Erie County.

I  photograph them each spring before season begins so I have a pretty good documentation of when they usually show up here almost down to the day from previous years.

I'll be out there next week with the camera anticipating a slightly earlier than normal arrival!

[G-Man]

I'd go out. You may find they are still flocked up.  But youth is next weekend and may is right around corner. 

Owl hooter is a good call, but iv'ed used elk bugles, dog whistles and the horn on my Honda 50 moped to locate birds.. if they don't answer one they usually.will answer another. The key is being able to hear as many times the birds will sound off as you are blowing a locator. 

[Iluvracks1359]

1 hour ago, G-Man said:

I'd go out. You may find they are still flocked up.  But youth is next weekend and may is right around corner. 

Owl hooter is a good call, but iv'ed used elk bugles, dog whistles and the horn on my Honda 50 moped to locate birds.. if they don't answer one they usually.will answer another. The key is being able to hear as many times the birds will sound off as you are blowing a locator. 

the horn on your moped?!?! lmao now ive heard it all.

[Uncle Nicky]

No, it's not too early to start listening. I'd just listen though, no need to start educating the birds before the season starts, they'll pick up on the pressure on their own just fine.

My take on locator calls...not really necessary, gobblers on the roost will let you know where they are, and there are enough crows and hawks and gunshots and horns and roosters and jets to get them going on their own. But, if you like playing with your toys like many of us do, I'd use a coyote or owl call in the dark, and a crow or peacock call during sunlight.

Good luck!!

[The_Real_TCIII]

A goose call works well for me as a locator, and not much else lol

[G-Man]

57 minutes ago, Iluvracks1359 said:

the horn on your moped?!?! lmao now ive heard it all.

Dive it along top of ridge on logging road , it quiet stop every few hundred yards and blow horn. You can cover lot of ground fast and be surprised how many birds let you go by only to answer when your a few hundred yards the other side of them. . I cover about 1.5 miles in 10 min. 

Edited April 11, 2018 by G-Man

[hunter49]

  I like owl hooters & crow calls.  The thing is with a crow call you may not hear the bird answer due to it being loud & the turkey may answer while you are using it.  The owl call is softer & you can hear over it.  I have also heard them answer to a car horn or door slamming.

[mpavlus]

3 hours ago, Iluvracks1359 said:

the horn on your moped?!?! lmao now ive heard it all.

I was on the mountain behind the farm one morning. No gobbling since they flew down. Then the milk tanker pulled into the barn yard. He gave a couple blasts on his air horn. Two gobblers busted out just down the ridge from me. One of them went for a ride in my truck. Who'd of thought.

[chrisw]

I went out shed hunting this morning around 9:30am and I got into the hardwoods and 2 gobblers started hammering, I could hear a pile of hens clucking almost nonstop for half an hour so I started creeping toward them hoping to get a few strutter pictures. I started hearing hens real close so I tucked into the shady side of a tree and out came 7 hens, no gobblers. Over the course of an hour they fed up to 20 yards from me while in blue jeans and a hoodie, I got a few pictures off, the gobblers went the other way with other hens as they continued to go crazy. I later jumped the same group of hens out of goldenrods 300 yds away.

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[Steuben Jerry]

Nice pics!

[mowin]

I like my crow call works reasonable well during the day. 

The owl hooter, the barrel type I don't have as much luck with compared to the Reed type owl call. Much louder and more realistic then the barrel type. IMO, The owl call works much better during the mornings then during the day or evening roosting. 

I used to hunt a place in the Catskills, and can still remember the toms getting all worked up by the early morning owls.  

[landtracdeerhunter]

I let out a few rips with my peacock voice, shed hunting yesterday.   No gobbles yet

[Buckmaster7600]

I think it’s safer to do now than in a few weeks. They could move between now and then but it will give you an idea.


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[stubborn1VT]

It's worth going out to roost birds just to hear them.  I have no idea if they will still be there come May.  My buddy drove by my primary spot and the big flocks are starting to break up.  He saw a couple toms with hens, one on each side of the road.  There were also some jakes out half strutting.  Two weeks ago the birds were all in one giant flock.  Maybe spring is finally getting here.

I love to owl hoot.  If I had my choice, I would let the birds gobble on their own.  Usually I let the first crows do their thing.  If that doesn't work then I owl hoot with my voice.  I often call in barred owls, so I guess that's good enough.  

I have one spot on the hill behind my grandfather's place.  The dirt road is always full of potholes in May.  I can go up the hill and wait for somebody to drive by with a trailer, or a rattly pickup.  That always makes them gobble.  

[Iluvracks1359]

great info everyone, thanks for the replies, I definitely think im going to go out this Saturday morning and tuck in and listen to sum gobbles, and perhaps I will buy a crow call or owl hooter now too.

 

thanks ev1!

[mowin]

Resist the urge to use any turkey calls.  Don't want to educate them.