Feilds or Woods?

[dirt_a_KISS]

Wheres the most succesful place to harvest a tom in spring. Thus would be my 2nd year out and would like some tips on where to place myself in morning.

[tughillhunter]

I have real good luck on woodlines bordering fields.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

At the woodline...I really try to pattern just like Deer. Between the roosting area and their early morning food source.

For later morning hunts I like to find smaller isolated clearings where a Tom can strut and still feel secure

[Uncle Nicky]

Usually the woods, unless I know a bird's been hitting a field at a certain time. If it's raining, probably a field in a tent blind.

[SteveMcD]

Yup. Set up just within the woodline so they don't see you and place a decoy about 30 yards out in the field and start calling. Decoys work great in fields and open areas. .

[ants]

Same.. I have had real good success just inside the woodline. But watch the woods too. Dont always expect the birds to come from the field.

[Lawdwaz]

I've never killed a bird (spring or fall) in a field, or at the edge of a field. Always "in" the woods.

I see these guys on tv in a blind and on in the middle of a HUGE field! Sure makes the turkey's look dumb and me TOO for not hunting like the movie stars!

I tried a couple times in the last 5 years with no kills. Passed a few jakes one year hoping they would come in the next day when I brought my son, but they didn't.

[Deerthug]

I took my first tom in the woods and my other about 39 yards away from my natural blind facing a cut corn field.

[G-Man]

In the woods,never killed a bird on a field or edge of field in over 20 years of hunting them. I have the best luck roosting the night before sliping within 60 yards or so ..use soft calling after daylight and after their own calling starts, and the bird lands 30 yards out ..bang! back in and back asleep by 7am.... probably 90% of my birds have been killed this way. My friends like to hunt till noon everyday if they don't kill one right off, i have a firm belief that trying all morning just educates the birds and makes it harder as the season goes on. If i don get ont that morning by 8am i go home and come back tommoorw. An all morning hunt may be useful if you have several areas miles apart where you can get on a fresh bird each time you go out..

[Big Indian]

never got one in the open field always in the woods, but as a few others have already stated, I have a lot of luck patterning and roosting studying their habits etc

[Skillet]

I've killed them in our meadow, it's mostly goldenrod and small pines with a wheeler trail through the middle. The toms seem to cruise this trail late in the morning, after the girls ditch them. The trail is the only place in the meadow I've shot them. I see them in the field a lot when it's raining. I really like hunting in the woods, especially after opening day when the birds are getting educated. Try to find a nice ridge with large trees, and an open forest floor, where a tom would be likely to strut. If it's an active area, there should be sign, scratching or feathers, etc. The problem with hunting his strut zone is that he may roost there as well, not a problem if you get in there early and stealthily. But if it's getting light out, or if you make too much noise, it's game over. I've shot them as soon as they flew down from the roost, and didn't feel bad about it at all. Heck, I'd have shot him in the tree if I'd seen him. I have a friend who loves to sneak in and shoot them off the roost (Yes, he waits for legal light) Not everyone's cup of tea, but each to their own. He calls it " e'limb'inating " them, get it? LOL

Edited February 14, 2012 by Skillet

[Nomad]

Not much of a turkey hunter, but i do ok in the woods. Ive got 30-40 birds most years in my woods, they tend to roost in 2 basic spots.In bow season I see them roost almost every night in the same trees.

If I feel like getting up early thats where i go,but a friend has great luck (Tom every year) walking into the woods 8 or 9 in the morning, so i often do that too. My best bird 9 1/2 beard i walked in at 9:00 was back home with him at 9:45.

Way better then getting up at 4:00.

[Skillet]

Larry, you're right, they are sometimes easier to kill later in the morning. Most of my birds are killed within an hour of dawn, or later from 0900-1200. I think their hens leave them, and they go out searching again. I've killed a few that gobbled their arses off at first light, called back to me, and then disappeared. Only to come right in to me, silently, an hour or two later. That's why I hate to move after I've had a bird talking at me. I still go out early tho, I love sneaking around in the dark, and watching the woods wake up.

Edited February 14, 2012 by Skillet

[Nomad]

Me too. I do like seeing the sun come up and the woods come alive ! A big thermos of coffee and the start of a new day. I do get sick of the early mornings,bugs and warm woods.

May is time for waterskiing on the Bay ! Now that I get up early for,GLASS.

[growalot]

Always deep in the woods...I like 2 set ups......bottom of a hill with water to my back a few hundred yards...they root on the ridge of hill and fly down...and on top of a hill...not far from edge with water at the bottom...they roost there and fly to low side and walk down or I catch the ones farther up the hill that fly down and walk by....they do like the early morning drink

[dirt_a_KISS]

I've killed them in our meadow, it's mostly goldenrod and small pines with a wheeler trail through the middle. The toms seem to cruise this trail late in the morning, after the girls ditch them. The trail is the only place in the meadow I've shot them. I see them in the field a lot when it's raining. I really like hunting in the woods, especially after opening day when the birds are getting educated. Try to find a nice ridge with large trees, and an open forest floor, where a tom would be likely to strut. If it's an active area, there should be sign, scratching or feathers, etc. The problem with hunting his strut zone is that he may roost there as well, not a problem if you get in there early and stealthily. But if it's getting light out, or if you make too much noise, it's game over. I've shot them as soon as they flew down from the roost, and didn't feel bad about it at all. Heck, I'd have shot him in the tree if I'd seen him. I have a friend who loves to sneak in and shoot them off the roost (Yes, he waits for legal light) Not everyone's cup of tea, but each to their own. He calls it " e'limb'inating " them, get it? LOL

Now when you say small pines. Do u happend to mean lenth of the trees or the pacth there found in. One more will there be a couple of feathers in his "strutting zone" or a lot? Edited February 15, 2012 by dirt_a_KISS

[Skillet]

Now when you say small pines. Do u happend to mean lenth of the trees or the pacth there found in. One more will there be a couple of feathers in his "strutting zone" or a lot?

The meadow is about 5 acres, 2 of which is pine trees. They range from 2 feet to about 20 feet tall, but most are on the shorter side. The path is the only clear area in the field where a tom could see another turkey from a distance, this is why I like to put my deke in there, it is visible from 150+ yds in each direction.

In his strut zone, you may find several wing feathers (there may not be any, but I usually see at least a couple), drag marks in the dirt from his wing tips where he was strutting, scratching on the ground, or even turkey crap. Male turkey crap is in a rough "J" shape.

Another good sign is a dusting spot, a nice dry area of fine dirt, where they dust themselves. It'll be a few square feet of disturbed, scratched up ground with some small feathers around it. You can often find them on field edges.

Edited February 15, 2012 by Skillet

[ghug92]

I have always had luck near the edges of fields, but I've noticed that many times they will come up through the woods, out of caution. You just have to find where they are traveling through or located in the woods if you want to hunt there. I also like fields because the decoys I use are more visible for the stupid birds that make that fatal mistake lol.

[carloracer1987]

Gotten 2 of my toms in the field, just as others i hunt the hedge row of a field or a woodline. First turkey i ever got was on state lands in the woods. I prefer the edge of a field with a decoy.

[jman22]

Have shot most of my birds on field edges, but there is nothing like having a bird thunder back at you in the woods, while trying to find him among the trees. Makes for an exciting hunt.

[Nicksteroni]

Don't get hung up on fields or woods. Their is no rule and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Where are the birds going to ? That's what you need to figure out. If it's a rainy day, Generally, yes, field edges are a good place to prospect. Having said that, My very first NY tom came on a rainy morning in the thick woods at 10:30 am way back in 1984, with dad sitting next to me. Had the whole state practically to myself. The nearest field was over 1/4 mile away.

[dirt_a_KISS]

Don't get hung up on fields or woods. Their is no rule and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Where are the birds going to ? That's what you need to figure out. If it's a rainy day, Generally, yes, field edges are a good place to prospect. Having said that, My very first NY tom came on a rainy morning in the thick woods at 10:30 am way back in 1984, with dad sitting next to me. Had the whole state practically to myself. The nearest field was over 1/4 mile away.

Thanks for that tip. I should be going out this april to see what going on at the state land. Going check the pines feild edges, and more.