Hey all I have walked a couple sets of woods I normally hunt and while I know its early I'm not locating any birds. I am going to all over and have walked about 4 miles so far scouting looking for signs or potential spots and have found nothing. It is cold and snow is on the ground and I only have been out in the afternoons. Should I be concerned and maybee find somewhere else. I know there have been birds in these areas in the past. Thanks for the replies.
If you've got snow on the ground, and it's still cold, I wouldn't be too concerned, yet. They seem to have Winter grounds, and Summer grounds. Winter is usually where they have the best chance to find food in not ideal conditions. Once it warms up, and the ground thaws out, they'll move back to their regular haunts. As I posted in a thread, put your home state under your avatar, because it makes it easier to answer some questions like this.
Great thanks I'm from N.Y bye the way.
Talking about moving is the Canadian birds. When the Winters hit, they head to ranches, where they feed on the undigested food in cattle dung. ;D No, it doesn't seem to affect the taste of the meat any.
Yummy. I know there used to be birds there but no signs. I might stay out of the woods till late march till I start again.
They ain't far.
Quote from: guesswho on February 17, 2011, 09:51:23 PM
They ain't far.
I keep telling myself that, but dang if I can find a group that I see in the Winter, and once thaw hits, poof they are gone. It's not like there is a whole lot of options for all these birds to go. I poured over aerials trying to figure it out, and found a spot I'm going to check out in a couple of weeks.
Hey Jay what about california,I have really seen any birds in the areas I've hunted before. Like I said even on the private land. Its been really warm except for yesterday when it rain all day.
Waiting is hard but when conditions get right the turkeys will be there.
I hope they show but that kinda defeats pre season scouting.
Quote from: sodfather on February 18, 2011, 04:54:46 PM
I hope they show but that kinda defeats pre season scouting.
True, but with the warm weather, it won't take them long to move. In Iowa we don't have hardly any snow left. In one week it was gone. I'll probably check out the area was I was talking about Sunday. If they aren't on your land pretty soon, I'd be a little concerned and looking for other options. The spot I'm looking at Sunday isn't an option right now, but that could quickly change if I hear some Turkey talk at daybreak.
A couple of the farms I hunt I don't see any sign of turkeys until well into March. On the other hand one of the farms I hunt they hang around all year and flock up there. The past few weeks when it was really cold and lots of snow they weren't moving to much. I found them one day at 1100 a.m.they were all sitting on low fallen trees up out of the snow near where they roost. I don't think they moved much at all for several days. Where I'm at in Ontario it seems like there isn't much point in scouting really seriously until into March when they spread out.
Crap, just saw the weather forecast for Sunday. Only thing they left off was a Monsoon. ::)
Was out this afternoon for a hike and checked some of my hunting season spots. As usual at this time of year, no sign of birds. But each spring they'll be there to torture me.
Like timbrhuntr wrote, the don't move much this time of year. When they do move, it looks like they're walking/feeding in slow motion. They stay near food and shelter.
Thanks for all the replies guys, I have a stupid question. The last couple of times I was walking through the woods I have had crows kawing and thought how come I have never heard a turkey gobble after a crow sounds off. Is this something that will happen as the season gets closer or is this just something that a gobble wont always follow. Why would I use a crow locator's call if the real crows don't get an answer.
Quote from: sodfather on February 18, 2011, 10:40:38 PM
Thanks for all the replies guys, I have a stupid question. The last couple of times I was walking through the woods I have had crows kawing and thought how come I have never heard a turkey gobble after a crow sounds off. Is this something that will happen as the season gets closer or is this just something that a gobble wont always follow. Why would I use a crow locator's call if the real crows don't get an answer.
They do not Gobble to Crows in Iowa, period. I've NEVER heard a Gobble to a Crow, and the dang things caw all day to the point it's irritating.
Ya you know i bought a crow call thinking it could work after daylight but come to think about it I never heard one after a real crow. Oh well trial and error.
I rarely use any call to shock gobble, but when I do it's a crow call. I crow call just enough to get the real crows going and then let them take over. Gobs will respond in the spring to crows where I hunt. In the spring when they're hot, Gobs are wired to responding to just about anything.
There's something about the relationship between crows and turkey that I'd like to understand better. Maybe there's a love/hate relationship. Crows will harass turkey -like they do an owl. But perhaps crows wait for turkey to identify and kick up insects, seeds, etc.
I'll start another thread on the relationship between crow and turkey.
I hunt mostly Rio's and from what Ive see over the years, the winter range can be quite a bit different than the spring range.
Some places I have annual rights to, you wont see a turkey in the winter but when the spring rolls around, they have spread out and frequent the areas.
Great thanks Duke 0002 I would like to more about the crow-turkey relationship. I don't think I'm going to be scouting anytime this week. Today is snow with wind up to 40mph. All week snow flurries.
I haven't seen a whole lot of birds or a ton of sign but I know they will be on our land in a couple of weeks. They are always there every season. Once the clover starts greening up on the ridges they will be back for sure. It can be nerve wracking not seeing them before the season but if they've always been there, I'm sure they will be back.
Ya me to I have not been in the woods for about a week or two but cant wait for warmer temps so I can look for some signs.