Scouting or just trusting your spot?

[Zfhunter1]

I scout. Although the places I hunt typically have birds in the same areas year to year, I still check for sign and new dead fall or tress to sit against.

Thanks for sharing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[shaman]

I have been hunting the same 200 acre farm in SW Bracken County, KY for 23 seasons.  What I've found is that the turkeys are still roosting in the same spots and hitting the same pastures every year.  We have a few honey holes that will produce gobbler sightings every season.

I'm still out for the month before season scouting, but I try and avoid direct contact.  What I do is go out with an umbrella mic and record the birds on the roost and what they are doing at flydown.

Are there changes year to year? Yes.  What changes most is when the gobblers start gobbling. That can come anywhere in March.  The overall number of gobblers and the ratio of hens to gobblers also varies.  Our spring season also starts on a varied day (Saturday closest to 4/15), so when the Opener occurs versus the turkeys themselves warming up varies considerably. 

I like to get out as many days as possible before season and record them for my podcast.  I also like to observe them in the pastures.  I can really get a feel for their readiness to be hunted in this fashion. 

I also hit the best listening posts before season. I'm the patriarch of our Turkey Camp and this pre-season recon gives me good intel for advising the other members of camp.  I can usuallly tell them which hunting venues are going to be best for Opening Week.

Is this all necessary?  Not completely.  There have been years in which work or health kept me from a lot of pre-season scouting.  One year, I developed cancer just before season.  I signed the paperwork for chemo, left the hospital and went turkey hunting and managed to kill a bird on the first day.  However, I was relying on years of scouting to inform me. 

[Zfhunter1]

I have been hunting the same 200 acre farm in SW Bracken County, KY for 23 seasons.  What I've found is that the turkeys are still roosting in the same spots and hitting the same pastures every year.  We have a few honey holes that will produce gobbler sightings every season.

I'm still out for the month before season scouting, but I try and avoid direct contact.  What I do is go out with an umbrella mic and record the birds on the roost and what they are doing at flydown.

Are there changes year to year? Yes.  What changes most is when the gobblers start gobbling. That can come anywhere in March.  The overall number of gobblers and the ratio of hens to gobblers also varies.  Our spring season also starts on a varied day (Saturday closest to 4/15), so when the Opener occurs versus the turkeys themselves warming up varies considerably. 

I like to get out as many days as possible before season and record them for my podcast.  I also like to observe them in the pastures.  I can really get a feel for their readiness to be hunted in this fashion. 

I also hit the best listening posts before season. I'm the patriarch of our Turkey Camp and this pre-season recon gives me good intel for advising the other members of camp.  I can usuallly tell them which hunting venues are going to be best for Opening Week.

Is this all necessary?  Not completely.  There have been years in which work or health kept me from a lot of pre-season scouting.  One year, I developed cancer just before season.  I signed the paperwork for chemo, left the hospital and went turkey hunting and managed to kill a bird on the first day.  However, I was relying on years of scouting to inform me.

What a great piece of info thank you for sharing I'm hoping to get a few more spots to hunt this year and get a very good spot that I really like here in Pa only have about three private spot here in Pa. Also gonna try to find some better public in Maryland. With the amount of hunters I'm starting to see show up year to year it just gets harder and harder to show up be first and not get walked in on.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[arkrem870]

If you are hunting an area loaded with turkeys then scouting isn't necessary. If you are hunting areas that have thousands of acres that are void of turkeys scouting is critical.

Scouting in any hunting is very helpful. That's undeniable. These days pin swapping/trading is the game for the 49'ers

[bbcoach]

IMO there's no substitute for Scouting, with tons of birds or only a few birds.  Scouting entails not just locating birds but knowing where and how they travel.  Where they are likely to be during the day.  If birds are henned up and aren't gobbling or coming to your calls, you have to know what their travel routes are likely to be after fly down, so you can get in front of them.  Learn where the birds are and where they are likely to go, will increase your success during your days afield.     

[eggshell]

IMO there's no substitute for Scouting, with tons of birds or only a few birds.  Scouting entails not just locating birds but knowing where and how they travel.  Where they are likely to be during the day.  If birds are henned up and aren't gobbling or coming to your calls, you have to know what their travel routes are likely to be after fly down, so you can get in front of them.  Learn where the birds are and where they are likely to go, will increase your success during your days afield.     

That's a great point. If you only have a few days to hunt it is really key. For the wounded warrior hunt I volunteer with we scout the birds for two weeks prior and get right in among them. It's a two day hunt and knowing where the birds travel is a matter of success or failure. That never became more true then last year when weather was horrible, but 15 hunters killed 8 gobblers in two mornings. Not a lot of gobbling but birds still hit the dirt

[Zfhunter1]

Yet again thanks everyone for the advice going to take it all into account this year and really see what I can do hopefully by the end of the season I'll have 3-4 birds on the ground between two states but we'll see.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[shaman]

What a great piece of info thank you for sharing I'm hoping to get a few more spots to hunt this year and get a very good spot that I really like here in Pa only have about three private spot here in Pa. Also gonna try to find some better public in Maryland. With the amount of hunters I'm starting to see show up year to year it just gets harder and harder to show up be first and not get walked in on.

You are most welcome.  I'd say pre-season scouting is important, but missing a bit is unimportant.  If a flock suddenly disappears from an historical haunt, it's worth noting.  It's also worth circling back later to see if the situation changes back. 

[WLT III]

On my home turf, I trust my spots. Someplace new, I show up and look for spots that resemble my woods. Also will take note of where everyone is parked at daylight. Most are usually long gone when I show back up at 1pm. Have kilt many a gobbler hunting behind the morning crew. Hunting "big woods" is generally the same, no matter where you go. Nesting hens will dictate where the gobblers will be set up and trolling. Most would be very surprised where the prime nesting habitat is located in these NF, big woods, settings.

[Hook hanger]

If its a spot that always has had birds for years why put undue pressure on them especially if you know how the birds use the property. I would rather them not know I'm there till the Trigger is pulled.

[zelmo1]

Scout, keep a log of all the variables, weather, time etc.. Never trust last years intel. Turkeys are creatures of habit, but they do vary theur routines basde on their surroundings. Time = success. Have as many spots as you can keep track of. Different conditions may give you an edge in certain areas. Be ready for the unexpected. Like a hunter from a thousand miles away parked in your permission only spot. There is nothing you can do about it at 0330, so have another spot you can defer to. Stay on it and you will be successful. Z