Need help finding turkeys

[Stout33]

Hey guys, the season just opened today in Maryland and I got out there early. Unfortunately, the rain forced me in around 9. I'm having a very hard time finding turkeys in the woods. I hunt public land in western Maryland and it is about 3,000 acres and mountainous. I saw other hunters there this morning so I assume there are turkeys in the woods. However, I have been there to scout 4 times and I have not herd a yelp or a gobble ever. I could be looking in the wrong places because this is my first year hunting. Any tips or advice would be extremely appreciated; I am planning on getting back out there tomorrow morning. Please let me know if you have any suggestions!

[mikejd]

Wow, first off welcome to the sport. Second were to begin since you are already a bit behind the 8 ball being that the season has begun and you do not have birds located. If I was in your shoes here is what I would do. First off I feel like turkeys like to if possible rooste on a ridge. Not always but any roosting spots I have that they are there year after year is on a ridge. So you can narrow down some spots from there. If you can get into the woods tonight to try and rooste a bird that would be even better. If not I would I guess pot luck a potential roosting site for tomorrow morning and hope a bird is in hearing distance. If not after 1st light I would slowly walk maybe a logging road or trail if possibe and evey hundred yards or so do some calling until I locate a bird. 1 tip every time you stop to make a series of calls make sure there is a spot right there were you can set up. Because when you do get an answer you don't want to be fumbling around trying to get setup. You will be picked off. Often times you will say Damn were did he come from. Good luck tomorrow.

[Stout33]

Thanks for the help! There is a service road running through the forest so tomorrow I am going to walk along that and do a little calling. Hopefully I will hear something, again thanks for the advice. I'll keep trying my best. Also one more question, I have 2 decoys, 1 jake and 1 hen, do you think I should use them or am I better off on foot and just tracking?

[lonnie sneed jr.]

What Mikejd said. Go this eve. if you can, pull high. About 30 min. before dark I like to make a few yelps on a wing bone and follow it with a gobble. This has worked for me many, many times in the last 42 years. If this does not work, I like a (can owl hooter). Your voice and other owl hooters are good but I have had alot better luck with the high pitched can hooter, don't know why, they just seem to gobble at it better than any other way of owl hooting. If you can not locate a gobbler by doing this, try it in the morning, by owling, and if you think it safe gobble. I have had alot of luck locating gobblers by gobbling at them. You have to know it is safe or at least think it's safe to gobble, but it will work.
If this does not work go low and walk the creek beds looking for scratching. Turkeys will go to water every day and scratch for grit after drinking. If you can not find sign like this I would try a new area. Good luck, it sounds like you are betweem a rock and a hard spot.

[Stout33]

Good luck, it sounds like you are betweem a rock and a hard spot.

Hahahah, you got that right! I won't be able to go back tonight but tomorrow morning I will definitely walk along some creek beds. Sometime this weekend I will drive around and try yelping on the street and see if I get a gobble back. I am just worried that mid way through the season all of the turkeys will stop gobbling. Maybe that is an uneducated assumption, but I am definitely not giving up yet! Thanks again for the advice.

[mikejd]

I'm not a big fan of driving and calling. I know some guys have luck but car doors, engine noise not for me. Your better off walking. Nice quiet and you won't miss anything. Sometimes at night I don't even call I just sit and listen. Often they call all on there own you know he wants all his ladies in place for the morning.

[Stout33]

Went out this morning and again no luck. I talked to another hunter and he said it was weird that the gobblers were being so quiet. Lately it has been a little cold and rainy where I hunt, could this be the reason the gobblers are not talking?

[jakebird]

Yes, cool and rainy weather can put a dampen on gobbling. Best davice at this point is just to be persistent. Since u got off to a late start, just try to salvage the season by making the best of every opportunity. If you cant get on a gobbling bird, atleast you can be scouting terrain, finding fresh sign, learning what you can and all that will pay dividends for you, if not this season, then in the future. No such thing as a bad day in the woods. Of course, we'd all like to harvest a bird, but taking anything positive, lessons learned from the woods each day is a big part of ultimately being successful. Good luck!

[FloppinTom]

Theres a ton of public ground in western MD. Listen at daybreak and cover a ton of ground if decoys are going to keep you from covering ground leave em home till you get into an area with birds. scratching and fresh crap will indicate activity.  Im in panhandle of wv and birds are gobbling at daybreak and quieting down. they are with hens for the mostpart we open up this monday and i feel it will be tough going and mid day may be the best bet so cover ground calling every 100 yards or so till ylou get a gobbler to answer.

[Spring_Woods]

Get up high in the morning. Listen for birds on ridges.

[Stout33]

Thanks for all the tips and advice! I am going to try my luck again tomorrow morning. Hopefully the birds won't be as tight lipped. One more question, there are a few rivers running through the forest. However, there is a pretty steep drop down to the water. I looked for scratches and droppings but didn't find anything. Will birds still use the creek even if it is not too flat?