What time to get in the woods ?

[jims]

There are a lot of factors.  Here in the mtns in Colo the turkeys often chatter in the trees well before daylight and are quiet once it gets close to sunrise.  During the day they may be super quiet.  They've learned if they make a cluck they end up on a bear, coyote, mtn lion, or bobcat's dinner plate!  It's also super tough finding them when there is gobs of country with few turkeys that are quiet....and they are in trees where it's tough to see further than 100 yards.  In that situation it's super nice finding them when they are chattered super, super early in the morning.

In Nebraska where I run and gun hunt it is super open country.  Although it's fun listening to turkeys early before daylight on the roost and watching them fly down they often scatter and head to the hills after daylight.  It's possible to locate them by spotting and stalking them all day long.  There is a high enough concentration of birds that it's possible to find them all day long.  When it's windy they may head into secluded draws but they still can be found.  If I was hunting from decoys in that situation there would likely be one chance to decoy them at first light and again when they return to roost in the evening.  In that case it would be essential to have things set up super early in the morning before daylight.  2 senerios for the same location.

The big thing I've found while turkey hunting is to be willing to change and adapt to what the turkeys are doing.

[shaman]

I hunt my own 200 acre farm exclusively now.  I usually know where I'm going ahead of time.  The best thing I've found is to be in place about 20-30 minutes before the first gobble.  If I'm looking to change things up, I may start out a bit later, and head for one of my listening posts so that I'm there right as I'm hearing the first distant gobbles.  I generally don't use a locator call, just because I have enough owls, crows and whatever to do the work for me.

[Harty]

Anytime is a good time(open shooting hours). My Grandfather always told me you can't shoot em sitting
In the living room chair. It's great if you can pick and choose. I hunt when time permits. I just love being in the woods!

[High plains drifter]

Early bird gets the worm but when your schedule allows.  Some swear by sleeping in and hitting the woods when everyone else has called it quits.  9am-12 noon can be a magical time but so can off the roost.  I really enjoy watching the day come to life so I'm an early bird gets the "bird" kinda guy. 

I too enjoy hearing the woods wake up. There is nothing like it. Sure most of the birds I strike and call in are later on in the day, but the first hour of daylight is the best

.        I agree, watching the fields come alive, seeing elk walk by 10 feet away, mountain lions, bears, all of that , and it's all for the spring turkey Hunter, real early in the am.

Add me to this list.  Being there early is not about killing a turkey, its about walking through the woods under a night sky full of stars,....about waiting for that first morning gobble, and every one after that.  Its about sitting down at my chosen set-up tree in the dark taking it all in, and contemplating, with great anticipation, how the morning will unfold,...wondering if I have made the right decision on where to sit,...wondering if that gobbler will come right to me off the roost,...or make me work for him,...or even if, after all is said and done, he will win and I will be walking out of the woods empty-handed,...and anticipating doing it all again the next morning. 

Being there at that time, for me, is not an option,...it is an absolute necessity for me and my enjoyment as a spring gobbler hunter.

[High plains drifter]

It's by no means picking apart your thread or criticizing anyone's methods. I'm just for the be where the birds are first thing method instead of hitting the woods w intent to find em. Now if preseason scouting allows us the birds are in the area n we have no time to roost the running n gunning in an area is great. I'd just be in a bit earlier n being its a learn to hunt forum just expressing the way I do it. I just feel earlier than birds awake is best in open woods, especially if you gotta get through fields first. Birds will see us coming 300 yards out in that situation

.      Yep, that's right.They can see for a half mile.You have to get in in the dark.