So from what I have seen, birds do gobble and strut all year long, just for different reasons and frequency. There is still a dominance order to everything they do. While winter flocked they do band together, but once those juices of spring start flowing it all changes, birds split up and no longer tolerate each other (in most respects). I am somewhat scouting birds the whole year, just knowing/learning what and how the flock is doing. Scouting for hunt time for me starts at about the 2 weeks before seasons start. For us that is first week of April, so mid March I'm after it. I scout the whole time I hunt as well.
As far as locators I use a few, my morning favorites are the Owl, and Crow but have had luck with a goose call, that also seems to work throughout the day, also a Sandhill Crane and Peacock are good day time locators, in the evening that Peacock and back to the Owl, I also have use a Coyote in the evening with good results. Now this is just what works for me, other areas other calls may work better, I used the same calls out of state and seem to work as well. I do at times use a gobble to locate but don't do that on any public.
MK M GOBL
