Unexperienced hunter lookin for advice...

[Lethal Injection]

First of all I would like to say hey as im a new member to this great site! Ive got a question for you pro's... Im goin into a new farm blind... Ive been to the farm many times but never turkey hunted it... So with no scoutin and not much successful turkey huntin experience, im turnin to you guys for some help. The farm consist of LOTS of woods and two fields. One field is high up on a ridge directly above the lower field. The lower field is roughly 15 acres and the top field is prolly 4 with some buck brush mixed in... As im goin in blind, which one of these two fields would you guys start off at if you were goin in blind? Land owner says turkey frequent the fields!

[davisd9]

Talk to the land owner and see where is the turkeys spending time and when.  If there are hardwoods in the place then do not forget them.  If the turkeys are like the ones here than large pines are where they will be roosting.  Until you put your boots to the mud and do foot work than the land owner and others that see the land will give you the best advice.  Google maps will help also.  Look for places that look like a turkey's kitchen, living room, bedroom, and halls.  Good luck!

[West Augusta]

Going in blind, I would set up on one side or the other of the top field.  If one side is higher than the other, then that is where I would set up first.  Get in very early and try not to bump the birds off of the roost.  Wait for daylight and the first calls.  If they are roosted close by, start calling softly.  Don't call too much.  If they aren't close by, wait for a while and see if they will come, if not, slowly move closer to where you last heard a gobble.   Going into new territory isn't all that bad.  If they are in the mood and your calling is close, they will come.

[Skeeterbait]

Start at the upper field if for no other reason than you will be able to hear across the property better.  It the birds are near the upper field great, set up and work them.  But if not, pinpoint where you are hearing birds and go to them.  Take a small map and compass with you if you have them.  Orient the map with the compass, pinpoint the birds on the map and use the map to help you decide how to get to and approach their position. I carry small reduced maps of every property I have access to in my vest printed on muted colored paper and laminated. 

[Rich54]

I took my first bird this week and tellya the truth I got a lot of info and confidence by looking at the hunters videos on this forum. Seeing the video's of the way the experienced guys called, moved, and setup gave me the confidence to score on my first hunt. A self guided one on land Ive never been to.

[mikejd]

I'm with skeeterbait as to begin up high. If they are in the valley below you you will still hear them from up high. It is also easier to sneak down on birds than up. So if they come off the rooste and go to the lower field you may be able to see them from a distance and make your moove. If the land owner has some definitive info like he sees birds in the NE corner around lunchtime well then you know what to do. If he doesn't pay much attention to them wich is likely then your going to.have to.go.with plan a. However I do like your situation blind or not. Most important going in blind go xtra xtra early. Do not be late.

[mikejd]

I am.jelous of all you first timers. I remember how exiting my first few hunts were. Then getting my first bird. Ah what a day. Good luck.

[Spring_Woods]

That's right..as stated above. Farmers give the best MRI (most recent information) and neighbors that don't hunt but may see or hear the birds in fields.

[tomstopper]

First check with the farmer. If the ridge has hardwoods next to it along with the field, I would try here. The turkeys where I hunt seem to love those ridges. Good luck and welcome to the site.

[mnturkey]

If it was me, I would use the first day, maps and Google Earth to scout.  Thats not to say I wouldn't hunt but I would use that first day to gather as much information as I could.
Get there real early and sit as high as possibel and listen.
Once you have a idea about the birds and their activity then I would start to make some moves.
Scouting the lay of the land is important.
Are there any obstacles, fences stuff like that can cause a bird not to move to you.
Good Luck