Location, location, location

[chatterbox]

Ronnie got me thinking with his Reasons thread.
This topic is a little different. When you do your preseason scouting, do you like to find a spot and sit and listen, then observe, or do you hit them with varying locator calls until a bird shock gobbles? Does getting them to shock gobble have any merit, or is it better to wait for them to gobble on their own?
Also, how many different spots do you like to hit in one day?

[drenalinld]

I mostly listen. Shock gobbles do let you know he is there, but are rarely needed pre-season. The last few days before season I will spend some time observing what the birds do after fly down and if possible try to find them at different times throughout the day. That said I do well in other states with zero scouting.

[guesswho]

I'll do my scouting now on new property.  I'm looking more for potential obstacles.  When I finally get the chance to hunt it I want to know where that creek is at or where that fence is at ect.  Familiar property I won't walk it, I  just listen and usually stay put at a good vantage point trying to determine what their prefered daily routine is.   Rarely will I try and make them gobble while just visiting.   I'll hit one spot a day when listening, none of my spots are close to each other.   Some of my places have fields and I'll do drive by's on those spots, just because I like seeing turkeys. 

Basically I think turkeys are turkeys and the difference if any is going to be in the terrain I hunt.  I feel I'm familiar enough with turkeys so most of my scouting will be to help me familiarize myself with where I'll be hunting.   

[GobbleNut]

This depends a lot on your individual situation.  Using locator calls to find birds in some situations can be critical to success.  In others, it may be useless, or even detrimental.  

While it is true that gobblers will often gobble on their own early in the morning, if you are hunting a large area with relatively few birds, you need to cover ground to find out where they are.  You do not want to spend much time at any one spot waiting for a bird to gobble on his own.  In those cases, using locator calls is an invaluable asset to your scouting.  

In large areas with good road systems, one of the  most effective ways of locating gobblers is to drive the roads at first daylight for a couple of hours, stopping every half-mile or so, or at any good-looking spot where you can hear a long ways.  Turn off your vehicle, step out, blow a loud crow call a couple of quick blasts, and listen quietly for a response.  If you hear a bird, mark him (if you are scouting), and move on.  If you don't get a response on the first crow call, wait fifteen or twenty seconds and do it again.  If you don't get a response on the second blast, jump in your vehicle and move on.   You can do the same thing by walking in roadless areas, but you obviously cannot cover as much country that way.

In some places, the above method is also very effective in the last half-hour before full darkness in the evening, as well.  However, in some places, it is not effective at all.  I have never hunted anywhere that a good, loud locator call would not elicit gobbles at the right time in the morning, however. The downside of using locators is that if you are hunting areas that get hammered by hunters using locator calls, you can alert wary gobblers by using them, and possibly shut gobblers up that would be willing to gobble otherwise.

The bottom line for me is, though, that if I am hunting an unfamiliar area of any significant size, I am going to use locator calls at first light to find the birds,...and I will cover as much country as I can.   I will also try them in the evening until I am convinced that they are not effective in that area.

[sugarray]

I like to listen, then after fly down, try to see where they go, where they travel and spend more time.    I have never had luck with locators in the evening before fly up. 

[drenalinld]

I have been in the woods listening, scouting, or even working a gobbling bird many times when someone drove up, got out, blew a crow call with no response, then drove off and the bird started gobbling again. I have also located and killed gobblers using that very method. Not really a right or wrong, just different styles.

[gob09]

we have never had any luck with locator's around here at least i haven't but i do love to scout and prepare
on the public land here they seem to change up there routine very seldom do i see them in the same place twice

[Crappiepro]

This depends a lot on your individual situation.  Using locator calls to find birds in some situations can be critical to success.  In others, it may be useless, or even detrimental.  

While it is true that gobblers will often gobble on their own early in the morning, if you are hunting a large area with relatively few birds, you need to cover ground to find out where they are.  You do not want to spend much time at any one spot waiting for a bird to gobble on his own.  In those cases, using locator calls is an invaluable asset to your scouting.  

In large areas with good road systems, one of the  most effective ways of locating gobblers is to drive the roads at first daylight for a couple of hours, stopping every half-mile or so, or at any good-looking spot where you can hear a long ways.  Turn off your vehicle, step out, blow a loud crow call a couple of quick blasts, and listen quietly for a response.  If you hear a bird, mark him (if you are scouting), and move on.  If you don't get a response on the first crow call, wait fifteen or twenty seconds and do it again.  If you don't get a response on the second blast, jump in your vehicle and move on.   You can do the same thing by walking in roadless areas, but you obviously cannot cover as much country that way.

In some places, the above method is also very effective in the last half-hour before full darkness in the evening, as well.  However, in some places, it is not effective at all.  I have never hunted anywhere that a good, loud locator call would not elicit gobbles at the right time in the morning, however. The downside of using locators is that if you are hunting areas that get hammered by hunters using locator calls, you can alert wary gobblers by using them, and possibly shut gobblers up that would be willing to gobble otherwise.

The bottom line for me is, though, that if I am hunting an unfamiliar area of any significant size, I am going to use locator calls at first light to find the birds,...and I will cover as much country as I can.   I will also try them in the evening until I am convinced that they are not effective in that area.

Well said!

[Gamblinman]

If I'm drivin the roads cruisin for birds, I use an airhorn..one of the portable type that use a can of air.
I only use locater calls in the field.


Gman

[Duke0002]

      This is a great thread.