Early season calling

[Ol'Mossy]

I just like to sit and listen

[chatterbox]

I just like to sit and listen

This.

[TauntoHawk]

Its tough to not break out the new calls and want to fire a a big flock of long beards in February and March while scouting but When I call a long beard in I better have something to kill him with in my hands. So I'll wait til season

[gotcha]

Negatory good buddy!Couple of replies are real "head scratchers"but thats just me.

[Trevor2]

I absoloutely wont call before opening day. And I wont take anyone with me before season to listen and scout if they call before opening day.

[twinters]

i was taught and strongly believe that you should never call to a bird that you do not intend to kill , even if its a place i can not hunt. i would be very ill if i found someone calling to birds on one of my leases before hunting season,even if they didn't have a gun,like said earlier they do deserve some free time to just be turkeys

[RutnNStrutn]

i was taught and strongly believe that you should never call to a bird that you do not intend to kill , even if its a place i can not hunt. i would be very ill if i found someone calling to birds on one of my leases before hunting season,even if they didn't have a gun,like said earlier they do deserve some free time to just be turkeys

Point of clarification. I agree with you on that. However, the places that I call but don't hunt are places that NO ONE gets to hunt, except poachers. I would never screw up someone else's hunting opportunities anymore than I would my own.

[TnTurk]

I sit, listen, and follow from a distance if I can, never call.

[Neill_Prater]

I used to, when I was young and dumb, but no more. I'm not sure there is such a thing as being "call shy", but common sense tells me that any bird that is answering what he thinks is a hen, then gets spooked by a 2-legged predator, has to get somewhat educated. I'm sure it is like any other animal, some learn really well. Those are the ones that die of old age. Some don't, and those are the ones likely to take a ride in your truck with you. 

[twinters]

right ,and i need them to be as dumb as possible,or they aint coming home with me(kinda like those girls i was running after when i was young)lol

[TRKYHTR]

i was taught and strongly believe that you should never call to a bird that you do not intend to kill , even if its a place i can not hunt. i would be very ill if i found someone calling to birds on one of my leases before hunting season,even if they didn't have a gun,like said earlier they do deserve some free time to just be turkeys

Point of clarification. I agree with you on that. However, the places that I call but don't hunt are places that NO ONE gets to hunt, except poachers. I would never screw up someone else's hunting opportunities anymore than I would my own.

X2

TRKYHTR

[MAKEemQUIVER]

I agree with the others I dont call until Im able to pack my old Winchester  .

[sippy cup]

I do it where i don't  mostly private land

[ThicketThrasher]

I don't think it is legal in Tn

You are correct. It is not legal, starting one month prior to the season opening. I think this may just be on public lands. I'm not sure if it applies to private ground or not.

[Reloader]

I do not call a bird in before the season and hate it when I see guys trying to do it.  That spooks a good many birds and only brings the pressure level up.  I've spooked a good many birds over the years during the season and seen them totally change their patterns for a while.

That said, sometimes I will cut from a distance to see if an area is holding birds.  I'll pull up in my truck a good ways away from where I think birds may be, most of the time I'll have a bunch of really thick underbrush inbetween myself and the area the birds should be.  I'll listen a while and let natures own locator calls go to work.  If I dont hear anything, I'll throw out an owl or crow(they hear them every day around here) and if that doesn't work, I'll cut one time before I leave for the next area.  Human presence or calling a tom in to a setup with no hens around only adds pressure. I try not to scout an area until midday and never call when scouting.  Sure you may bump some even scouting mid day, but as long as it's several days or weeks before the season and you only scout an area very little, it usually doesn't hurt.  When it gets close to the season, all I do is listen from a distance and glass. if the terrain allows.