hunting birds after spooking them in strut zones

[birdman561]

This is my first time postin here long time observer. So here's how it all unfolded I roosted two birds last night went back in the am not one gobble all I heard was the sweet sound of flapping wings at 7:45. But with my luck he flew down 100 yards away and met up with sone lady friends, and cointued to taunt me for the remainin of the day. So I tried to cut him off but, to no avail I was busted by a hen then they scattered. Now my question is will his strut zone change after being spooked only one hen saw me and alerted the others

[Dr Juice]

Who knows? But I would try to roost them again in the same spot. Good luck.

[Dtrkyman]

Bumped a longbeard a few years back strutting in a field corner, had nothing going the next day late morning so I snuck into that corner through the timber and killed that gobbler at the same time I spooked him the day before!   

[TauntoHawk]

No worries, they'll be back

[born2hunt]

My plan would be go to where you bumped them or at least between there and the roost tree. If they went that way then they just might again. If turkeys avoided every area they got spooked by something they would never leave the limb.

[Matt.Wilson]

last year, I busted a strutter off the strut zone at 2 pm, went and sat another spot all evening, and came out to see him back on the strut zone at 6 pm.  Turkeys get spooked 20 times a day.

[shaman]

See, this is where I think the idea of hunting pressure breaks down.  I say you stand a good chance of nailing that gobbler down the road.  If you don't, it won't be because of  the "pressure" you put on the hen. 

That isn't to say things won't change.  I get out and watch a lot of turkeys before season. I have been advised that I stand the risk of queering the birds with too much pre-season exposure to humans.  On the other hand, I find the best years are when I accidentally bump the most birds.   In a way, it makes sense.  When there are more birds and they are out and about, I stand a better chance of bumping them. When I hardly bump a bird all pre-season, that usually means there are fewer birds and less activity on the land.

My biggest bird bumping SNAFU ever was the day I was walking back from an early morning hike. I went onto the side of a ridge I hardly ever visit and managed to scare over 70 turkeys off the roost. It was a rolling comedy of errors.  I knocked a small flock off at first, and thought "Bad luck" and kept going.  The next thing I knew there were roosted birds everywhere and I could not take a step in any direction without knocking  more of them off the roost.  I went home thoroughly dejected, because I was certain I'd ruined my whole season.  However, that was the year I filled all my tags and the kids all filled theirs. 

This doesn't mean I don't try and be careful on my property.  I do. I try and stay well back and I try never to be seen by the birds, but a single bust here or there is going to bother things.

[birdman561]

You guys were right on the money I sat on his strut zone didn't call and just waited I think I split him off from his hens unlike the previous morning

[birdman561]

[captin_hook]

No worries, they'll be back

[tippatah]

Hopefully I'll be able to give ya good news in a few hours. I'm about to set up in a strut zone that I spooked a gobbler out of two days ago.

[Cutt]

They'll be back, and sooner than you might think?

First day last year, worked nights and didn't get to my spot till 8:00 am, and bumped birds going in 40 yards from where I wanted to setup. Nothing was gobbling anywhere so sat there anyways, called lightly off and on. And 2 hours later 2 toms and a jake came in silient, but only one tom and the jake left.

[Gooserbat]

Turkeys get run out of any given area at any given time by all sorts of things.  You might try going back as little ad an hour latter.  I have a friend who several years ago spooked a bird in a field strutting.  He stuck out a deck right then and set down.  Waited 1/2 hour hit a call and 30 min later was back at the truck with a dead tom.

[Crawl79]

Congrats Birdman! Love the wing coloration! Is that an Osceola?

[outdoors]

DONT GIVE UP , JUST HUNT SMARTER.