:URGENT: Need others opinions

[laker]

OK, here's some background. I am not necessarily new to turkey hunting, but i am new to scouting properties alone and finding where to hunt. Previously i had always went with someone who had picked out where to hunt prior to me going. I have a property owner who has given me permission to turkey hunt but I am running into a "small" issue. This may be a long drawn out spill so i will include a condensed version as well ( ) but any help is appreciated.

Condensed version: Property owner says he has seen groups of birds on property, but in my scouting I have only seen signs of birds being in the area and heard ONE single gobble. What should i look for to set my blind up by? Move to another property? Keep scouting?

Full Version: Owner of property has an unknown amount of acres which he raises beef cattle on. I have sole permission to hunt any property under his ownership. He feeds his cattle every day between 11am-1pm and states he has seen multiple birds in the fields while he feeds. He says that he has seen groups of 2,5, and on up to as many that he didn't even count them. I have scouted the property at the area he stated seeing the birds, as well as other parts of the property but have yet to set my eyes on any turkeys there. I have seen signs such as feather, droppings and even tracks, but yet no bird. The property has all kinds of different habitat which I am under the impression is suitable for turkeys. There is clover, green grass as far as the eye can see, a creek for a source of water, cow manure (which i have been told they dig insects out of?), and so on. There is timber across the area as well, some of which is thick and some that is more spread out. There is also a "logging road" of sorts which is a clear path through some of the thicker timber, which i have found droppings on, but still no birds with my own eyes. The field the owner has stated seeing the most birds in, is currently fenced off from his cattle. A friend of mine told me he has had luck going out before sunlight, before season starts, and listening for them to gobble before fly down. This morning this is exactly what I did. I set up while it was still dark in full camouflage and just listened. About 20 minutes before sunrise i tried my owl hooter and had no response. Just as the sun was coming up and I was fixing to leave, I heard ONE single gobble well off behind me. I waited a bit longer and did not hear another so I left. (The temp. was about 45-47 and very little wind which I figured would be fine weather.)

I have walked the property over and scouted multiple hours and I am beginning to wonder if i should move on to another property? Season starts here in KY two weeks from today. Any opinions on what i should do? What should i look for? WHAT AM I DOING WRONG? I am beginning to get discouraged and the season is closing in! Thanks for any help.

[Old Gobbler]

1) avoid walking around on the property ...this will scare off the turkeys - keep running them off and they will likely stay off the property for good - turkeys don't like people

2) scout the property by accessing it unseen and from a distance , may I suggest you stand off from hundreds or yards away and use binoculars from a location they can't see you from

3) listen for gobbles , of you hear some figure out exactly where the gobbler is at , repeat the process and figure out if that's his favorite roost or. 

4) set up where the turkeys want to be , if they are in a field every day ....go there ....set up on the edge of it and kill him ,

5) if you figure out he has a preferred roost , and they like the field .....try and set up in a spot that is I between the two where they like to travel through , like if they are using a fire break ,logging road - look for funnels and neck downs , look for good places adjacent where you can access the area unseen and hide well- only use a blind if  needed , and most of the time people don't need this things , 

Turkey hunting is more simple than most make it out to be - if you are totally hidden ,move very little or not at all , are in a area where they frequent , and access and leave that area totally undetected - even for someone who doesn't know how to call at all or poorly your odds just went up significantly - hunt where the turkeys are and you will have greater success -

I think the number 1 mistake hunters make is being lazy .....get in extra early .... Take the time to park the truck a few hundred yards farther , and easy on the headlights , turn them off and drive slowly ......put in park and don't use the brake - close the doors very softly .....load your gun quietly ....walk very slowly and don't step on loud branches and leaves ....do not use a flashlight ....set up real quiet , like your breaking into someone's house , you are actually breaking into a gobblers house --- think of it that way and you will start to see and hear more turkeys


Calling......it's a love story , he calls for you ....you call back .....if he thinks your a hen , and he's got nothing better to do , he will likely come your way ---if you  act like your a desperate hen and call to much right after he gobbles -  or utter out unrealistic notes and he will likely think something's funny or play it safe and wait for you - it's real basic -  good luck

[Crappiepro]

1) avoid walking around on the property ...this will scare off the turkeys - keep running them off and they will likely stay off the property for good - turkeys don't like people

2) scout the property by accessing it unseen and from a distance , may I suggest you stand off from hundreds or yards away and use binoculars from a location they can't see you from

3) listen for gobbles , of you hear some figure out exactly where the gobbler is at , repeat the process and figure out if that's his favorite roost or. It

4) set up where the turkeys want to be , if they are in a field every day ....go there ....set up on the edge of it and kill him ,

5) if you figure out he has a preferred roost , and they like the field .....try and set up in a spot that is I between the two where they like to travel through , like if they are using a fire break ,logging road - look for funnels and neck downs , look for good places adjacent where you can access the area unseen and hide well- ugly use a blind if  needed , and most of the time people don't need this things , 

Heck yeah! That sounds good! Take a day and hunt it...If you dont get a bird move to your other property's.

[g8rvet]

I think you should move on.  Then you should let the owner know that a dude from Florida will be up to hunt the property later on!   

You saw sign and you heard a gobble.  Maybe he is a quiet bird and has the others whipped into submission.  Had private land I hunted where we killed a motor mouth bird, the only one gobbling.  Three days later the swamps were lit up with gobbles!

You may have also just hit a day they were not gobbling.  I would scout it again before season and again with a gun on opening day unless you have some much better property to hunt, then I would come back another day when that has cooled off.  One property I hunt now I was pretty unimpressed the first couple of trips, but it has been good for 1-3 birds every year for the last 10 years.  Killed two one year about a week apart and did not hear a single gobble on the property all season until I called 2 birds in - they only gobbled when they got close to me right before they took a truck ride.  Just knew where they roosted and where the hens went to and called them in to the gun near there.  Boring and frustrating sometimes, but successful.  Anyone can kill a bird that gobbles every step. 

[Tail Feathers]

Take the farmer at his word.  Look for flipped over cow pies.  Turkeys flip them to get the bugs and such from underneath.
Scout from a distance, use binocs.  I think you could still give a good run around on a 4 wheeler or something during mid day or late afternoon this coming week.  They'll return to normal pretty fast if you disturb them.  They probably see the rancher on his regularly.
Try to be where he feeds at mid day and see where they come from.

[laker]

Hopefully I am just over complicating it. I will take the approach that you have recommended and do the scouting with binocs. I do not feel i have "spooked" any of the birds due to the fact that i haven't actually seen any. Hopefully i am right.
I guess my plan will be to set up the blind in the spot i felt most confident with and hope for the best on opening morning. If I have to leave the blind and get closer to the birds, then so be it. Thank you all and happy hunting!

[Cut N Run]

I'd probably start near where the road came out to the open field.  If they're not disturbed, turkeys often like to follow roads through wooded areas. The droppings you found along it already prove that. If you can set up where you get the advantage of keeping the roadbed in range and also having the edge of the woods/field in range, it should help you be able to see a good ways and get a chance at any turkeys following the road or woods edge. If nothing else, you should get an idea of favored travel routes, roosting areas, or where to try next .

The gobblers may be quiet right now because they've got a flock of hens to choose from. Once those flocks break up, it is GAME ON. Gobblers can be anywhere at any time.  There's probably more gobblers on that property than you realize.

It would be interesting to know how much land you're talking about and what part of the country you're hunting in.

Another thing I always seek is some of the higher ground on the property, especially if there's an open area with woods cover nearby.  Gobblers love to be able to see and be seen in Spring. They also need a fast escape route away from where they're exposed. Gobblers are going to gravitate towards favored strut zones and if you can find one of those, you'll be able to see a lot of turkey activity, behavior, and get some good shots. Sound carries better in all directions from elevated positions and gobblers will take advantage of that when they can find it.  Two of my best spots ever were elevated strut zones. Gobblers love to be at either spot and (so far) I've tagged most of my birds between those two places over the past 15 years.

I hope some of this helps.  Good luck & don't forget to post success pictures here.

Jim

[laker]

I will be hunting in South central Kentucky. Casey county to be exact. Casey county had a decent amount of turkeys killed last year based on the report from the KDFWR website. More than the surrounding counties which does boost confidence. Property I would say is around 200 acres total. That is just a guess though.

[owlhoot]

Take the farmer at his word.  Look for flipped over cow pies.  Turkeys flip them to get the bugs and such from underneath.
Scout from a distance, use binocs.  I think you could still give a good run around on a 4 wheeler or something during mid day or late afternoon this coming week.  They'll return to normal pretty fast if you disturb them.  They probably see the rancher on his regularly.
Try to be where he feeds at mid day and see where they come from.

good advice.  Only thing is though some turkeys flip them back over, so you will have to check for beak marks underneath. And do it without the farmer seeing you because he may raise an eyebrow and wonder who the heck he let on his place.  He may not believe it a super advanced tactic.

But just watching at feeding time may be enough.

[Timmer]

I do not feel i have "spooked" any of the birds due to the fact that i haven't actually seen any. Hopefully i am right.

I think every hunter should go into the field  under the assumumption they hear and see you before you see or hear them.  I'd be weary of being too loud, moving too fast and/or out in open,  and over-scouting.  I scout like I sneak hunt.  Move slow and quietly,  use the terrain to my advantage, take long stops,  look around and listen a lot, use my binocs.

Also, if the area provides the necessities they need and you heard one, there is likely more.