How early to set up?

[ThunderChickenGetter]

I've got a few birds that have been riosting in the same place for a while now and season opens this weekend. They're roosting on the side of a ridge that has a gas line that runs straight up the side of it. The birds roost within 50 yards of the gas line and pitch down either onto a big flat on the side of the ridge or directly onto the gas line. But where they are roosted, without crossing on to someone else's property or setting up below them (which I prefer not to do) I have to walk that gas line up on to the ridge and get within 75 yards of the birds to get level with them. My question is how early should I go in and get set up on them in order to not spook them and allow for there to be some time for things to calm down.

[Dtrkyman]

As long as it is pitch black out you will be fine, nice thing about the gas line it should be quiet walking in, I think it will be more important to know where you can set up without making noise if your tight, keep in mind you really need to be hidden very well if your in sight of the roost!

[ThunderChickenGetter]

I was in there the other day and there is a good sized oak across the gas line from the birds. There is some thicket stuff right on the wood line so I should be hidden well from the birds while they are in the trees. Unless they move on my and I look up once it gets daylight and they're in the tree I'm sitting in haha

[stinkpickle]

The sooner, the better.  I would head in before the sky starts to glow. 

[MK M GOBL]

I tend to be in there early, I'd rather wait longer than bust them going in late. I am usually in there and set 45 minutes before birds are gobbling... I like hearing the timber come alive in the morning!

MK M GOBL

[supremepredator]

Whatever you do, don't shoot that gas line!

[Bowguy]

Agreed the earlier the better, both so the birds can't see you and so you can go in once close , a step at a time. I sometimes go in, especially very early season so early in the morning that I'll sleep in the woods. Id use no light going in, busting the flock from roost is counter productive

[fallhnt]

"I would rather be an hour early then five minutes late"

[born2hunt]

Considering this is a spot you seem to have easy access to,  go ahead of season mid day and clear the spot you want to sit. Kick the leafs out of the way, clip any limbs and get it how you want it. Opening day, all you have to do is slip in without a light, sit down and wait.

[TauntoHawk]

you can walk right underneath them as long as they're still asleep and you aren't crashing around. Be in the woods before there is any light at all..... once you're set up take a nap til the gobbles wake you 

[Marc]

 My preference would be to set up the night before and quietly slip in the morning before the sky starts turning...

Otherwise, I would be there about an hour before sunrise, set up quietly, and kick back...  I strongly believe in using NO light.  I have never had a bird come in off the roost when I use any light (red or white).  While I do not believe there are nearly smart enough to reason that the light is bad, I do believe they see the light and have the instinct to avoid the area they saw it though...

And a bit O.T., but I have never understood why the red light would make much of a difference over the white.  I can see that red light for some distance off, and turkeys certainly have the retinal photoreceptors to see the red light as well.  Why would the red lights be any less deleterious?

[TRG3]

How early and where you set up depends on how you plan to hunt the birds. I've got an acquaintance who takes his children to school before heading to the turkey field, arriving around 8:30 in the morning. He slips in, sets up his decoys without being seen, and calls to the toms that are often already in the field with hens. His success rate is very high and his hunting style fits into his need to care for his family first.

[g8rvet]

Early.  I have set up right under them on accident. Total darkness is your friend.  I am even very careful if there is a full moon. I set up a lot on a field and if there is any moon at all, I make sure that my outline has trees behind it (field edge) so they can't see me headed in.  Give yourself enough time for a very slow walk in.  No lights of any kind.  I also would visit it at least a day ahead of time and have a natural vegetation blind built and cleared ahead of time. On our little lease we have 4 prebuilt brushed blinds we can get in if we get one to gobble near them.  Just cleared ground and piled low brush.  Takes 10 minutes during daylight.  Good luck and post the pics when you kill him! 

[Farmboy27]

If I have a bird roosted or have a very good idea where one is, I'm there early!  I like to set up tight on roosted birds. The less distance they have to come to me, the less chance a real hen will intercept him. I don't like using a light so I give myself plenty of time and move slow when I get close. If I end up getting set up 30 minutes before first light, well that's great. I get to listen to the woods come alive and slowly turn from dark to day. Heck, that's one of my favorite things about morning hunts!

[Dr Juice]

Get in ther early and set up a decoy or two. Make sure you do some tree yelps and then a fly down cackle. If he's hot, he will join the party. BOOM!!!!