What time to get in the woods ?

[Happy]

I go early and get back where I want to be while it is still dark. Turn off all lights when I get close to my hunting area and then wait for daylight. Usually don't have to long to hunt so I gotta kill em quick if I can.

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[Cut N Run]

The places I hunt close to the house are horse farms that I maintain the trails on, so I know my way around in the dark.  I was raised in a house where it was better to be an hour early than a minute late. Force of habit puts me near where I'm hunting at least an hour before daybreak. I go earlier of I need to cross open areas.

If I'm hunting other lands, I'll get close to the area I intend to hunt and move according to where the gobbles are coming from or where openings along the logging roads are. I seldom kill birds right off the roost.  Most of my biggest gobblers are killed in late morning anyway.

Jim

[catman529]

Opening morning or a really hot spot on a Saturday morning on public land, I like to be super early, like an hour or more before daylight. That is only to get to my spot before anyone else does.  Otherwise you can start hunting whenever you like. I work two jobs and one of them I get out between 830 and 9am. If I'm not headed into the other job, that's a great time to hit the woods too.


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Yes middle of the day is a great time to kill a bird...i've seen you kill birds up in the morning. Most would of already left for home...

yes and last year 3 of my 4 birds were close to sunset.


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[catman529]

Opening morning or a really hot spot on a Saturday morning on public land, I like to be super early, like an hour or more before daylight. That is only to get to my spot before anyone else does.  Otherwise you can start hunting whenever you like. I work two jobs and one of them I get out between 830 and 9am. If I'm not headed into the other job, that's a great time to hit the woods too.


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Yes middle of the day is a great time to kill a bird...i've seen you kill birds up in the morning. Most would of already left for home...

yes and last year 3 of my 4 birds were close to sunset.


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[Twowithone]

At least an hour before daybreak. I like the woods to settle down a bit.

[WisTurk]

I typically like to be in and set up at least 30-45 minutes before the birds wake up

[TRG3]

In a couple of the areas that I hunt, the turkeys may roost in one of several areas. Rather than try to roost them the evening before or get in too close the next morning, I set up my decoys in the grass field about 400 yards away where they typically head for after fly down, thus avoiding spooking them off their roost while giving me a little more time to get set up should I over-sleep. Be watching, however, because they often come in silent.

[TRG3]

FTI...A friend often finds that it's his turn to take the kids to school, meaning that he won't get to the turkey woods before 9 a.m. Obviously the birds have already flown down and are on their way or have arrived at their breeding area, most often an open field of some sort. He stops in a spot where he can listen for gobbles in the distance in order to determine which field they have selected for the morning. He then makes his way toward them, setting up close to them but not such that he can see them or vise versa. He then begins calling with the hope of enticing a subordinate tom his way. Over the years, he has taken more than his share of gobblers using this approach. In addition, on two occasions, I've been in the woods mushroom hunting during the late morning only to hear a gobbler in the distance. This was a week before the turkey season opened. I quickly backed out of the area only to return during the turkey season and bag a nice tom. Since then, I've returned to these two areas which have consistently produced toms.

[renegade19]

Maybe call it overdoing it but even when I have a spot to myself I'm in at least an hour before dark.  That means in as in set up, normally it's earlier.
When I roost birds I'll often go home get my gear n sleep at least half the night w them. The closer it it to daylight the more apt you are to bust em. Never do I just go in n hope or walk blindly. Truth is n it's only my opinion n perhaps the hardwoods I normally hunt but if the birds are already chirping the gobblers are up. They're in a tree n have a birds eye view of us walking in. That'd be the last time I'd be caught moving around the woods.
Yes if the first set up doesn't work I may run n gun but truthfully it's not my fav option. I should add a flashlight going in is unnatural n even at night will bust em if you get close, I never use one

Agreed.  If the birds are chirping, you better be set up and ready.

[chatterbox]

Before first light........

[rockymtngobblers]

I always have the roost located and at least one regular direction of travel for the birds before I hunt  I  will be in the woods and set up near the roost at least 15 min. before  any light, I  used to be there 30 min. before light but it's  not necessary  if I'm  not hunting the roost I'll be there at first light.

[GobbleNut]

For the newbies here, you should notice a constant theme,...the need to be in the woods very early,...well before daylight.  Honestly, for me personally, I rarely kill a bird real early in the morning right when they come off the roost.  However, the knowledge I gain from being there early is extremely important to my success later in the morning when I usually kill my gobblers. 

One of the biggest benefits of being out there early is the fact that you will learn where your gobblers are,...and where they are not.  It is a rare location where mature gobblers are not going to gobble some on the roost in the morning before they fly down.  They might not gobble a lot,...but if you are hunting where there are male turkeys, you are most likely going to hear some gobbling from them in the first hour of light in the morning.

Even if you do not kill a bird first thing in the morning, the confidence you will gain in knowing that there are gobblers around (from hearing them) will keep you out there after them.  Conversely, if you do not hear gobbling in a certain area at first light, that should be your first clue that you need to be looking for a better location to hunt,...if you have that option.

For me, there is nothing more discouraging than being in a silent woods and not having any idea if there are gobblers around or not.  If I hear them at first light, I know they are there.

[trkehunr93]

Early bird gets the worm but when your schedule allows.  Some swear by sleeping in and hitting the woods when everyone else has called it quits.  9am-12 noon can be a magical time but so can off the roost.  I really enjoy watching the day come to life so I'm an early bird gets the "bird" kinda guy. 


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[catman529]

Early bird gets the worm but when your schedule allows.  Some swear by sleeping in and hitting the woods when everyone else has called it quits.  9am-12 noon can be a magical time but so can off the roost.  I really enjoy watching the day come to life so I'm an early bird gets the "bird" kinda guy. 


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I too enjoy hearing the woods wake up. There is nothing like it. Sure most of the birds I strike and call in are later on in the day, but the first hour of daylight is the best


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[tha bugman]

as early as allowed