Hunting woods birds

[KYHeadhunter02]

Anyone have experience hunting mostly hardwoods? This is the first year I have hunted this property. The birds do not gobble on this farm much or atleast the last two weekends. Im only hearing birds scratch when feeding and I setup in the wrong area every time. I can hear them scratching and can't move either because its so noisy. Any advice?

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[KYHeadhunter02]

Well, I saw a bird fly up over on the other property about a hundred yards away before dark. He never made a peep. Going to try to call him over in the morning.

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[Cottonmouth]

Sounds like they are henned up. Try some scratching and some light clucks and purrs. If I am trying to move through some thick leaves, I'll scratch every few steps to sound like one feeding. Pay attention to how a turkey scratches. It's always 3 times in a series. Once with one foot, then twice with the other.

[ilbucksndux]

Does he gobble on the roost ? Maybe try and get in there around 10 or so. If he is henned up he will be done by then and out looking for another.

[KYHeadhunter02]

I tried hard to get up this morning and turned the alarm off. I've been tuckered out from family stuff and work. But no gobbling on the roost either.
I stayed until dark last night and listened, nothing. I wished I had taken a gobble call to see if I could get one to gobble. Oh well I guess I'll try some this week after work. I was know a guy put boards together about as tall as him and put a fan on it and walked up on birds with it. I was thinking about doing the same when hearing them scratching. Just doesn't seem like hunting that way. It sucks to kill them when your just waiting on them to feed by too.

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[Happy]

Keep at it. You haven't lost until you give up. To hunt woods turkeys you need to be able to do a few things well. One is get inside their bubble. The closer you get to them the better the reaction to calling. Be able to move quietly through the woods. It's impossible to be completely quiet but it's not impossible to sound like another animal or a turkey. Another tactic is to have them patterned to where you know where they are going to be at a certain time and get there ahead of them. I can't stand to hunt that way but it is effective. Pay attention to what is going on around you as well as the turkey sign. And lastly don't try too hard. Being persistent is great but that doesn't mean you have to rush things. Hunt hard and smart. It will come together when you play the cards right. I am still learning new things and I can honestly say that slowing down has helped me tremendously. Good luck.

[Marc]

Keep at it. You haven't lost until you give up. To hunt woods turkeys you need to be able to do a few things well. One is get inside their bubble. The closer you get to them the better the reaction to calling. Be able to move quietly through the woods. It's impossible to be completely quiet but it's not impossible to sound like another animal or a turkey. Another tactic is to have them patterned to where you know where they are going to be at a certain time and get there ahead of them. I can't stand to hunt that way but it is effective. Pay attention to what is going on around you as well as the turkey sign. And lastly don't try too hard. Being persistent is great but that doesn't mean you have to rush things. Hunt hard and smart. It will come together when you play the cards right. I am still learning new things and I can honestly say that slowing down has helped me tremendously. Good luck.

Great post...

My initial thought with a bird that flies quietly away from me during the spring would be that he saw or heard me...

I avoid using lights, and I absolutely avoid any talking (or whistling, or singing) when walking out.  Use the terrain of the woods when walking through them...  Avoid open areas or clearings when walking, and use tree-lines or brush-lines to hide.  Never skyline yourself...  Slow, careful and quiet.

If I am hunting a roosted bird, I like to get out early enough, that I can get to my spot, settle in (calls out, sitting comfortably, gun and gear where I want and how I want to sit when/if the bird comes), and remain quiet for some time before calling to birds.  I prefer to be in my spot and settled before I hear the first gobble, and I try to let the birds gobble before calling to them.  If I am going to set up decoys, I make darn sure I am not in view of any roosted birds when doing so...

Also, when taking someone else out, I am amazed at how few people pick up their feet when walking...  I just had a long discussion with my 7-year old child about this...  Avoid the "crunchy ground" if possible (we were walking on a gravel road, and I told her to walk on the grassy edge), pick up your feet, and walk "tentatively" heel-to-toe...  A little effort can avoid the clomping around the woods...

In the woods, you can use the terrain to your advantage, or disadvantage...  I have done the latter far more frequently unfortunately.