How early to get into the turkey woods?

[uk.turkey.hunter]

If I'm hunting a field where I know these turkeys go. How early should I get into the turkey woods so that I'm not seen?

Also, lets say I know where some birds have roosted. I don't want to get to close to the roost but how early should I get within 100 yards of them without being seen?

[Bolandstrutters]

Figure out what times the birds start gobbling.  Get to your spot and situated at least 30 minutes before that.  I get out even earlier when possible. 

[stinkpickle]

I like to be set up and ready at least 30 minutes before the eastern sky even starts to glow.

[Jrkimbrough]

If im setting up within eye sight of roost area I like to be in and setup at least an hour and a half before sunrise.

[wvmntnhick]

If you know where they're roosting, just get in there before good gobbling time. If you're trying to get right to the roost, start in wayyyyy earlier. If just trying to set up near the field and cut them off, and you know when they're showing up, get in there half hour before hand.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mtns2hunt]

I'm always an hour early but if you sleep in: before sunrise will work. Just find a spot to wait. Once you hear that first gobble run hard to get within a hundred yards or so. Of course if its early in the year and there are no leaves on the trees.I would be inclined to keep a bit more distance between me and the roost.

[Spitten and drummen]

Im exactly where I want to be 45min to an hour before gobbling time. It also gives me time to move if I need to.

[Dukejb]

I usually get in 20-30 minutes later that I want to be. 

[Gobble!]

If I'm planning on getting close to the roost I want to be there an hour before gobble time.

[jryser]

If you are in public get there a half hour before you think the other guy is gonna get there. Yes, I've slept in my truck before.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Sir-diealot]

I guess I am the nut case in the group, I get out at least 2 hours before sunup. I am not the most graceful since my last car accident so I like to give myself plenty of time to get to my blind without making a ton of noise and then get set up in the blind using a green light and then turn it off and sit there quietly until legal shooting light. I do the same for deer season.

[LaLongbeard]

Well our season starts Saturday and I'm in a tent in the woods right now lol.
But seriously I get up early everyday to do stuff I don't want to do . Turkey season I'm up and in my chosen spot at least an hour before daylight and that hour doesn't include the walk in. I like complete darkness to move in and time for everything to settle down .

[Colt45]

Personally, depending on how bright the moon is, I like to get there about an hour before I think the birds will start gobbling.

[a_jabbo]

Everyone seems to be on the same page. About an hour before gobbling light. I'm sure everyone on here watches the weather or has some sort of weather app. I use Wunderground. I look at when sunrise is, and first light. I like to be in and setup about an hour before that first light time frame. In my experience,  you can just start to see a little bit of light popping up about 20-30 mins before that first light time, pending on whether it is clear or not, so if you're in there an hour before the first light time it gives you a little bit of play to re-position if you don't like the initial setup.

[shaman]

I guess I'm the odd one on this.

From the front porch to my favorite turkey spot is about 15 minute's walk. I like to cover the first half or so with the flashlight on.  Usually, I am able to turn off the light and make my final approach with the flashlight off.  That gives me about 15 minutes before legal hunting starts. The first gobbles occur a short time after that.   

Mind you, my style is different from a lot of folks.  I'm not as worried about catching a bird at flydown.  I'm more worried about being there for when they come off silent running and come out into the fields to feed.  My favorite spot puts me where I can hear birds on the roost, but I'm not right up on them.

I also have an advantage, because the path I take is an abandoned road running the length of the property.  It runs just to one side of a knife-edged ridge, and I can walk silently along its length well below where birds roosted on the other side of the ridge could see or hear me.  When I get where I'm going, I pop out to the top inside a dense treeline.   My son has a similar spot staked out on a neighboring ridge.  When conditions are right, he and I can call to each other, even though we're a half-hour's walk between

When everything goes to plan, he and I are situated for witnessing one of the greatest shows a turkey hunter can possible experience.  Both of us are positioned at rim of a large holler. When the conditions are right,  gobblers light up all up and down this creek and produce waves of gobbling that you can hear moving in both directions. It is the sonic equivalent of watching The Wave at a ballpark. 

Using that analogy, we aren't down on the field, or trying to hunt in the middle of the box seats.  Rather, we're set up by the refreshment stand.