When to start scouting for birds in northern states.

[Mossberg90MN]

Minnesota guy here, just wondering when you guys go out and start trying to find turkeys?

I went to just scout a piece of land the other day and the snow was pretty deep. It would be pretty hard for a turkey to move through all that snow, so I imagine they may not show up there until the snow melts away quite a bit.

For all you guys in the Northern states that deal with a lot of snow in the winter time, when do you go out and try to find turkeys?

I know they're are still going to be in there winter modes, but I feel like early season here might have us hunting there winter range for the first couple weeks of the season, before they start to break away from the flock entirely.

[Happy]

Not a true Northern guy but at do live at a pretty high elevation. We have snow typically till mid March. With a few squalls thrown in after just for fun. Anyways Turkey's start swinging into their spring hangouts about the end of March. Most of my scouting anymore is done in march. Going out and listening as well as covering ground looking for tracks and scratching. I have a leg up just because over the years I have an inventory of areas that I know the birds prefer. However I am constantly covering new ground just to have options.

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[Mossberg90MN]

Thanks for the response.

That's what I was thinking March. Because right now it's too heavy snow for them to really leave an area.  Once the snow melts a bit they will begin to travel to a new spot.

I think I may drive around some public land and look for some private farms that are holding birds at the moment. Good chance they may move over to the ridge habitat come once the snow starts to melt. I mean they just about have to considering the needs for nesting.

Cool. That's what I was thinking.

[callmakerman]

I live in central NY and we can get bombed with snow off the great lakes. This year so far not to bad. I begin my scouting the last few days of March and for sure April as our season opens May 1st. In the first few weeks not much really changes as the birds are all flocked up. Yes there's gobbling and yes you can see some nice toms. The most important time is the last 2 weeks or so before the season as the birds will start breaking up and then you will start to get a picture where the smaller groups and the toms have set up shop. It still changes through out the season but being in the woods hunting you'll pickup on and adjust to that.

[Mossberg90MN]

Yea luckily the snow hasn't been too bad compared to last year. But I was still finding areas that were knee high to thigh high. Obviously too much for turkeys.

Yea I planned on trying to find flocks come March and then really crunch time it 2 weeks before the season opens. Start patterning them and finding favorite ridges or fields and such.

[Bowguy]

I guess it depends on your definition. I typically start looking for the winter flicks in Feb. That's before breakup. The birds are usually gobbling and displaying by than. Most is audible or long range glassing but the very little I do actually walk into the woods for something the wingtip marks in the snow are obvious.
Come March they begin to move but not real far often from where they were February.
I keep tabs on em and come break up they're not crazy far from there. I live at the edge of a mountainous area and the birds simple become lower/more visible.
Again almost all aubible, long distance viewing. No need to actually have a presence in their haunts, doing so is self defeating.

[Happy hooker]

Hey guy I'm a Minnesota guy too I live in Shakopee,,unless you hunting North of Hinckley bird populations are pretty dense most places South of there, even right on the U of M campus in st paul.
What I've found beneficial in the winter is find left up corn and food plots on private or public land close to food plots,, that will surely hold turkeys in spring. Also if you secure a farm or private land to hunt or pick a public spot it's helpful to walk the property when there's no leaves on trees or bushes that way you can see the ridges and valleys much better and possible better set up locations before they green up.
Also depending on how mean or nice march is a mountain bike ride around the township or area is great for scouting because you can hear and see better then in a vehicle.
Here's a tip i use too for pheasants,, driving around area scouting stop and ask kids you see where they see turkeys,,kids usually tell you the truth.
Don't overlook the metro zone permits there's a ton of birds along the Minnesota river.

[shaman]

I know.  Kentucky is south, but I'm 10 miles from the Ohio River, and the season opens 4/18 this year.  That's north enough for me.

For the better part of the past 20 years, we've been coming back to Turkey Camp given the following criteria:

1)  It's after the Super Bowl
2)  It's not pouring down rain. It isn't snowing, and there is no ice.
3)  The predicted HI for Saturday is at minimum 50F

Some years, that happens in late February. In some years it isn't until the last weekend of March.  I pack a bag and watch the forecast.  The reasons for this are manifold. The biggest of these are safety and comfort.  When Cincinnati gets snow, Camp will get ice.  When the Camp gets snow, it has a tendency to stay on the roads, because of inadequate snow removal. It doesn't take much to shut down the whole county.  Also, we're at the far end of the grid, so sometimes the power will be off for 6 weeks at time.  Lastly, until the weather starts to warm up, I don't usually hear much.

So now what?  Usually about the first or second week in March, the forecast falls marginally in the limits and we go.  I have taken to making that first trip back on Saturday morning.  I used to rush down Friday night, but the house is wickedly cold, having sat empty for 3 months. It is better to start Saturday morning.  Also, I've found it is better to show up in daylight. I never know what surprises I will have when I get there.

What do I do when I get there?  Saturday, I'll usually do some hiking and just get a good feel for how the winter went.

Sunday AM, I get down to serious scouting.   I bundle up and go out and sit on the front porch and sip my coffee and wait. When it finally gets close to sunrise, I put down my coffee and let out a big owl call.  If the turkeys are back up on the ridge, I'll get an answer. In fact, I'll get a chain of gobbles for as far as I can hear.  If not, I get complete silence, and I know it isn't time yet.  It usually takes a weekend or two to get an answer.

Hens?  If the gobblers gobble, I know it is time to go around to the back of the house and sit and wait.  There is always a flock of hens about 200 yards from the back patio that sound off as they're flying down.  If things are really good, the turkeys down in Dead Skunk Hollow will also be vocal.  I know that by the next weekend, I'll be able to hike out at first light and record stuff for a podcast from one of my favorite listening posts.

[Ol timer]

Here in NJ the birds are usually in flicks of 20 or more all winter, most times the weather is the key in March for you to start to see the first of the mating stages take place. Most Toms are starting to come active and leaving the winter core areas. By April it's a great time to scout your areas as they become vocal and more visible early mornings. It's game on in April.

[tracker#1]

WNY here. I try and to scout with some snow, If we get some in late February, like a 2" dusting, I pick out a "big" tom's track and "back track" him to the roosting tree area. If he makes that roost a "habit". I'll mark it down. Then check out more ground. Good trick for ground you never hunted yet and plan too....

[Mossberg90MN]

Hey guy I'm a Minnesota guy too I live in Shakopee,,unless you hunting North of Hinckley bird populations are pretty dense most places South of there, even right on the U of M campus in st paul.
What I've found beneficial in the winter is find left up corn and food plots on private or public land close to food plots,, that will surely hold turkeys in spring. Also if you secure a farm or private land to hunt or pick a public spot it's helpful to walk the property when there's no leaves on trees or bushes that way you can see the ridges and valleys much better and possible better set up locations before they green up.
Also depending on how mean or nice march is a mountain bike ride around the township or area is great for scouting because you can hear and see better then in a vehicle.
Here's a tip i use too for pheasants,, driving around area scouting stop and ask kids you see where they see turkeys,,kids usually tell you the truth.
Don't overlook the metro zone permits there's a ton of birds along the Minnesota river.

Oh nice! Yea I'm in Maple Grove, but I've been driving to down to SE Minnesota as of recent. A bike is a good idea and I actually plan on scooping one up just for covering ground. I'll be hunt public land, yea hopefully March will be good, this winter hasn't been too bad so far.

[Mossberg90MN]

Thanks for all the replies! Lots of good techniques and time windows I plan on giving a try.

[Parrot Head]

SE Indiana here.  My birds leave for winter end of October.   And like clock work show back up first of April every year.  So I will have my cameras out the first of April.   We open so dang late here April 22nd.

[nyhunter]

 I started scouting in 1986, and haven't stopped yet it's a year round process for me,

[Mossberg90MN]

SE Indiana here.  My birds leave for winter end of October.   And like clock work show back up first of April every year.  So I will have my cameras out the first of April.   We open so dang late here April 22nd.

I take it by then most of the snow has melted? I have noticed that they do tend to have they're annual routes. Not as random as you think a turkey would make it.

They show up in my suburban neighborhood every summer. Stick around for most of it before heading off.