rybohunter

Sometimes I need to make a few trips to see if they are actually using the property, and maybe get an idea of which end if they are. Other places that I know they will be on I don't bother. I also don't like to go too early in the season cause movements change. Places around here are just too small to fully contain them.

Cougar Mag

My season starts in 12 days and ends in 16. I've not scouted and will not be entering the area I have chosen to hunt until opening morning, right after getting off of work. Hopefully the turkeys are still here, where I always see them during deer season. My other hunting areas do not seem to hold any turkeys so I've decided not to enter my turkey area until opening day. I am pretty new at this turkey hunting game so I need every advantage I can get, so I don't want to take the chance of educating them of my presence beforehand.

TEmbry

Some people scout, such as me, because they have multiple properties to hunt, with alot of pressure around each of them. I honestly dont know what farms have birds that made it through the last season...that is, until i go scouting. By scouting i dont run around waving my arms and spooking birds. It usually involves showing up before daylight listening for gobblers, and then driving around glassing fields from afar throughout the morning. Most of the properties I turkey hunt get hit hard on the neighboring properties, so scouting is neccessary to find which properties hold birds. I will probably hit up close to 10 farms this year, no way can I know where the birds are on each of these without some scouting.

Speaking of scouting, we went out yesterday to listen for gobbles at our best spot, so we thought. Not a peep, it was cold but we were still frustrated. As we were leaving the neighboring farm had a flock of 70+ birds in the corn field, not 500 yards from the place we hunt. Over 13 gobblers strutting and countless jakes in the mix. It is pretty exciting to see around 15 birds strutting at once. Looks like they are just now breaking out of winter flocks here. Once that happens this week, many of those birds will cross the street onto our property. We are working on permission across the road where they were as well.

I dont see how learning more about the birds you hunt could ever be "counterproductive", thats just me though. I am different, in that I enjoy and take turkey hunting way more seriously than deer hunting. Alot more fun for me.

MOmightymite

I hunt 95% Public land, so therefore I have to scout to figure out what area the birds are using. In a week or so I will go out and listen to try to find roosting areas. After a couple times of doing this, It will help pattern them. That's what I'm hoping anyway.

jmbuckhunter

I scout to see which way they go after flying down. A lot of times the birds don't respond to calling. So you just have to get ahead of them and cut them off at the pass. It helps to know where they want to go.

bloodcrick

I Have an advantage where i live, i get to watch them everyday from home from upstairs with a spotting scope. BUT what i like to know is where they roost and im always looking for the prefered strut zones, there are some areas they tend to favor out in the fields and it changes year to year. Right now i even know where they re-enter the woods going back to the roost. this is important to me because we can hunt evenings in Indiana. Im sure it will change since it is early, but ill be looking for that closer to the season. I have keyed in on some Toms that are un workable with calls and deeks, but liked to hang in the fields mid morning without hens, I have patterened such birds and was able to take them via ambush. I dont look at that any different than calling them in, not as exciting by all means but it wasnt gonna happen any other way, and i out smarted them because i figured out there routine.

jmbuckhunter

That right there is exactly why I scout for turkeys. Well said Danno!

bloodcrick

Great minds think alot hope to see you in a few weeks

Rick James

I scout a bit, but this is only my 4th spring on this property.Half the battle w/ turkeys is knowing and predicting where they want to go. I've found it a lot easier to call in a turkey when you are where he already wanted to go before you started calling. Patterning them this way helps me make the right move when I'm running and gunning. Once you know your birds well enough, I guess you probably don't have to do this. I'm 75% of the way there in 4 years on this property. I'll likely make one more scouting/foodplot work/firewood trip to camp before the opener.

TFOX

To pattern a certain bird.

I just haven't been able to get into turkey hunting,just comes at the wrong time of year for me.