Flashlights and turkeys

[DaveH]

I feel that flashlights do spook turkeys - much more so than deer. I've had turkeys spook off the roost over 100 yards away the second I turned one on.

What do y'all do when you need to use your flashlight to access your spot in the dark? Would a red headlamp work? Going in extra early might also be an option, but I'll be getting up at a ridiculously early hour already!

Ideas please?

[johnshiredman]

I have a green light on my headlamp I picked up from Cabelas (I believe it's a Streamlight), which claimed to not spook game.So, I'd like to add green to your question about red lights and others experiences when Turkey hunting.

Thanks,

J

[JLmoore1956]

I use one of the LED lights, never had any problem with them and turkeys. Most times though, don't use any light at all.... try to know where I am going or use markers to assist.

[huntnma]

the only reason i even bring a light(LED) with me is so i can shine it for on comers, lol....once i leave the road and hit the woods, it's only the light of the moon for me.....

[mauser06]

come to think of it i dont think i even carry a flashlight into the turkey woods. guess im kinda lucky...im either hunting farm land and dont have much walking in the woods..or am hunting the state game lands or national forests and use trails and cuts and old logging roads etc. i also go in as early as possible..but like you said its hard to get there REALLY early because the sun is up so early..often times i wont leave the trails or fields till they gobble off the roost. some birds here are religious about roosting in the same tree..others are not. so i usually wait and see where they are exzactly before stepping in..unless im hunting birds i know are in a certain tree..or ill close distance within 200-100yds of the known roosting area..all depends...the more i hunt the less i use a flashlight..seems to hurt more then it helps. if you go in in the dark you can see pretty dang good in 15 minutes or so..flashlight kills your eyes..i got away from it deer hunting this year too..except when setting up the climber etc..but i guess if i had to assemble a blind or set up deks or something id need one..

[RIStrutStopper]

I got myself an LED flashlight last year, it has 5 bright white LEDs, and one red one. It has 2 separate switches, so you can turn on the white or red alone, or both. I try to not use anything at all if I'm hunting familiar property, but a quick on with the red LED is better than tripping and making all kinds of noise.

[fantail]

I've spooked several turkeys with a light while duck hunting on rivers or heading to my spot I should say. During turkey season I use white led lights and have never spooked one because of the light. Last year I roosted a bird and set up on him the next morning the only problem was when it got daylight I was only about 40 yards from him (wasn't sure exactly which tree he was in) and he didn't spook from the led light. Didn't get to shoot him though.

[3 gobblers]

ORIGINAL: DaveH

I feel that flashlights do spook turkeys - much more so than deer. I've had turkeys spook off the roost over 100 yards away the second I turned one on.

What do y'all do when you need to use your flashlight to access your spot in the dark? Would a red headlamp work? Going in extra early might also be an option, but I'll be getting up at a ridiculously early hour already!

Ideas please?

Go in a little early. Turkeys sleep with their heads tucked under their wings going in early they wont see the light

[fshafly2]

I walked unexpectedly into a largeroost at O-dark thirtythis pastJanuarynear whereI planned tobowhunt from a climbing tree stand. The turks appeared to be spooked at my streamlight greenLED light and I heard several fly. I wonderedhow they could handle taking to wing in the darkness??I turned the light off, no more flying even as I walked the shortdistanceto mytree. The birds did not spookeither as I climbed (quietly as possible).
Off topic, but interesting: just a bit later, a bald eagle landed at first light on the edge of their roost, and the turks let him know that they did not appreciate his presence with lots and lots of alarm putting. I could see several turks roosting near me. I thought I'd see something happen, but eventuallyall the turks flew down away from the eagle and he ignored them.I heard lots of lost yelpinglater inthe morning as the early birds that flew off (?) came backlooking for the flock. A few of these birds hung aroundwithin 20 yds of my treebefore moving off, kind of neat to watch and listen.
-fsh

[turk2di]

By keeping your flashlight directly on the ground & not flashin it all around, you can get away with it more than u think.