ORIGINAL: wingchaser_labs
Scouting only dirupts the bird IMO unless you are doing it from a road or somethign by spotting scope..... I never scout cuz our birds use the same strutting areas every year and all I do is go out and find em the night before on roost. Then I set up between where they are roosted and where I think they want to go (hen roosting areas or strutting areas/on the edge of it) depending on what part of the season we are in. If thetoms are locked up with hens I get between them and the hens on roost. If the toms are really looking I go straight for the strutting areas cuz they will show up real fast comin off of roost. WCL
I agree. Living on a thoroughbred, I do my scouting from horse back because it doesnt spook the birds. When I scout this time of the year I put more emphasis on where the hens are, rather than the males. Because, like winchester_labs said, during the course of the season your males are eventually gona get henned up, and it will pay to know where the hens are going to lead those gobblers.