Scouting....Before daylight?
 

I have a friend coming down to hunt in the Spring. We've got LOTS of birds, here......but I'm a bit nervous about locating them prior to his arrival. Is the best time to locate them before daylight? If I'm scouting during daylight hours.....am I taking a chance they'll peg me, calling?

Relatively flat land, here....but there are some mildly elevated perches from which to begin.

Any help would be appreciated.

RE: Scouting....Before daylight?
 

GMMAT, I scout them right after the sun has set. I know where they are roosting and I set up close by in the morning. I found this very effective in the fall when the turkeys can be patterned. It works well in the spring if you are a half way decent caller, which I am not. I have resorted to having friends call for me.

RE: Scouting....Before daylight?
 

I scout lots before daylight trying to pin point as many Gobbling Toms I can. I do NOT hen call to these birds but will use a Owl Hooter at times. I just let them wake-up naturally and then move on to the next spot. I mark areas and times I hear these birds then I come back and walk and glass to see if I can get a peak at what was Gobbling.

I mark all times I hear/see them in a journal and mark a topo map....and guess what......you will see a pattern develop....

Actually scouting is more fun. but when you hear the first Gobble - move on - take a differnt location and try to pinpoint that bird and then go find another.

JW

RE: Scouting....Before daylight?
 

Do NOT call to birds when trying to locate them, especially if you aren't actively hunting. I usually wait until it gets close to daylight to see if they gobble on their own. I use an owl call just before daylight and aCrow call most any other time IF they aren't. If you hen call when scouting you will just educate the birds and make it tougher when you are hunting. Occasionally, I will use a box call to locate them, but when I do, I'm ready to set-up quick and get to business in case one sounds off close by. I don't live close to where I hunt and I generally scout early in the day on the days I do get out, but most hard core hunters would probably agree that roosting a bird the night before is the best way to go.You'll know exactly where to set-up the following morning.

RE: Scouting....Before daylight?
 

I do all scouting (Tracks, Feathers, Droppings) the day before and locate them on roost just before sundown with an Owl Call marking the location from wherethey are answering back from. During the earlier part of the day I might use a Hawk Call to locate them.

RE: Scouting....Before daylight?
 

You can locate without calling. And that is the right way to do it. IMO. You can use crow or owl calls but no turkey before the season.
Try to get out therebefore daybreak and listen. Rightbefore it gets dark listen again as they will gobble when they go to roost. Not all the time but most of the time. If you do not hear any give an owl hoot or two in the morning (right before daylight)and follow it up with some crow calls after it lightens up a bit.
You can walk through the area and scout for feathers etc. during the day. If you do bust some they should not move out of the area, they willsimply avoid you for the day.
Find out where they are feeding and drinking by driving the area and glassing from afar. This should give you enough info to get started when your friend gets there.

RE: Scouting....Before daylight?
 

Well, I like to locate their roost at dusk with an Owl Callthe day before and I'll know exactly where they have roosted and make my way to that location before daybreak and be in position in the proximity of their locationwhen they start to fly down.If they are moving in my direction, I don't call with the box, but if they are moving away from me, I'll start calling softly.

RE: Scouting....Before daylight?
 

do as tkycaller says. Time is your best friend I think. Nothing else. Taking the time to just sit back and just watch the birds. As the season approaches I sure don't like to call to them with anything and I definitley don't walk through the bush or feilds I am going to hunt. The reason to walk the property would be to get to know it and I bet you know this land already. You said there is lots of birds so you don't need to go find feathers or poop to confirm their presence. Just sit back and observe and leave it untouched for you and your friend IMO. Move around at different times of day and watch for them from afar. Once you spot them, just watch them. That it's, that's all. You do this for a couple weeks before the opener and you'll know where to be when you're buddy arrives.

RE: Scouting....Before daylight?
 

Ditto'ing the above posts: never, ever, make trky calls to a bird before the season that you might want to kill during the season...
-fsh

RE: Scouting....Before daylight?
 

OK, My bad! He's asking to locate before the Season!;)

Yes, I also agree, try to locate without doing any calling and try not to disturb their patterns and habitat.