Help a beginner scout... pic!
 

Ok, so this year is going to be my first time turkey hunting. I have practiced a lot with my calling, and have managed to get a few gobblers within range practicing. Anyway, I have never scouted for turkeys before and am going this weekend to see what I can find. Below is a pic of the main area I will be hunting... I have color coded it and will explain what each means.

The orange line is the boundary of where I can hunt. The blue lines represent water. The purple area is CRP grass, and the yellow field will be planted corn this spring. Last year it was beans. The red dot is where I put the smackdown on my buck last fall. The big river to the North looks great, but I do not have permission to hunt that.
Anyways, how would one go about looking for turkey/ turkey sign before the season? Do I bring a call and see if I can get some to talk? Or do I just sit up on a ridge and look for birds? I will be getting there before daylight ready to scout, but could use some advice as to what you guys would do. Do any areas on that photo look better than others? There are other spots I can hunt besides the above photo, but they are mainly open fields with minimum timber. Do turkeys require a lot of cover to roost, or should I glass over the crop fields as well? Any and all advice is appreciated. And thanks for helping a beginner hopefully let the hammer down on a gobbler this spring.
Thanks,
Dan

RE: Help a beginner scout... pic!
 

Do NOT call to birds while scouting this can only cause harm as they might spook causeing them to become call shy. I would walk through the timber (if any) and look under any potential roosting trees for sign. Oaks are about the turkeys favorite tree around here. If you know birds are around that corn field will be your best friend if you can hunt it when the sprouts are just starting to come up as the turkeys love to eat them.

RE: Help a beginner scout... pic!
 

I agree with buck about the fresh planted corn. Not being able to walk the land personally and just a guess from the picture. I would say that field slopes to lower elavations running to the creek. I would set myself up on the creek and glass the field for a few days if you have the time. Turkeys are a creature of habit and if their are birds there they will enter the field from the same spot and about the same time every day. Leave the turkey calls at home but, you could try a crow call a few times for location, don't over do it.

After you see where and when they are entering the field, watch for Toms, hopefully there is more than 1 with the flock. Set yourself up a hundred or so yards from where they enter the field on the fields edge but, not crossing their route to do so. Light purrs and some yelps should get you a bird. Do not overcall. They will hear you before you can hear them so have your game face on and come up shooting!!

RE: Help a beginner scout... pic!
 

Look for roost trees, mauddy areas along creek bottoms should show you turkey tracks.

if the birds are using that corn field - hone in on the roosting area. From your arial photo are those real dark green areas trees and forests?

And do understand the reason not to call while scouting - no sense in making birds call shy.....so I firmly agree with others no turkey talk until it is time to hunt.

Now if you can afford it early morning as first light is breaking get your self at high elevations and near trees and listen for Toms to sound off. They should beGobbloing wellnow! You could use an Owl Hooter but nothing more. On clear mornings you should be able to hear more than a mile or so. So figure a way you can get all around he property in a short amount of time. If you hear a gobble - move quickly to a new location and see if you can't triangulate on him. Once you have a good idea - note it on your map and go back during the day silently and check it out. Always stop at field edges during the day and glass carefully......you should find birds and should be able to develop a pattern.

Good luck.

JW

RE: Help a beginner scout... pic!
 

I would plant my A$$ right in the middle of that field with the yellow lines and just lisenfor birds to gobble and try to locate there roost area...

RE: Help a beginner scout... pic!
 

After you have heard them gobbling, and possible figure out where they go after they fly down, come back later and look for alot droppings under trees where you think they were roosting so you can pinpoint the roost sight a little more. alot of new hunters make the mistake of getting to close to the roost and busting the birds because they were closer than thought when they are hunting (hard to judge sound in the woods) I almost bet they will roost near the water at least they do in my area. In my area they prefer roosting in big old pine trees.

RE: Help a beginner scout... pic!
 

Yes... Those are plots of timber. I think what I'm gonna do based on everyone's advice, is get there before sunrise, sit in the middle of the field and listen for a while. Then once the sun's been up for a while I will go around with my bino's and do some glassin of the different fields. I will also walk along the creek and look for tracks. Thanks to all for the help so far.

RE: Help a beginner scout... pic!
 

I'd sit the edge of field and wood line as high elevation as possible- the open middle field will get ya caught and seen.....

and after taking a gander at your map you have roads that can get you form one side to the other. Great advantage to moving quickly and just listening.......youwill pin any gobbling Tom and know where he is.

JW

RE: Help a beginner scout... pic!
 

all the info above is very good here are some of my tips for yah
1. Turkeys love to be out in the open when it rains bc they hate to hear the rain and they get nervouse .
2.DONT call load in the morning. think about you waking up do u want someon yelling!:D
3. I live in ma and around here they love white pines so look for whit pines if ur from around here but if your not look for droppings on the ground and feathers.
4. As spring gets closer look for marks in the sand on roads or in that corn field that look like someon draged a garden rake those are a toms wings draggin as hes strutin. He'll proble return there at least once a day.
5. PATIENCE PATIENCE PATIENCE. Just when you think that the tom inst coming wait another 20 minutes if he hasd been calle to before he might be comiing in silent. keeps your eyes and ears open.
hope this info helped yah and if you have anymore questions donthestate to PM me

RE: Help a beginner scout... pic!
 

I would first listen along the river, birds like to roost over or near water if its available.Then check along the field edges, watch from a distance and listen from a distance and like others have said before dont call with a turkey call, you can owl hoot or crow call or coyote, pecok but no turkey calls.Good luck