ryharris1983

whats the plan generally for scouting? whats usually your process? what time of day, how much in advanceof the season, any calling? How far into the woods to go? are you trying to spot turkeys or just hear them? Do you need to go full camo or does it really matter for scouting? I'll be turkey hunting for the first time this spring,a probably on public land. thanks alot

Arrowmaster

I try to spot turkeys by doing drive bys of the property I hunt. When I do got to the woods I will make a very intense walk through the woods, looking for turkey tracks, dusting spots, scratchings, roost trees etc. But I only do this walk a couple times. I try to stay out of the woods as much as possible. When season draws near I will go and try and roost the birds using my owl hooter. I go to one spot that is far enough away so I dont spook any birds. Im lucky because I have a high point I try to roost the birds behind the landowners house. Im basically right out their backdoor. I do not use any turkey calls during this time...

wis_bow_huntr

A big mistake most hunters make during scouting season is bringing calls in with them. NO NO! You can bring an an owl hoot with you, thats fine, but leave the turkey calls at home. This will only educate the birds. I like to go in just before roosting time and see if I can hear them fly up to roost. During the morning scouts I like to listen from the fields. Once they are down they usually start heading towards the fields in my area, so i sit in the truck ontop of a hill and watch. I can see all of my property from this hill and see where the birds ar coming out from.

FlywayControl

I never walk through my farms.Just glass fields and listen at daylight about a week before season.Usually where the jakes were using the year before is where the longbeards will be the next.If you hunt a farm long enough,they will keep about the same habits,dustbowls etc.

Charlie P

I'll walk through the woods, couple places I hunt there are no fields.

Where they roost, where they water(this can be tough in some area's because there is so much of it) food and the the hens. If you know these things your well on your way.

MosesLakehunter

Make as little noise as possible. Try to limit even locating calls. I go at dawn and try to find where they roost. Ideally I watch with binos and see witch direction they take of from the roost and at what time. I will try to locate where they are feeding /strutting with the binosbut I don't get too close. Finally mid day I will go down where I think Ican intercept them after they come off the roost and getthe lay of the land and visualize where I am going toset up. Afterwatching the same birds for a while I can get a real good feel for their patterns and be in the right spot when it comes time to hunt.