I was going to go scouting today but it snowed last night and there is probably 4 to 5 inches on the ground. The guy I was going with said we had better not and wait for the melt, which is ok for me, we still have 3 weeks until open season.He said it isnot wise to scout whith snow on the ground, I'm new at this and am trying to learn everything I can. This same guy wanted to bring his turkey calls when we go, I didnt tell him we shouldnt cause he's been doing this for years and I didnt want to tell an old dog that it wasnt wise to bring turkey calls when you scout because I've learned on this forum that the turkeywill learn from your calls, more so if they see you while youare calling. Any input on scoutinggobblers in the snow?

Thanks for you'r input I am learning alot

Sure do - I run the roads around my area as turkeys backlighted by snow stand out like a sore thumb! I do leave all calls at home - never use them during scouting - never.

But I see you are in Colorado while I am in Wisc. So roads in your area may not be that easily accessable.

However in Wisc - they are still flocked in good groups and we key on dairy farms and cattle feed lots as they are sources for food during winter. And is where we see birds.

I have also hunted spring Toms in the snow - wife hates me then as U swipe the white bed sheets for camo blinds.

JW

I figured it would be ok, but even in the write-ups here in magazines they always tell you to try to stay below snow line

Will have to try the bed sheet for camo, I think I'll wait till we leave the day before to pack them that way when I get back 3 days later she will have had time to cool off.
Also beats a $200.00 blind

HEY if you run into snow - I still hunted several times. This is what I did and in Colorado should work for you.

Located my Tom - the tree I picked was a fir tree - one was a cedar and on another set-up it was a white pine. Because of heavy snow I was worried in my camo I would stand out like a black blob - with all that camo on a white background.
Well I found fir trees with snow laden branches hanging low and was real carefull to cut a few openings to leave most the snow in place. With my camo and sitting back against the trunk - I stayed dry and was invisible to both Toms I shot at. The one set-up had the Tom come to my decoy 10 yards away but it was snowing so heavy I really could not see the beard. He was with 3 other Jakes that stopped short. He gobbled heavily but so did the Jakes. Well since I thought he was a Jake - I decided to let him go - He never went in strut to help me see if he was a mature bird. The snow was too deep to see spurs. But when he turned to go back to his buddies he had a draggin middle leg! That was his beard!
So once he got back behind a tree - I clucked again softlyand he came back out to which I whalloped him. We had so much snow - my hen decoy looked almost white with all the snow on the decoy's back.

That other time - was again snowing real hard - but this Tom came in silent to my calling. I had no decoy out - just had to find the time to get the gun up - and I missed!

But why hunt in snow - well I had dated kill tags - and limited vacation - so heck ya I'll be out there!

JW

I am not sure where you are going to scout on the plains or mountains, I hunt the mountains.[/align][/align]I would scout in the snow, in Colorado snow in April and may can happen and usually does. You need to know how their habits change with the snow. My turkeys are off the roost by 6:30 let it snow and that can change to 8:00.[/align]Find the roost and the rest is easy. Use the snow to track em finding their roost, strutting zone and travel routs.Merriam's travel a long distance, in the Colorado mountainsthey prefer to roost on east and south facing hills, ridges and gullies I have found that water is always close by the roost.[/align]Look for water, and east and south facing ridges, that's a very good start to mountain scouting.[/align][/align]Ileave my calls at home also and use only owl, coyote, peacock and crow calls to locate turkeys. I have also heard that elk bugles calls work great to locate turkeys.I hunted an area I always saw turkeys and I saw a hunter using turkey calls to locate turkeys as he was moving. I know the turkeys saw him because I never saw any turkeys that day.[/align]Good luck and have fun![/align]

They should move in 4-5" of snow.

However: When the snow gets deep turkeys do not like to walk a lot. There have been instances written where they have starved to death by refusing to fly down to fed when corn was been place on the under their roosting trees.

Deep snow can caused "Ice Balling" on their tails and with the extra weight they are unable to run, fly, roost in trees and often become victims of predictors....

Hard crusty snow will often take a tole on turkeys, since their ability to scratch for food is limited....

I just got back from scouting, decided to go by myself. I saw about 20 birds and never left my truck, there was quite a bit of snow and the fog was starting to come in so I decided to go back next week end. At least I know there are birds, next week I will find out where they are roosting and then I will leave them alone until opening day. Didnt look like anybody else had been there but hard to tell with all the fresh snow.

Thanks for the reply's. I am new to turkey hunting and need to learn everything I can. I went 2 years ago to nebraska with a friend and now I got it in my blood. Man I can't wait. I am hunting in the mountains this year and I hear its a different kind of hunt than Prairie hunting.
Hey JW. I got my bed sheet spotted, wifes keeping a close eye on me.lol

While walking at a 3d archery shoot a couple weeks ago we saw tons of turkey tracks. The snow was deep enough that you could see where a spur hit the snow while the birds were walking. If you were on your hunting ground scouting and saw this you could tell you if there is a gobbler.