croc2116

I am new to turkey hunting and Have a few questions. I have been scouting a property, that I deer hunt, for a few weeks in a river bottom area of Maine. I have seen toms at top of hill in the timber crossing the road. About 500yards through the timber and down by the river there is a field where I saw a lot of toms last year at mid season. Where should I hunt? Should I use decoys right away or is there a phase or time when it is best to use decoys?
Thanks

Phil from Maine

I would try and locate the way they most travel to and from there. If you can find their route set up with a hen or to back around 25 yard or so. I would not be using a tom or jake there just yet. Do a call or 2 and just wait. They will hear you if they are traveling threw there and then it is a big waiting game. Just make sure you have a spot where you can see them if they come in and a place to help keep you under cover.. Good Luck on getting a bird..

w123t

croc2116,

First, good luck out there Monday. I personally like
hunting in the woods. If you can find an open area
in the woods near where you have seen the toms
crossing that might be a good spot to set up and
try calling. It should be a place where you have
good visibility for 60 yards or so, so the bird is not
right on top of you when you see him. Pick a big tree
to sit against so you can be comfortable and preferably
in the shade.

Second, best think you can do is get out there before
daylight and figure out where they are roosting and
where they go after they fly down, they started
gobbling around 4:45 this morning and flew down
around 5:30.

Third , once that field starts to green up , they
should be using it.

swampbuster

Also don't overlook the field if you are seeing them there as well. Good luck with your season

jmedenf

Ditto on finding the roost and fly down locations. Glass the field area the hours before sunset and watch where they go to fly up. Also, watch for the areas where the toms strut the most. They will use it again. Setup decoys 20 - 30 yards in front of you in the field where they are visible to most parts of the field, especially visible to the roost area and fly down areas. Visibility is key to using decoys. Also, make sure you have good cover behind you so turkeys won't walk behind you and see you. Most importantly, be patient. Good luck out there.

Phil from Maine

While I am not sure where he is hunting and I have my own areas.. 2 things come to mind here. 1st he states down by the river.. With being stated we have had an awful lot of rain and most all streams and rivers are at or over flood stage. If this field is located on the river's edge it most likely would be covered with water. ( or pretty near it ) 2nd if other hunters are aware of it the turkeys maybe harder to find because of it. So I would choose the woods in this case without knowing all the facts to it. Also he had stated during the fall in which case he most likely should of scouted the area out before heading into it.. That is just my opinion and nothing else based on what is being stated..

croc2116

Phil Sorry about the mix up but I have been scouting this area for the last two weeks before 2014 season. The river isn't over flowing into field. I went out yesterday, found droppings, feathers, saw a hen and found a spot on the field to setup. then preceded to scout the woods and found a blind and a natural blind about 200 yards from where I want to setup. Would it be wrong or unsportsmen like to setup that close to someone else.

Topgun 3006

If the blind you have found has been recently set up for someone to use for turkey season, I would not set up anywhere near it. IMHO 200 yards is way too close for two different parties to turkey hunt a spot. Is it possible it's a blind that was used for the deer season last year and whoever put it up left it out there?

Phil from Maine

I would have to agree with Topgun on this one.. If you know where they are traveling to get to the field I would set up a hen or 2 and wait for them to move in on you. There is a good chance that who ever is hunting there will scare one out when entering that field. It is also likely that they would come by you first and you would get your pick ahead of them.. Without really knowing the exact situation it is a hard call. But, none the less I would not be setting up so close to the others..

croc2116

Maybe it was from deer season. I didn't get close enough since they are not my blinds.