Newbie needs some advice
04-25-2017, 02:34 PM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 4
Newbie needs some advice
Hi,
I'm new to turkey hunting & hunting in general, the only thing i'm good at is killing tree rats with a .22. I went scouting for turkey this afternoon a couple days before the spring season opens. Found a bunch of tracks in a 4 acre field surrounded by pines, the field is half sand half grass, with streams running through the field edge. The tracks go in and out of the woods, but I didn't see any bird. So what should I do next? get up early in the morning find a spot to sit down and listen for gobbles? and I have no idea where they are roosting at this point.
I'm new to turkey hunting & hunting in general, the only thing i'm good at is killing tree rats with a .22. I went scouting for turkey this afternoon a couple days before the spring season opens. Found a bunch of tracks in a 4 acre field surrounded by pines, the field is half sand half grass, with streams running through the field edge. The tracks go in and out of the woods, but I didn't see any bird. So what should I do next? get up early in the morning find a spot to sit down and listen for gobbles? and I have no idea where they are roosting at this point.
04-25-2017, 02:44 PM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: west central wi USA
Posts: 2,242
Listening for gobbles would be an excellent next step. It'll give you a good idea where they're roosting. Given options, they may roost in several locations. So don't assume that the first place you hear them will be the only place. Other than maybe a crow call, don't call to them to initiate gobbling.
04-27-2017, 05:00 AM
#3
Spike
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 71
get up early in the morning find a spot to sit down and listen for gobbles?
Yep. Go in EARLY and try to tread as lightly as possible.
Owl hoots and coyote calls, and crow calls may get them going BUT most likely they'll start to gobble on their own time without prompting. I'd get in about 45 minutes before civil twilight and take a nap.
IMO the best bet is to sit and listen, figure out where they roost, then stick around for another hour at least to see if they gobble on the ground. You want to be where they like to fly down, not under their tree.
If you found tracks, they are in the area. Only problem with tracks is you don't know what time of day they're made
Yep. Go in EARLY and try to tread as lightly as possible.
Owl hoots and coyote calls, and crow calls may get them going BUT most likely they'll start to gobble on their own time without prompting. I'd get in about 45 minutes before civil twilight and take a nap.
IMO the best bet is to sit and listen, figure out where they roost, then stick around for another hour at least to see if they gobble on the ground. You want to be where they like to fly down, not under their tree.
If you found tracks, they are in the area. Only problem with tracks is you don't know what time of day they're made
04-30-2017, 02:25 AM
#5
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: PA
Posts: 470
Depending on how much time you have left this year, why not set up a trail camera near the spot where you saw tracks? Most trailcams have a time stamp on them, it would give you an idea how often and at what time the birds are entering and leaving the field.
