scouting for spring gobblers

[the man]

What can I do now to scout for turkeys in the spring? Just walk around and look for turkey sign? Would they be in bigger flocks?

Thanks

[Archerysniper]

It really doesn't pay to scout now except to get familiar with the property you hunt. The birds are so grouped up now and will split up and move long distances before the season opens.

[DonBo]

Yep, what he said...

[Grayfox]

Like Archerysniper said, knowing the lay of the land is real important when you have to adjust your position in the predawn darkness or even during the day to a gobbleing bird. If you know of logging trails and open ridges that will be good places to ambush a strutting tom or even where there are area's that will keep a bird from coming to your call such as a swamp, stream, thick brush or downed trees. Also, I try to pick spots that I may use for a set up that have good visability and clean some of the brush out of the way so I can set up quick and quietly.

Rob

[Bowfin]

Last weekend I told my son to grab the .22 and we headed out to our public land turkey spot to do some combination squirrel hunting and turkey scouting. I wanted to be up on the crop rotation of the adjacent farms as it seems to dictate where the birds are going to be come spring. The last couple years they really keyed in on last years corn stubble fields. Found a good area to set up the first day and my son snipered a nice gray squirrel to boot.

[FishinFools]

Just got in from a four mile hike at my turkey spot. Not a sign seen. Did not hear a sound either during muzzle loader deer season in December. But I guarantee those woods and fields will be full of turkeys by April. Happens every year. They must to down to Florida or ? But they always spread out and come back. Usually in the week or two before Easter. Didn't find any sheds either. Bummer.

[Archerysniper]

They are starting to break up from the huge flocks around here and spread out more. Seeing more of the 9-10 birds in different fields then the huge groups of 100 that were around two weeks ago.

[Abndoc]

saw a flock of over 60 birds last night at sundown in a picked corn field..mostly hens- but we did spot 3 very large toms on the outer edge of the group.

[engfish]

Saw a large group of mostly hens in a picked field of corn coming back from Cannon Falls late yesterday afternoon. Earlier this winter there were about 50 birds in the same field but only a handful yesterday.

[Musky Buck]

Just in the last day or 2 the toms are busting up, 2 here, 10 there, 17 over there, 3 there etc. The big group saw Mr. Strutter with his 60-70 hens/YOY and they want in on that action. Should be some good dust-ups, plenty of toms around the section. Will this warm weather that's coming change them more so than an average winter/spring ? Wife called earlier and said they were fighting at our bird feeder again. The 1 will not let any Toms invade his physical space. They're quite the bird.

[Gordie]

It really doesn't pay to scout now except to get familiar with the property you hunt. The birds are so grouped up now and will split up and move long distances before the season opens.

They are still grouped up around here.

Yesterday we went hunting crows and scouting at the same time we seen a few crows in the one spot then we saw a flock of about twenty turkeys mostly hens and jakes and really didnt notice any toms but I'm sure they were not that far behind.

Heard no gobbling with all the crow calling we did