Turkey Scouting

[Ben1022]

Just wondering if/when most are planning to start scouting turkeys, if you haven't already begun. If so, what have you found/observed so far? I likely won't have time to scout for my late season until 2nd week of April and will have to see how the earlier hunts affect the areas I may be hunting.

[Hotspotter]

I'm seeing bigger groups of gobblers together still, which isn't a surprise as I think it's early to see the big winter flocks break up yet. Yesterday I saw 3 toms pecking at each other amongst a few hens.....maybe the warmer weather got their blood running.

I scout very little until just before the season I'm hunting. I tend to "ramp-up" efforts as the season draws near, as I feel that the freshest information will impact my hunt the greatest. Though, if I had more time, I'd probably be out there more!

Joel

[CornPirateKiller]

Not really scouting yet, but I have been on the lookout, trying to spot birds in the area I'll be hunting. Their habits will change a lot as the season progresses so it's doesn't do much good to pattern their schedule now. I'll wait until it gets closer to my hunt time to really scout seriously. Still like to get out and see the big boys starting to strut and gobble. Really gets my blood pumping!!!

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Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati (When all else fails, play dead)

[run-n-gun]

I started scouting about 2 weeks ago in the central MN area. We aren't calling at all, just checking the terrain for turkey activity. I know we pushed some birds around, but I don't think it really bothered them. The weather has been bad on weekends lately, but I know a few have been seen strutting already. They're not really putting a lot of heart into it though - should change in a couple weeks!

[Borch]

Still a bit early to do any serious scouting. I'll maybe get out to scout a few new pieces I have to hunt next weekend just to get the lay of the land figured out.

Anything you find now relating to birds will change in a few weeks. The birds are still mostly in their winter flocks. Although I've been seeing smaller groups of birds the past few days(3-6). So it should start happening pretty soon. But until the flocks break up there's not much use to scouting as they will significantly change thier patterns and location then.

Good Luck!