Turkey Scouting

[Borch]

Well I've done more distance scouting than I have walking through the woods and fields.   I haven't seen a lot of birds in the fields.  In my walks on our hunting areas the tracks in the fields are hugging the wood edges.  When I have gone into the woods I'm seeing a lot of scratching on ridges and hill sides.  Must be a lot if bug and worms under the leaves right now as that is where they are spending a bulk of their time.  What is everyone else seeing?

[Wanderer]

I haven’t seen much area besides the 8 miles I’ve been traveling back and forth to work this week but I’ve heard some others comment the same thing: not seeing turkeys or deer as much in the fields.  Some, just not much.

 

To me that’s always the tell that the better food is in the woods just like you say you saw. 

[monstermoose78]

Been seeing a few turkeys on my drive it 61 miles to work covers lots of ground 

[Scoot]

My scouting isn't going very well.  I've seen a couple groups of gobblers, but they seem to be "here today, gone tomorrow".  They obviously don't go too far, but I am sure struggling to locate them consistently.  Frustrating!  

[Borch]

@Scoot Might still be redistributing after spring break up.  That can be the frustrating part of preseason scouting and hunting the earlier seasons. 

[snagfinder]

The numbers by me are way down from what they were 10 years ago or so. Used to be able to make 10-15 mile lap along the river and past my dads and see easy 100 turkeys or better. Made that lap 4 times in the last week and last night was the first night seeing any. 5  Sucks, when there was a pile of birds it was lottery now that you can just go they are gone. Im gonna guess cause we get to darn much rain in the nesting season. Pheasants by my dads were always plentiful but they kinda disappeared about the same time.

[snagfinder]

Took the drive last night after the snow. Saw zero turkeys and 97 deer. Fall should be good.

[Scoot]

Borch that's what it looks like to me. I'm still seeing birds (when I actually see them) in transition areas in between winter areas and where I usually see them during the season. 

[bobbymalone]

I'm surprised how early the season starts here.  I usually hunt Missouri and their season doesn't open until Saturday.  And they are a lot deeper into spring.  

[Borch]

Has always been that way.  But their season is a lot different.  No need to declare a 1 week season to hunt.  Ours starts earlier and last longer but is really 7 seasons rather than the one MO has.

Edited April 13, 2020 by Borch

[bobbymalone]

On 4/13/2020 at 6:00 PM, Borch said:

Has always been that way.  But their season is a lot different.  No need to declare a 1 week season to hunt.  Ours starts earlier and last longer but is really 7 seasons rather than the one MO has.

Yeah it's kind of a free for all down there.  I only messed with the MN season here once just because it's kind of a pain with the zones and seasons thing. Also I have a ton of private land to hunt in the ozarks so I usually get the job done down there. 

 

The one time I decided to get a MN tag it was prime turkey rut, I had turkeys flying down off the roost all over me but it was so cloudy and dark I couldn't see anything besides some shadows.  As soon as the sun came enough to see anything it started pouring and it proceed to rain for the 4 days straight.

 

This year I bought a MN archery tag so I can have more flexibility.

[minky]

I have been seeing turkeys in the woods and a few in the fields in east central mn.