Where to set up?

[DRH1175]

I was wondering what everyones stradegys are for setting up. Do you start in the woods then move to field locations. Stick to the woods or what? This will be my first hunt and am excited. Been praticeing my calls on the way to work. And been watching just about every turkey show on dtv.

[123fish]

We do a lot of sitting on the edges of fields where they meet the woods. Try to find a spot where the turkeys enter the fields and set up within gun range if possible. A real honeyhole is where a field or pasture makes a secluded point or corner back into the woods. Even better if it is located close to good roosting spots. We usually put out a decoy if the place isn't receiving too much pressure and the birds are decoy shy. The one thing we do for sure is stay put for a long time if we feel we are sitting over a good spot. Like from before legal shooting time to noon. Pop up blinds are great for this type of hunting. Patience and confidence in your spot is definitely a virtue with this type of hunting. Just remember, things can happen in a hurry. Good luck.

[Powerstroke]

In general I like a field edge mostly for the vie wit provides. Decoys can be seen form farther away and you can spot birds easier.

That being said, I hunted for 4 straight days and only saw 2 birds in the field. I was hunting a corn field that was left up all winter then harvested in the spring. Every animal was feeding in the corn left on the ground EXCEPT turkeys. So, if there is a great crop of acorns or nuts in the woods, plan to spend time in the trees.

[123fish]

Powerstroke makes a good point. You may be sitting on what should be a good field spot and if nothing shows you better have a plan B to make an adjustment. Last year we were sitting on a proven honeyhole that we had shot a number of turkeys over the years and they just wouldn't come into it. They were close to us but wouldn't come into the clearing we were hunting. Probably because of the pressure the place had recieved before we got there. By adjusting and staying in the woods we did manage two birds. You have to be versatile.

[DRH1175]

I will be setting up tomorrow on a spot I found where 2 gravel trails meet. Fresh turkey tracks crossing there as well. It butts up to a alfalfa field which has another wood edge meeting there. I have saw a hen there 2 different times while scouting. If a hen is present than tommy should show up sometime is what I am figuring? Are evenings as good as mornings?

[Hotspotter]

DRH:

Are you hunting with bow or shotgun?

I think many discussions here are assuming you will be hunting in a stationary manner; in such a situation, "setup" usually means field edge, intersection of logging roads/edge, and/or funnels.....anything that concentrates movement of turkeys.

However, when I think of a setup, I think in general and adaptive terms relational to wherever the gobbler I'm working might be. If I have a bird working a high ridge, pacing 100 yards back and forth, I won't position myself on the field edge far below him just to have a field-edge to setup on. Rather, I'll make my way within 100-150 yards of that ridge, and use my scouting to find an opening with good in-range visibility and some great back-cover with no hang-up points surrounding me. Then I'll make my call.

Setup in each situation means two very different things in that I will sometimes have 20 setups in any given day of hunting.

I guess I'd stress different things depending on your hunting style or weapon of choice.

Joel