Scout Hard, Hunt Easy

1130 Views 14 Replies 10 Participants Last post by ThermalEnergy1, 2 mo ago

Live2Bowhunt

Discussion Starter · 3 mo ago

I'm glad that we didn't get the 3-5" of snow that they had forecasted. Yesterdays storm turned out to be a rain event for us, but we did get a nice dusting of snow overnight. I figured I'd let the turkey fly down, make some tracks, feed around and then get out and scout around a little this morning in an area I know holds turkey. I was walking the ridgeline peaking down over for bare patches and it didnt take long to find some.

I was in this area at the end of January and it was tore up then, so I know this is a hot feeding area that will hold them until the spring green-up. These birds tend to stick to the woods and thickets feeding around on assorted nuts and berries like beech, cherries, spicebush, japaneese bar berry, tulip poplar, witch hazel, etc.

Satisfied with what I saw on this side of the farm, I decided to jump in the truck and finish driving around the hill on my way home. As I drove by a little cut corn field, I saw a large flock feeding on the edge near where dad and I killed our fall turkeys in November. I had watched that flock during archery season and kinda figured they'd still be hanging out. I snapped a quick photo from the truck and drove off.

This is the time of year where I love to get into the woods, take inventory and start putting together the game plan. I'll have a solid 2 months of scouting put in before the season opens. When do you guys start scouting and what are the things you guys focus on in preparation for the season? I think this will be a pretty interesting topic to explore and discuss the different approaches. 🙂

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1 - 15 of 15 Posts

35 whelen

· #2 · 3 mo ago

Enjoyable way to spend time outdoors. Nice pics.

For the most part I don't scout. I know there are turkeys in the general area and I walk into the woods opening day and listen. I can hear for miles, then I go.

Reactions: 2

Hunter8319

· #3 · 3 mo ago

As much as turkeys travel in the winter months, I don't bother listening until mid April. There's a ton of hunting pressure around here, the name of the game is to know as many spots as possible. Even mid week, it might be my 4th or 5th stop until I find a truck free spot to start at. Luckily the same spots produce year after year, but on the flip side there are very few secret spots.

Reactions: 2

TBrom

· #4 · 3 mo ago

Good find. Looks like you found a cell phone, too.

I scout deer throughout the year and my turkey findings are a byproduct of those wanderings. I saw 16 gobblers still flocked up yesterday.

Reactions: 1

dpms

· #5 · 3 mo ago

Good stuff right there. I know you bowhunt turkeys so doing what you are doing now is important. Its a much different game then just heading to a spot and listening then making a move running and gunning.

Patrapper01

· #6 · 3 mo ago

I'll keep an eye out for them in fields or sign year round if I'm out but dont specifically scout. I've been hunting the same areas for along time so I pretty much know where they'll be and what they'll do. Don't really care where there at now because it will differ in the next month or two but I do try and locate them the night before a hunt and keep tabs on them during season.

6-DASHER

· #7 · 3 mo ago (Edited)

....it's the same thing with everything we all do, "you get out what you put in"...overall that's about the way it goes with everything.

Reactions: 1

Fairchild #17

· #8 · 3 mo ago (Edited)

This is Scout easy, Hunt not.
I scout these birds from my table as I eat breakfast. 5 longbeards worked the field yesterday. Turkeys have every square inch under the autumn olive torn up . I’ve never even attempted to kill one here.

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Live2Bowhunt

Discussion Starter · #9 · 3 mo ago

There are a few places with autumn olive bushes near me. I've never really seen any turkey activity near them, but insane amounts of bear activity. Broken branches, scat, teeth and claw marks.

The area also has a bunch of black and honey locust trees, I've seen turkey eat the seeds from the pods along with the bushy tips of foxtail grass in the late summer/fall.

Fairchild #17

· #10 · 3 mo ago

Live2Bowhunt said:
I've seen turkey eat the seeds from the pods along with the bushy tips of foxtail grass in the late summer/fall.

I killed an afternoon bird that was full of those green foxtail grass seeds. Absolutely stuffed to the max with one food source.
The only other time I've ever seen that was with dandelion parts, both leaves and buds that hadn't yet flowered. Softball size crop stuffed full..

ThermalEnergy1

· #11 · 3 mo ago

Live2Bowhunt said:
I'm glad that we didn't get the 3-5" of snow that they had forecasted. Yesterdays storm turned out to be a rain event for us, but we did get a nice dusting of snow overnight. I figured I'd let the turkey fly down, make some tracks, feed around and then get out and scout around a little this morning in an area I know holds turkey. I was walking the ridgeline peaking down over for bare patches and it didnt take long to find some.

I was in this area at the end of January and it was tore up then, so I know this is a hot feeding area that will hold them until the spring green-up. These birds tend to stick to the woods and thickets feeding around on assorted nuts and berries like beech, cherries, spicebush, japaneese bar berry, tulip poplar, witch hazel, etc.

Satisfied with what I saw on this side of the farm, I decided to jump in the truck and finish driving around the hill on my way home. As I drove by a little cut corn field, I saw a large flock feeding on the edge near where dad and I killed our fall turkeys in November. I had watched that flock during archery season and kinda figured they'd still be hanging out. I snapped a quick photo from the truck and drove off.

This is the time of year where I love to get into the woods, take inventory and start putting together the game plan. I'll have a solid 2 months of scouting put in before the season opens. When do you guys start scouting and what are the things you guys focus on in preparation for the season? I think this will be a pretty interesting topic to explore and discuss the different approaches. 🙂

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KEYOUK KEYOUK KEYOUK -----BOOM

Goosechaser

· #12 · 2 mo ago

I like to scout for several reasons.. the dog and I need to get our legs in game shape. I can usually find a bird in some obscure hollow that doesn't get any pressure so I keep them for when I strike out elsewhere. Plus I love to hear them gobble! I do calling preseason, prety sure after 52 years I can troll one in. Plus I love to be at camp.

Reactions: 1

Goosechaser

· #13 · 2 mo ago

Dont!

Live2Bowhunt

Discussion Starter · #14 · 2 mo ago

Along with scouting around home, I've been scouting in a part of the state I've never hunted before and I've found some promising activity. Tons and tons of scratchings and some of the biggest tracks I've seen since my Goulds hunt in Mexico. These hills around here absolutely suck, but I'm looking forward to the grind. I'm excited about the challenge I know I have ahead of me and embracing the suck until I toss one over my shoulder.

Whatever it takes...

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ThermalEnergy1

· #15 · 2 mo ago

Yes Sir, looks very promising! Good luck!

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