When are you going to start scouting?

[Diehard0123]

I was thinking the beginning of March, how about you guys?

[MuleyontheWall]

I was kinda thinking that same time...just depends on the snowline...have a few different places we are going to try so it just depends on the weather...

[teal101]

Never if this snow keeps up

[Turkeyman]

March

[turkey slayer]

I'LL SET GAME CAMERAS UP IN MID MARCH AND START LISTENING AND ROOSTING BY THE 1ST OF APRIL,AND LIKE TEAL SAID, IT DEPENDS ON THE SNOW ALSO

[NWTFhunter]

Ya, when the snow aint up to my asss

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

Today.

[EastWaViking]

Probably not until the summer time. Might try and do a little bit while looking for elk antlers in April to try and figure out their migration paths, but I want to get in some turkey hunting also.

What good does it do to scout so early if the animals aren't where you are going to be hunting them anyways? I will wait to do the most of it when they are on their summer range.

We are talking turkey hunting.  Not big game.

[SpokaneSlayer]

I'm starting today.  Going to try and locate a new spot I saw on a map.  I'll start putting my trail cam up next month.  They are gobbling now.  I heard them last weekend.

[bowhuntin]

Probably not until the summer time. Might try and do a little bit while looking for elk antlers in April to try and figure out their migration paths, but I want to get in some turkey hunting also.

What good does it do to scout so early if the animals aren't where you are going to be hunting them anyways? I will wait to do the most of it when they are on their summer range.

We are talking turkey hunting.  Not big game.

Oh, I see. Sorry I always look at the recent posts and don't realize what forum it is posted in. 

I don't scout for turkeys. It is to long of a drive from the westside. Will the turkeys still be in the same area if you scout pre season or do they move on by the time the season rolls around.

[teal101]

I'LL SET GAME CAMERAS UP IN MID MARCH AND START LISTENING AND ROASTING BY THE 1ST OF APRIL,AND LIKE TEAL SAID, IT DEPENDS ON THE SNOW ALSO

This last week hasn't been too promising looking with all this damned snow

[yelp]

Already started getting permission and Working on a few new properties.  Most of these areas traditionally have turkeys so scouting isn't as necessary until a week before season.  Also on these late winters late spring years Toms will be henned up.  That damn snow is deep this year and many roads are shut in...I saw a guy heading north in onw of the polaris's with the snow trax...looked fun.

[GUHunter]

Probably early to Mid-March, but like everyone else said, the snow may be a factor. I have seen them most of the year in the area I hunt, so I'll bet they are still around.

[Machias]

I never start till 1st part of April. 

One thing all you early scouters could do, a big favor, is leave your calls home.  Temptation is too great for most of you not to have a little fun.   

[Wacenturion]

Leaving the scouting to Yelp.....although might show up a day or two early at camp to make sure he's not putting me in a pocket full of jakes...lol

[yelp]

The jake pocket is full I will have youth hunters and others, I got you in blind #6 the outhouse blind...Its got a nice seat and reading material...LOL 

[Wacenturion]

The jake pocket is full I will have youth hunters and others, I got you in blind #6 the outhouse blind...Its got a nice seat and reading material...LOL 

Oh.....you very funny   I  don't want to shoot just some "crappy" gobbler ya know.   

[Houndhunter]

once the snow melts off, early june to late july

[10Key]

First weekend in April

[Phantom Gobbler]

Yelp,  What is your unit rate to prescout and roost a mature gobbler the night before the opener?  I just might be interested! 

[yelp]

In the past, I have watched turkey flocks day in and out for several weeks in a row.  Many guys scout way to early and there maybe some birds in those areas, but the biology and sociology of turkeys affects where birds will be. 

Here is how I have viewed the transitional stages of turkeys..

Once the pecking order has been established in these wintering flocks many of the males will then compete for hens.  The spring breakup will continue for weeks.  Toms are busy breeding and trying to keep track of hens and other toms trying to steal hens.  We have so many hens nowadays It is highly likely most toms will have a girlfriend or two.  The hens once bred will start to get nesting sites ready and many already have established nesting areas that they will go to every year.  This in itself tends to spread out the local population and many toms will follow.  During this period you will see toms and hens on the roost, they hit the ground around 5: 45 am and will breed and feed for 1-3 hours...then the hens will start heading to nesting areas to preen and get nest ready for laying...most of these hens are sick of being pestered by the toms, because they think like most guys...well she gave it to me yesterday maybe I'll get lucky today!..(I have seen slutty hens too, that tend to like it, that is another issue...damn hens)  So if you are hunting during this period you will see lone hens around 10-3 o'clock.  Now remember there are lots of hens so if she isn't putting out those toms are looking and chasing...This is the reason why I kill 90% of my gobblers while most hunters are eating lunch.  ..Once the hens are done getting the nest ready they head back to roost to be with the flock.  And it starts all over the next day.  Once the hen starts laying eggs she will lay and one egg per day until she's done.  If a hen has 12 eggs in her nest it took her 12 days to lay them.  During the laying period you will see lone hens in the afternoons and they will go back to roost.   Once the hen is done with the laying she will start incubating...So how do you as hunters know this is happening during season?  Many hens when incubating will get up to eat and *censored* once/twice a day.  An incubating hen will Golf ball size droppings.    Once these hens start incubating the roost becomes emptier an emptier.  There will still be immature hens that will be on the roost.  THis is a fun time to hunt usually first two weeks of May...because when the roost is empty what you will see are toms looking and searching and traveling looking for anything to hump. Kinda like the first days of spring break!  LOL

I once jumped a hen off of a nest in the Kelly Hill area on May 1st..she had 14 eggs...that meant she started laying on Opening Day.  Which is normally the case that most hens are bred before opening day..This is also ehy they don't have turkey seasons to early.

I know that even if I have done my homework and know where they will be..It is hard to figure how far some of these turkeys will go from wintering areas to what they call home or where they will raise their young. I know this varies a lot but it What I see is Merriams like to accomplish this in elevation, where Rios will tend to go higher if it is there but they will go further distance wise.  Again it also is relative to habitat and how much it will support.  Up north in Stevens county...Snowberry (buck brush, where the ticks live  LOL)) in the understory is the most common species.  Many Merriam hens will start nesting with when the snowberry starts leafing out (turning green).  So that is one indicator I use as to what stage the turkeys maybe at. 

So in essance I like to scout the week before I go...I also have hunted several areas and I know for the most part where birds may be.  I still like roosting the bird or putting them to bed...It adds to the hunt but when you know the birds will be there...you don't have to go in and blow the owl call or bugger it up.  I like listening vs. calling...get up high in the evenings and just wait..If I want I coyote howl, etc..but there is some element of surprise to that.

The one good thing about scouting early is learning the habits of the turkeys at different times of the day.  I have scouted some flocks that might loaf around a pasture for 5 hours before going to water or to scratch. 

The biggest problem to scouting early is that if the turkeys move onto private land and off of the area you secured permission for , you maybe calling at ghosts come opening day. 

One tip if you are hunting an area that is new is talk with the landowner and ask him what the birds do...do they travel which direction, where do the gobble in May?, etc...

Some guys hunt the same spot every year ,because they know what the birds do...

Early scouting does get you keyed up that is for sure.  If I go any earlier than a week before I can't sleep, I dream about them and then Opening day comes and I look like I just saw RAMBO for the first time...I kill the first damn tom I see and then I get it out of my system...I like the hunt the kill is almost anticlimactic. 

The other thing we do in our camp is enjoy the bird...We don't flock shoot or kill more than one tom a day...even though you can.  I love enjoying the hunt and the moment/accomplishment.  I also can say that I enjoy the gobble the most.  IT makes me feel alive.

I should write a book...LOL sorry guys for the long reply...

[yelp]

I also forgot to add that scouting turkeys doesn't have to mean driving around looking for turkeys.  If you know where winter flocks hang you can look on the internet GIS and mapping sites also look up county ownership info...etc.  This homework can be an advantage when out in these areas.  I also carry a notebook with every landowners name and phone number in it...I also get their address too, so that I can send them a thank you...etc...

[yelp]

It should be a nice weekend to go out and look around...Sun was out today...

[MuleyontheWall]

We're heading over to NE Washington in the morning for the weekend to look at a couple pieces of land that are for sale...might do some turkey lookin...think is a little early though...take pictures if we see anything

[yelp]

I was going to go out and look but I decided to stay home and do a few things around here.  Maybe I can get out later and get some pics...we'll see.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

went out this morning and got a couple gobbles in response to owl and my daughter yelling at her echo !!

[yelp]

Gobblers are starting to gobble...One of my sources says he is hearing them daily...

[MuleyontheWall]

We heard them all day yesterday...

[yelp]

In Marysville MULEONTHEWALL?

[MuleyontheWall]

haha..no no no..we were up in Northeast WA looking for land for sale..was a fun trip..saw moose, elk, turkey, and of course deer around every turn...

[Dustin07]

haha..no no no..we were up in Northeast WA looking for land for sale..was a fun trip..saw moose, elk, turkey, and of course deer around every turn...

I have seen a number of great cabins for sale up there in the $50k range with land. the only reason i'm not looking at it seriously is because I want water. for waterfowl and for fishing.

[Slayock]

No need my dad hears them every morning behaind the house, they never go far

[TeacherMan]

I have found that the birds are grouped up heavy this time of year and about a week before the season in my area they break into smaller groups and scatter all over the place. Scouting will help you know that there are birds in the area but don't be surprised when you are not finding flocks of 100 like you can see all over eastern WA this time of year, I usually get into groups of 2-10 birds. That said, I will start looking the first week of April.

[fishunt247]

In college, my spring break is usually around the 15th or march. This year it starts in the 20's. I'll start then. I usually check out new areas I've never been too first. I can pretty much tell by the country if there will be birds in there in the season. OH and sign too. I don't really have to hear a gobble early. My experience with scouting early varies. Last year I scouted two spots on like March 18th. The first spot I heard 5 gobblers. The second I heard four. During the first bit of the season, the first spot gobblers had moved about 2.5 miles but the second spot gobblers stayed in the same spot all the way into May. This was all in the same county, just different elevations. I knew the first spot gobblers would move, and where too. I guess its all about spending a lot of time getting to know your birds.