TURKEY SCOUTING , Weather & Gobbling

[Fourteen14]

I live an hour & a half from an area I have hunted turkeys in for the past 10 years . My plan this year is to drive out the middle to the end of March to see if I can get my ears & eyes on some birds . I know it's difficult to predict gobbling patterns & hearing responses because of toms with hens , wind and a variety of other reasons but I want to optimize my time . What kind of weather would you be scouting in if possible ?

[avidnwoutdoorsman]

I like blue birds.... I'm assuming that you are hunting east that 1.5hr from where your profile says you are located... the end of this week is killer weather....AKA tomorrow morning is gonna be a good morning... but you can scout them in any weather.

If you want to scout roost you want calm clear days for best sound as that is how you are going to locate them.

It doesnt matter what the weather is you can scout fields any day. If it wet they are gonna be near the edges of fields or huddled up under trees.

Temperature matters less than wind and rain though. Big swings in temperature will do things but if the average low is high 20's like it is righ tnow in the morning that dont mean nothing. They are gonna gobble when they want to gobble. I start listening near the end of February and start putting in real effort now. I have jury selection tomorrow... if I'm not selected I'll be listening Wednesday thru Friday morning.

Listening weather is mostly clear to clear and calm wind. Scouting weather is all weather. Look for tracks, scat, feathers, or actual birds. If you can find them in the rain you know where they are. Calling is the easy part.

[baldopepper]

If you just want to out and practice your calls and maybe scout some new areas pick good weather. Gotta keep in mind that mid March or even late March birds are usually still in their winter groups and in their winter area.  Good chance most if not all will have moved on before the mid April opening.  Birds are not usually in a hot mode yet and the toms will usually gobble back, but probably  not actually.come over. Good time to see the big groups and know there're some in the area, but, for me, to early to really scout a specific spot to go

[buckcanyonlodge]

I'll say it again....Toms gobble and strut year round.  My wife saw a tom mount a hen last week...earliest we have ever seen. Of course we have 250 birds to watch an listen to every day. Pretty loud when all the toms decide to gobble at once. I think the tom mounting the hen was not normal...we have not seen any of that since.

[birddogdad]

is that a bull elk laying in that open area in that photo bombing it? (upper left in picture)

[Sakko300wsm]

a couple weeks ago - they were definitely still grouped up tight , but I did have a Tom or 2 talking back and forth with me pretty good 

[WaltAlpine]

I'll say it again....Toms gobble and strut year round.  My wife saw a tom mount a hen last week...earliest we have ever seen. Of course we have 250 birds to watch an listen to every day. Pretty loud when all the toms decide to gobble at once. I think the tom mounting the hen was not normal...we have not seen any of that since.

I’m sad that you retired. My friends and I have great memories because of you!


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[buckcanyonlodge]

Thank You ....Great group of turkey hunters !!

[nwwanderer]

birddogdad, I enlarged the 'elk', certainly some around out there.  Still not certain, good eye!!!

[buckcanyonlodge]

Sorry,,,not an elk..

[GunsRus001]

Before dawn, somewhere high and open. Once you pick up their sound it’s just tracking and keeping an eye out for them.

[Fourteen14]

Thanks to everyone who responded . I'm headed out Sunday to see if I can roost a bird . Hopefully I will have some success .