locating fall birds

[hawglips]

I'm not blessed to live close to anywhere I can hunt fall turkeys, and have to travel out of state to do it. So, scouting is rarely an option. I almost always show up before first light, with no idea whether birds have been using the area or not. And sometimes I find them, sometimes I don't.

Assuming you are hunting without dogs, what is your strategy on locating fall birds?

[swampchicken]

If im in a totally new area for me I look at google maps and try to find creek bottoms or ridges where I might think they would roost. Then listen for fly down and gathering yelps when they hit the ground. After that I would make sure I have my walking boots on to try and locate sign or possible oak flats/feeding sights. Or say screw it and find local coffee spot where farm trucks are located and the big round table the farmers are sitting at and buy the table's breakfast and coffee and ask if any of them have any spare turkeys on their farms that they would let me shoot a couple of them. The coffee shops around me have some of best turkey intel.

[gblrsrst]

Assuming you are hunting without dogs, what is your strategy on locating fall birds?

Hal, Why?

We have to use the Same skills and methods to locate turkeys.

Just because we use dogs doesn't mean we don't.

BTW -- I will post up some methods of locating when I have a little more time.

got to exercise Jingerlou!

[hawglips]

Assuming you are hunting without dogs, what is your strategy on locating fall birds?

Hal, Why?

We have to use the Same skills and methods to locate turkeys.

Just because we use dogs doesn't mean we don't.

BTW -- I will post up some methods of locating when I have a little more time.

got to exercise Jingerlou!

Well, if I was going to hunt "X" block of woods, there would be two radically different approaches depending on whether I had a turkey dog or not. With a dog, I'd let the dog go and hope to hear some barking. I've only done it once and it was loads of fun. I've thought about getting a dog, but so far haven't been able to justify given how far I am from fall hunting.

Most guys here won't have a dog but might want to go try fall birds this year. So, this thread is hopefully about a discussion on how to find them sans canine.

[TheWoodsman]

I usually do some trolling when in unfamiliar woods. Have good success striking up a response with a good longbox. I hit old logging roads and scout for fresh sign looking to see where they are headed. If I find any scratching I make a few calls to try and get a response, if nothing answers I head in the direction they were going and call as I go. Sometimes it works, sometimes not, LOL....

All good though.

Denny

[gblrsrst]

Assuming you are hunting without dogs, what is your strategy on locating fall birds?

Hal, Why?

We have to use the Same skills and methods to locate turkeys.

Just because we use dogs doesn't mean we don't.

BTW -- I will post up some methods of locating when I have a little more time.

got to exercise Jingerlou!

Well, if I was going to hunt "X" block of woods, there would be two radically different approaches depending on whether I had a turkey dog or not. With a dog, I'd let the dog go and hope to hear some barking. I've only done it once and it was loads of fun. I've thought about getting a dog, but so far haven't been able to justify given how far I am from fall hunting.

Most guys here won't have a dog but might want to go try fall birds this year. So, this thread is hopefully about a discussion on how to find them sans canine.

I understand what you are saying -- I'm just saying that most Turkey doggers just DON'T let their dog go in the woods and hope for barking. We need to do locating on our own just like any other Turkey Hunter. I travel out of state and like to look over Maps before going and find what I believe will be Turkey Rich Terrian before I get there. So I think you don't see what it really takes to hunt with dogs.


We LOCATE The Same as before dogs.

[pedro]

Start in known roost areas and listen and relocate as deemed necessary.

[hawglips]

Start in known roost areas and listen and relocate as deemed necessary.

I have one area I hunt that requires me to walk right through a known roost area on the way in. I have bumped turkeys off the roost on the way in, and have either sat down right there to try to call something in right off the roost, or have walked around trying to scatter everything that may be nearby. I'm not sure which is the best strategy....

[hawglips]

I usually do some trolling when in unfamiliar woods. Have good success striking up a response with a good longbox. I hit old logging roads and scout for fresh sign looking to see where they are headed. If I find any scratching I make a few calls to try and get a response, if nothing answers I head in the direction they were going and call as I go. Sometimes it works, sometimes not, LOL....

Do you ever just set up and cold call where you find fresh sign?

[swampchicken]

I usually do some trolling when in unfamiliar woods. Have good success striking up a response with a good longbox. I hit old logging roads and scout for fresh sign looking to see where they are headed. If I find any scratching I make a few calls to try and get a response, if nothing answers I head in the direction they were going and call as I go. Sometimes it works, sometimes not, LOL....

Do you ever just set up and cold call where you find fresh sign?

I have cold called up birds when i have found their scratches.

[hawglips]

While I am hunting I look for sign, and if I find some fresh sign, I'll spend extra time in that area calling. Sometimes I'll just sit down, set up and call a while. Particularly if I am hungry and need a snack, or tired and need to get off my feet for a spell. Or more likely, I'll stay on my feet and slow way down to concentrate calls in that area, and be on the alert for silent turkeys moving towards me. If I haven't found any fresh sign to help me focus on an area, I'll usually ease along much like I do in the spring, calling to try to get a bird to answer me. Calls I use are typically a box or long box (and I'll mix up gobbler with hen yelps) as well as kee kees on a mouth call.

[TheWoodsman]

I usually do some trolling when in unfamiliar woods. Have good success striking up a response with a good longbox. I hit old logging roads and scout for fresh sign looking to see where they are headed. If I find any scratching I make a few calls to try and get a response, if nothing answers I head in the direction they were going and call as I go. Sometimes it works, sometimes not, LOL....

Do you ever just set up and cold call where you find fresh sign?

I have cold called up birds when i have found their scratches.

I have but it would have to be smoking fresh, almost a flock bump or sighting, because even though there is sign, they were already there and have moved on and scratch in the direction they were going. I may even try to circle ahead of them and attempt to cut them off, either way I am working towards them.

Denny

[Stinky J Picklestein]

Do you ever just set up and cold call where you find fresh sign?

Outside of actually eyeballing a flock from the road, advice from a landowner, or just stumbling upon some...cold calling is what I always do.

[hawglips]

Do you ever just set up and cold call where you find fresh sign?

Outside of actually eyeballing a flock from the road, advice from a landowner, or just stumbling upon some...cold calling is what I always do.

Do you typically set up and call from a fixed location for a set period of time? How long?

[Stinky J Picklestein]

Do you ever just set up and cold call where you find fresh sign?

Outside of actually eyeballing a flock from the road, advice from a landowner, or just stumbling upon some...cold calling is what I always do.

Do you typically set up and call from a fixed location for a set period of time? How long?

Yes, it depends on how tired I am from walking.