Still pretty young and learning a lot of stuff with my dad seems like we alway trust the spot. Does it pay off to scout and look at multiple properties and other spots on public land. Always seems one of us kills every year atleast. Do a lot of you scout or just show up opening day?
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At the very least, I would listen several mornings in different areas. For one thing, someone might be at your first choice spot when you get there. And then..you need a place after one of you shoots. Lots of other reasons but those are a couple
If you always hunt private with no other outside hunters influencing the turkeys and their movements....trusting the spot will work
However if your hunting public the more areas your familiar with the better you off you will be
I still scout my private spots but probably more just because I'm itching for turkey season. Hunting on public out of state it's just scouting while I hunt.
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I haven't scouted in probably 15 years. Most days, I'm in a place Ive never been when day breaks. Some days I'm off the mark, but most days I'm right in the game.
Scout, scout, scout. And I've located several birds in the two or three mornings leading up to the opener with any luck.
Scout when you can before season- where scouting results shine is when the birds aren't talking or playing the game very good. Been a season saver a couple times for me!!
I have lots of places that historically hold birds on a giant piece of public land and I almost never scout those places prior to the season. In addition, with the increasing influx of hunters we have here, most of those places are getting hit pretty hard at the start of the season so there is little use in scouting them anyway.
On the other hand, I am increasingly map-scouting out-of-the-way locations that I think might hold pockets of overlooked birds. Sometimes I will try to find time to scout those out, but the distances to those locations often make that impossible without committing at least a couple of days. As such, I often go in blind and hope my guess about those places holding gobblers is on target.
Hunting out-of-state a few times each spring, I am always relegated to trying to pin-point places that will hold turkeys by perusing maps and satellite images. That is just another facet of spring gobbler hunting that I enjoy, and find to be rewarding, when my pre-hunt research (long-distance scouting) proves to be correct.
20 + days scouting 2 states. I just listen. I want to know exactly where they are, I enjoy it just as much as hunting. I usually find a "new honey" hole to try. Good luck to all
I don't scout much anymore. Back when seasons were very short and birds were not widely spread out it was critical to scout, but these days I just listen a couple mornings before the opener just to decide where I want to open up at.
Quote from: Kygobblergetter on February 21, 2026, 08:20:34 PMI still scout my private spots but probably more just because I'm itching for turkey season. Hunting on public out of state it's just scouting while I hunt.
Same. Yep.
Trusting the spot works, until the flocks start breaking up. The gobblers are no longer together, they are moving between groups of hens. Now, the small little jakes (that we don't kill) may hang around each other or close to the hens, but you aren't chasing these anyway.
You have to be ready to move, change areas, know where they want to go up in the day. I heard them here yesterday, tomorrow they are a mile away and out of hearing. Please don't even take this as ----- "it's always the case." ---- I've just seen it happen, a lot.
There are places, that have great woods, little pressure, plenty of birds, you set up any day and hear multiple birds sounding off every day of the season. I would then find out where they want to go up in the morning, mid day, and then the evening. You need to know these areas, you need to know how to move with the birds to get in front of them. I've killed a bunch of birds coming to their roost areas in the evenings, killed them up in the day knowing where they wanted to be, etc. Now, when the hens go to nesting is when the gobblers are going to start roaming, that's that mile thing I was speaking of earlier. Nesting throws you and the area for a loop, be patient, he will be back in a day or so......
Thank you all for the knowledge always good to hear what everyone thinks and how everyone does it a lil differently.
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Scout as much as possible every morning im not working every night always try get a idea where they might be at certain times of the day. I just can't stay home I want to know where they are
I scout. Although the places I hunt typically have birds in the same areas year to year, I still check for sign and new dead fall or tress to sit against.
Quote from: Will on February 22, 2026, 08:25:25 AMI scout. Although the places I hunt typically have birds in the same areas year to year, I still check for sign and new dead fall or tress to sit against.
Thanks for sharing.
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I have been hunting the same 200 acre farm in SW Bracken County, KY for 23 seasons. What I've found is that the turkeys are still roosting in the same spots and hitting the same pastures every year. We have a few honey holes that will produce gobbler sightings every season.
I'm still out for the month before season scouting, but I try and avoid direct contact. What I do is go out with an umbrella mic and record the birds on the roost and what they are doing at flydown.
Are there changes year to year? Yes. What changes most is when the gobblers start gobbling. That can come anywhere in March. The overall number of gobblers and the ratio of hens to gobblers also varies. Our spring season also starts on a varied day (Saturday closest to 4/15), so when the Opener occurs versus the turkeys themselves warming up varies considerably.
I like to get out as many days as possible before season and record them for my podcast. I also like to observe them in the pastures. I can really get a feel for their readiness to be hunted in this fashion.
I also hit the best listening posts before season. I'm the patriarch of our Turkey Camp and this pre-season recon gives me good intel for advising the other members of camp. I can usuallly tell them which hunting venues are going to be best for Opening Week.
Is this all necessary? Not completely. There have been years in which work or health kept me from a lot of pre-season scouting. One year, I developed cancer just before season. I signed the paperwork for chemo, left the hospital and went turkey hunting and managed to kill a bird on the first day. However, I was relying on years of scouting to inform me.
Quote from: shaman on February 22, 2026, 11:15:42 AMI have been hunting the same 200 acre farm in SW Bracken County, KY for 23 seasons. What I've found is that the turkeys are still roosting in the same spots and hitting the same pastures every year. We have a few honey holes that will produce gobbler sightings every season.
I'm still out for the month before season scouting, but I try and avoid direct contact. What I do is go out with an umbrella mic and record the birds on the roost and what they are doing at flydown.
Are there changes year to year? Yes. What changes most is when the gobblers start gobbling. That can come anywhere in March. The overall number of gobblers and the ratio of hens to gobblers also varies. Our spring season also starts on a varied day (Saturday closest to 4/15), so when the Opener occurs versus the turkeys themselves warming up varies considerably.
I like to get out as many days as possible before season and record them for my podcast. I also like to observe them in the pastures. I can really get a feel for their readiness to be hunted in this fashion.
I also hit the best listening posts before season. I'm the patriarch of our Turkey Camp and this pre-season recon gives me good intel for advising the other members of camp. I can usuallly tell them which hunting venues are going to be best for Opening Week.
Is this all necessary? Not completely. There have been years in which work or health kept me from a lot of pre-season scouting. One year, I developed cancer just before season. I signed the paperwork for chemo, left the hospital and went turkey hunting and managed to kill a bird on the first day. However, I was relying on years of scouting to inform me.
What a great piece of info thank you for sharing I'm hoping to get a few more spots to hunt this year and get a very good spot that I really like here in Pa only have about three private spot here in Pa. Also gonna try to find some better public in Maryland. With the amount of hunters I'm starting to see show up year to year it just gets harder and harder to show up be first and not get walked in on.
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If you are hunting an area loaded with turkeys then scouting isn't necessary. If you are hunting areas that have thousands of acres that are void of turkeys scouting is critical.
Scouting in any hunting is very helpful. That's undeniable. These days pin swapping/trading is the game for the 49'ers
IMO there's no substitute for Scouting, with tons of birds or only a few birds. Scouting entails not just locating birds but knowing where and how they travel. Where they are likely to be during the day. If birds are henned up and aren't gobbling or coming to your calls, you have to know what their travel routes are likely to be after fly down, so you can get in front of them. Learn where the birds are and where they are likely to go, will increase your success during your days afield. :z-twocents:
Quote from: bbcoach on February 22, 2026, 01:45:34 PMIMO there's no substitute for Scouting, with tons of birds or only a few birds. Scouting entails not just locating birds but knowing where and how they travel. Where they are likely to be during the day. If birds are henned up and aren't gobbling or coming to your calls, you have to know what their travel routes are likely to be after fly down, so you can get in front of them. Learn where the birds are and where they are likely to go, will increase your success during your days afield. :z-twocents:
That's a great point. If you only have a few days to hunt it is really key. For the wounded warrior hunt I volunteer with we scout the birds for two weeks prior and get right in among them. It's a two day hunt and knowing where the birds travel is a matter of success or failure. That never became more true then last year when weather was horrible, but 15 hunters killed 8 gobblers in two mornings. Not a lot of gobbling but birds still hit the dirt
Yet again thanks everyone for the advice going to take it all into account this year and really see what I can do hopefully by the end of the season I'll have 3-4 birds on the ground between two states but we'll see.
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Quote from: Zfhunter1 on February 22, 2026, 11:22:37 AMWhat a great piece of info thank you for sharing I'm hoping to get a few more spots to hunt this year and get a very good spot that I really like here in Pa only have about three private spot here in Pa. Also gonna try to find some better public in Maryland. With the amount of hunters I'm starting to see show up year to year it just gets harder and harder to show up be first and not get walked in on.
You are most welcome. I'd say pre-season scouting is important, but missing a bit is unimportant. If a flock suddenly disappears from an historical haunt, it's worth noting. It's also worth circling back later to see if the situation changes back.
On my home turf, I trust my spots. Someplace new, I show up and look for spots that resemble my woods. Also will take note of where everyone is parked at daylight. Most are usually long gone when I show back up at 1pm. Have kilt many a gobbler hunting behind the morning crew. Hunting "big woods" is generally the same, no matter where you go. Nesting hens will dictate where the gobblers will be set up and trolling. Most would be very surprised where the prime nesting habitat is located in these NF, big woods, settings.
If its a spot that always has had birds for years why put undue pressure on them especially if you know how the birds use the property. I would rather them not know I'm there till the Trigger is pulled.
Scout, keep a log of all the variables, weather, time etc.. Never trust last years intel. Turkeys are creatures of habit, but they do vary theur routines basde on their surroundings. Time = success. Have as many spots as you can keep track of. Different conditions may give you an edge in certain areas. Be ready for the unexpected. Like a hunter from a thousand miles away parked in your permission only spot. There is nothing you can do about it at 0330, so have another spot you can defer to. Stay on it and you will be successful. Z
The private that ive been lucky to hunt long enough to just show up to and they usually are in a general area year after year.... public i scout several times and usually just new area's.
Quote from: Hook hanger on February 22, 2026, 10:23:10 PMIf its a spot that always has had birds for years why put undue pressure on them especially if you know how the birds use the property. I would rather them not know I'm there till the Trigger is pulled.
Agree with NO PRESSURE! This is why BINOS are a MUST have when PREopening day scouting and hunting during the season. Watching and listening from AFAR! And ZERO calling prior to the beginning of the season either. Put them to BED the night before your opener and head back to the truck heavier, by 730, on opening morning. BINOS are Your Friend!
I scout early and often but I'm hunting several hundred thousand acres of public in NGA and East Tennessee also.
In 50 years of hunting mostly public land, the best advantage a hunter has is knowing the ground and most recent intel. The more quality time you spend in figuring out an area the better your odds of filling tags.
The dynamics of turkeys change daily once the season starts. History repeats itself sometimes but is never a guarantee.
The best turkey hunters I know hunt where turkeys currently are and not where turkeys were. Scouting year round will give you the edge.
Very little scouting on my end. As long as I am within earshot of one then I am good. I just enjoy the play it by ear approach.
Going to look. Last year I rolled up to find the timber gone lol!
But will gravitate to old haunts and prospect for new!
I enjoy getting out and listening and marking birds prior to season. I hunt public so I like to have numerous birds located in different areas. Always good to have backups.
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