I have been scouting several mornings the last few weeks. I really enjoy looking for my opening day targets, and all the preparation and strategizing that goes with it. I hunt different properties with different terrain, from hardwoods ridges, to farmland. Love all the different landscapes. The other day, I located a bird in the same roost site I had success in the past. He was definitely with hens, He gobbled pretty good until he hit the ground. I stayed away at a very safe distance, they fed off in a familiar direction others in the past have taken. After about an hour, I went and found the scratches that led to their roost trees. The terrain is not level, has dips and valleys making it tough to cover their possible escape routes. I finally found a nice blow-down in a spot that covers the best area, a safe distance from the roost site. I cleared the leaves, sat for a few minutes and pictured my opening day moves in my head. I also took time to plot my entrance in to my set-up knowing I will be walking in very quietly well before sun-up. I picked out large rocks that will be easy to see in the dark. I look forward to opening day. I really love preparing a plan, we all know that they sometimes "fall apart" real fast. The last bird I took from this exact spot was 2 years ago, it took me 3 days, and 3 different sets within 200 yards to get him. I'll be set up about 70 yards from this spot. I love this part of our sport just as much as the actual harvest. This is what Turkey hunting is all about in my opinion, the chess match between me and him, and all that goes along with it. Good luck to all!
