Locator calls and when to get started

[brimmyfish]

Hey guys. I was wondering about what time most of you guys usually start with your locator calls in the morning? The problem that I am having is that if the bird gobbles off in the distance I usually end up having to set up farther away than I like in fear of the bird seeing me set up. I think I am messing up on this because I usually use my locator calls right before daylight which doesn't leave me much time to get where I need to be without being seen. So how do I know that its too early to try and locate a bird so I can head that direction and set up? Are most of you guys set up and ready to go while its still dark? I feel like I am always in a rush to get set up if he's more than a few hundred yards away. Sorry for all the questions, but it seems like I'm having trouble figuring this part out. 

[WV Ridge Reaper]

I like a owl hooter the best..as for when to use it..When it starts breaking day light or when I start hearing song birds make noise.

Do one series and give it 5 mins or so and try again.

[jblackburn]

I like a owl hooter the best..as for when to use it..When it starts breaking day light or when I start hearing song birds make noise.

Do one series and give it 5 mins or so and try again.

That's what I usually do, too.

[DirtNap647]

owl hooter day break crow all morning

[GobbleNut]

The decision on when to use a locator call depends on a number factors. The primary one is the subspecies you are hunting.  From my experience, Easterns and Osceolas tend to be later gobblers than Rios, Merriams, and Goulds.  The latter three subspecies will often gobble before the faintest hint of daylight in the morning, while the first two often will not gobble on their own until it is fairly light.  They can, however, be enticed to gobble earlier with the proper locator, thus giving the hunter the opportunity to move in and set up on them when it is still fairly dark. 

One of the most effective locators I have found for getting gobblers to give themselves away earlier than they normally would is by using a tube call and gobbling at them.  You can produce a reasonable gobble with a tube, and you can make it very loud so that it will shock an otherwise hush-mouth bird into gobbling back.  With Easterns/Osceolas, it does not work consistently like it will with the other subspecies, but it will get tough birds to gobble often enough to make it worth while trying it.

[boomer]

I usually use a owl call at daybreak. But on some of the heavy hunted public land I hunt I found the goose call works better most of the time.

[R AJ]

I usually wait until the cardinals awake before calling. If I know where the birds are there is no hooting on my part. At times a crow call is used after I hear a crow but this is seldom used by me. Since I never know where some are roosting I will many times not get to them until after they are on the ground. This is a plus as they aren't as likely to see you as they would if in a tree and you have somewhat less chance of other birds in the area being disturbed.
A crow call comes into play after daylight or else a yelp/cutting combo. When they are shutdown it is tough to get a response at all but if a hen is all that's on his mind that morning he can be pretty vocal and more vulnerable, thus giving away his movement and location. By knowing the terrain and habits of the birds in the area you can put yourself into position more times than not.

[trackerbucky]

I usually use a owl call at daybreak. But on some of the heavy hunted public land I hunt I found the goose call works better most of the time.

That's interesting.  One of the spots I hunt is right next to a good size wetland and there are almost always geese around.  The geese honk whenever they take to the air and I used the gobblers to gobble to the goose calls, but I have never heard a gobbler gobble to it.  Maybe they're used to the sound and it doesn't shock them.

[BigAL64]

I use the owl call at first light. If you want to get set up on them before daylight you usually have to put them to bed or know where they roost.

[ridgerunner]

I rarely use a locator, when I do, I blow an owl hooter at dark get a bird to sound off and move in..but normally I like to scout prior to season and know where the birds are and where they wanna go..to me I'd rather be where the bird wants to go after flydown than underneath him in a roost tree..i know many places a Gobbler won't respond to an Owl hooter because the woods are full of Owls that hoot all the time...they're used to it..i will sometimes pull a crow call out as a last resort in mid afternoon hunts.

[Gooserbat]

I start hitting the hooter when I hear the first tweety birds. 

[memert116]

This is kind of the opposite approach but.....do you have the opportunity to locate and roost birds the evening before?  That may be your best bet if you have issues with getting busted trying to get close after getting them to gobble in the am.  If you can't.....I agree with the other posters in the I wait for the song birds to wake up and then use an owl hooter.  Except in Texas where the Rio's just seem to wake up gobbling...

[surehuntsalot]

owl hooter first thing in the morning and had birds gobble at the hooter up to 10-11am before