Chasing the first few birds you hear

[JellyHead Key]

What do y'all prefer? Chasing the first few birds that you know for sure are there or keep with your setup if your already setup and try to get them to come to you?

[Skeeterbait]

I do not deer stand hunt turkeys.  I go to the birds.  Where I start the day from will change based on where I am hearing birds.  But I am not putting down roots when I get there.  I am listening and may either set up or move depending on where I hear birds that morning.  More times than not, I move from where I am standing after hearing a few gobbles to determine where birds are that morning.

[njdevilsb]

99% of the time, my dad and I have birds roosted for a good starting point in the morning.  If they don't cooperate within the first hour and a half or so after fly down, but we can still hear them, we usually move on them.  If they go silent, we usually give them longer to see if one is coming in quiet.  I can't say this is what we do every time, but it seems to be our general tactic.

One morning a few years ago, we setup 6 different times on a group of henned up gobblers and my dad ended up getting one at 11am.  The farm we hunt has 3 main fields with some separation with hedgerows breaking them up a little more and they basically hit every field on the farm and he killed him within 50 yards of our initial setup that morning.  Had we stayed put, we may have gotten him from our starting point, but it wouldn't have been as much fun. 

[Bigspurs68]

Dance with them what brung ya. Go after those birds. If I had to sit and wait for turkeys every time, I'd loose interest fast. I run and gun, that's what i enjoy. Others may enjoy sitting and waiting. Whatever floats your boat.

[870FaceLift]

I typically start out at a spot where I know birds will congregate to - gobbling or not.  Now, once 8:30-9 rolls around and I hear a hot bird sounding off, I always go to em.

[Spring_Woods]

Jeez, must be kinda nice having the option of turning down the first "few" birds you hear!!
I'm happy if I hear 2 out there! 

[TauntoHawk]

Unless I roosted a bird and know im sitting under one Im always ready to move

[Gooserbat]

TO me working a bird is just that and with some jobs you have to be able to walk in order to work.  I'm always ready to move on a bird. 

[jakesdad]

I usually start in a place where I know birds frequent or are at least roosting close to.If they fail to show or I hear gobbling someplace I know I can move too i'm movin.The rare exception is on rainy days i'm not to good to sit on a field that is known to be used and dare I say it.............sit in a BLIND!

[ilbucksndux]

Depends on where I'm hunting. One area Ill get to a place where I know I will be in between several and wait for a bit.Another place I will go where they are heading after they fly down and cut them off so to speak. Or Ill go to a place and head right for the first one I hear gobble and see what shakes loose.

[JellyHead Key]

Yeah that's the thing, I'm a new turkey hunter so when I hear a bird I'm ready to go get him. I hate to sit around and listen to them get farther and farther away. The thing is I set my decoys up at every stop and it's aggravating to keep picking them up and move again. I think my best option is to just carry one decoy instead of 2 in my bag. Those of you who move a lot, do you use decoys?

[ilbucksndux]

A decoy is a tool in your tool box. You don't need it everytime,but it works when you need it.

[dfresh55]

i dont mind a a blind on those gloomy rainy days, but if i hear gobble in the distance and hes not coming im going lol! i liek to get after em.....!

[SwampSniper]

I like to stay mobile unless I have one roosted or patterned.

[Skeeterbait]

Those of you who move a lot, do you use decoys?

No, never, don't own any.  I hunt timber and they are pretty much useless in timber.  I let the bird walk in looking for the hen he thinks must be around the next tree or bush.