OldGobbler

OG Gear Store
Sum Toy
Dave Smith
Wood Haven
North Mountain Gear
North Mountain Gear
turkeys for tomorrow

News:

only use regular PayPal to provide purchase protection

Main Menu

How early

Started by ssettle, March 16, 2011, 04:24:42 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

ssettle

Just wondering how early some of you get into the woods before light.  Sometimes I find my self getting set up later than I want. Sometimes I'm still moving as its getting light but more so as it gets later in the season.  I drive about an hour before I get out of my truck to a place I hunted when I was a boy.
  I've had birds fly out above my head after daylight that never made a sound while I was sitting in my spot. I don't seem to get much pressure where I'm at even though I can see vehicles drive by a couple 100 yards away. I've killed birds after someone has driven between me and a bird.
Anyway do you guys have a set  time you like to sit till things settle down? :gobble:

turkey slayer

I prefer to be listening and ready to go at least 30 min before daylight.

Reloader

I have killed most of my birds by hearing them after daylight and going to them.  I've been lucky enough to roost a few in low pressure areas, but not so many in high pressure areas.  I don't set up before light unless I've roosted a bird or I've scouted a spot to know where they are each day.  Most of the time I just try to get to a good high point before light and stand there ready to make a fast move to a gobbling bird.


njdevilsb

Sometimes we have birds roosted right near a field edge since we hunt a farm that is over half fields.  In that case, it requires us to walk the edge of the field to get setup, so getting there early is really important.  The one field isn't much more than 200 yards long, and the entry to the field is right dead center.  I HATE being there even a little after first light even if we don't have birds roosted.  If I think they can see me, even if I don't know they are there, then I'm too late.

redarrow

Quote from: turkey slayer on March 16, 2011, 06:10:44 PM
I prefer to be listening and ready to go at least 30 min before daylight.
Me too. But the older I get the less likely I'm gonna do that.

TRKYHTR

I like to be out in the woods 1 hour before daylight. You wont spook many turkeys out of the trees during that time. Then wait for the birds to start waking up.

TRKYHTR
RIP Marvin Robbins


[img]http://i261.photobuck

dawgfrombama

I was there 45 mins before daylight this morning and about 1 hr yesterday.

busta biggun

it depends. Mostly depends on how close you're going to have to get. All of that depends on whether they are roosting with hens, etc. Also depends on what type of terrain I am in. If I have to crash through timber in the dark, with lots of dry leave, I will get there at LEAST an hour before sunup, usuall earlier. I like to be completely set up and no movement/noise at least 20-30 minutes before gobbling time. If there are cattle that walk through I don't worry as much as long as they can't see me.

For the guys that run and gun and wait for gobbles and head to them, that works great! You just have to decide you aren't going to get too close or decide that you can move really quietly down well worn trails.

As soon as they wake up and have even a little light, they are craning their necks looking for any movement/predators/etc. So the earlier the better is the best answer.

harvester

I like to get there when the turkeys start gobblin.  :z-guntootsmiley: As far as a set time, just whenever I can get there.

MC

I almost embarrassed to tell you what time I get in the woods on public ground. Suffice to say I see the transition from "night" to "morning". 

I do enjoy those last 30 minutes with the whipporwills doing their thing. Watching a satellite trace across the sky, maybe a shooting star or three. And then as the eastern sky starts to get light, hearing that first hollow gobble shake out across a creek bottom.

I figure I can sleep in May.

hookedspur

Quote from: redarrow on March 16, 2011, 07:12:01 PM
Quote from: turkey slayer on March 16, 2011, 06:10:44 PM
I prefer to be listening and ready to go at least 30 min before daylight.
Me too. But the older I get the less likely I'm gonna do that.
CRUSADERS
2016-2017-2018-2019-2020- 2021
Six time Old Gobbler Contest Champions



bowhunter84

Quote from: turkey slayer on March 16, 2011, 06:10:44 PM
I prefer to be listening and ready to go at least 30 min before daylight.
:agreed: :icon_thumright:

West Augusta

I like to get into the woods about an hour before first light.  Set up, enjoy a cup of coffee and wait for the action to start.  I hate bumping them.
No trees were hurt in the sending of this message, however a large number of electrons were highly inconvenienced.


TauntoHawk

I like to know where theyre at and get in tight while theyre all still asleep

<blockquote class="imgur-embed-pub" lang="en" data-id="l4hWuQU"><a href="//imgur.com/l4hWuQU"></a></blockquote><script async src="//s.imgur.com/min/embed.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Snoody Bastid

I have the luxury of living in a condo that borders state land (where no one turkey hunts). That being said, I'm usually set up about 25-30 minutes before sun up. But as other posters stated, it all depends on the spot (how far) I'm going to.