When Do You Scout?

[born2hunt]

I am scouting for turkeys any time I'm in the woods, year round. I find myself paying more and more attention to turkey sign than deer during the fall. But I'd say a few weeks before spring opener is a good start. Now I wont hesitate a second to scout right up to the day before either. When season is close and I am doing some "Fine tune scouting", I go at it just as I hunt, minus the calls of course but its in before light and set up to listen. Tread lightly and birds are none the wiser.

[Stickbow98]

I "scout" literally every day...all year round. Every time I see, hear, or hear anything about turkeys I am thinking about WHY they are, WHERE they are, WHEN they are.

As for actual "boots on the ground", anytime I get the chance to get out and learn more about the terrain I hunt or the habits of the birds there, the more successful I will be.

The harder you work, the " luckier" you will be!

[VaTuRkStOmPeR]

This is hilarious! Oh no dont go in the woods you will spook birds and run them all away! Lmao! What a joke. I guess turkeys do not have any other dangers besides humans and it is humans walking through the woods that will make them leave and never come back. Better not ever hunt your property because you will spook the birds and they wont come back again lol. Bottom line turkeys encounter danger on a daily basis and they still come back to the same areas. Ever seen a bird leave a field because of a coyote and then come back within an hour? Good thing fall turkeys dont know to leave and never come back to the exact same area huh. I bet if they did that it would be a deadly hunting tactic.


OP there is nothing wrong with scouting close to season. It is my preferred method. 1 week before season. I will keep tabs and scout as i shed hunt but i get serious right before season.

The more intrusion an animal is exposed to the higher the likelihood of causing it to alter its behavior.

There's no reason to be in the timber if you know your ground.  You can listen to where they fly down, which way they head and assess behavior from a distance without being in there with the birds (if you know your dirt).

Turkeys are certainly exposed to a variety of threatening encounters throughout each day but I see no reason to contribute to that number.  I stay out of the woods as much as possible and attempt to minimize my presence except when I'm out of state and forced to do so.

To each their own but less is more when it comes to disrupting game.

[WNCTracker]

I don't make a noise, eyes only while scouting right up to the week before. Last thing I need is for them to hear my squeaky version of a turkey sound in advance!  Gotta save that for the opener so they come in confused rather than horny!!

[dejake]

My season opens 04/09, and I started beginning of March.  Listen in the mornings, and mid-day I'll go clear some spots to sit so I can get in quietly when the time comes.  I don't go into the woods the last 3 weeks before the opener.

[Tail Feathers]

My season opens in one month.  I'll be out scouting tomorrow for the first time.  I'll go mid-morning and glass the pipelines and roads and then spend some time checking for tracks and sign.
I won't be out to listen for wake-up gobbles until just before season.