I went out a couple days later with my husband and a friend to do some “listening.” On our way we saw several deer run across the road, one I was sure was a buck but he had long since lost his horns. He was happy to see spring to with an extra bounce in his step. Long gone were his days of worrying about a girlfriend, I couldn’t help but giggle at the thought of how he would be fattening up being lazy while the gobblers were going insane to find their mate. We saw several more deer as daylight started to break we pulled into the first spot, stepping out of the truck I took a deep breath and enjoyed “that feeling.” My friend used his mouth to owl hoot which broke over the sounds of the morning. I strained my ears to hear and there it was the sound we had gotten out of our warm beds just to hear, a faint gobble in the distance to let us know we were going to have a fun season. At the next spot we heard several as we took turns using our favorite shock gobbling sound. My husband prefers coyote howling, my friend the owl hoot and I like whatever is working with an arsenal of howlers, hooters, crow calls and hawk screamers in my bag. One bird was so close I almost jumped when he sounded off. In all it was a beautiful, eventful morning. I spend several mornings a year before season starts out listening and scouting. I feel this is key to a successful turkey hunt.

Unlike deer scouting which can be done year around because of the predictable patterns they run. Turkeys scouted in the Fall will more than likely be busted up and out of pocket come Spring. It is good to keep a eye on flocks year around to maintain they keep healthy numbers, the offspring does well, and the food plots are being used. When it comes to scouting where to hunt it can be hard to predict until the flocks start busting up and the males find their territory for the breeding season. Turkeys like deer run in bachelor groups throughout the year until breeding season when the groups break up and the males compete for a partner. It is good to scout early for bachelor flocks and where they are using as in early season especially if there are cold snaps late the groups may still be in the process of busting up and be a little more predictable. Later on you will want to focus on hens to find your gobblers. Of course the best way in my opinion is to let them tell you where they are by listening or shock gobbling. Then you have no worries as to where the birds are. The text book gobbler to call in is one who is in search of hens but has not yet run upon a flock as it is hard to compete with the real thing. I have found you can do it but it takes competing with the hen in your calling to get her to bring him in. Hens also show dominance and if you call over her and mock her she will come over to run you off and a lot of the time she will bring her lovesick partner along.

It isn’t long, the mornings are getting better every day. So do your scouting, pack your calls, groom your decoys, and get that feeling. Cause before you know it you will be leaned against a tree with your heart pounding as he comes in spitting and drumming.

© April 2007