Turkeygirl Posted May 2, 2007 Report Share Posted May 2, 2007 I'm on my way over to work but went out this morning. Sat in the swamp from 5am-9am...heard a gobble come from the ridge where he was roosting before..at 6am, probably when he flew down. At 9am I got up...something said go check this corn field. So I cut across the gravel pit, across two field and to the corn field where previously I had seen turkey tracks. Low and behold there he is in all his strutting glory with his hen about a 100 yards down the field. I think he might come up the edge so I sit, but his hen looks to have other plans. So I think maybe I can cut around the pines I was sitting by and cut through them on a trail and come out closer to them. I get to the trail through them, take my boots off so I'm quieter and sneak up. The pine woods slope up before the field slightly, but about 10 yards from the edge I hear and see a turkey take off...don't know if it was him or the hen. I wait half an hour but at 10:30 decide to head home so I have time to shower. On the way out I see the hen is already working her way back to the gravel pit...home territory. So by roosting time tonight should the gobbler be back over by his ridge with his hen? I didn't spook them bad...have no clue how they saw me as the woods were shady. That ridge by the gravel pit is where they are roosting by and there are also dust bowls on top of the gravel pit..used just about daily I've noticed. I plan to sneak up to the top of the gravel pit tonight and hope to roost them... My thoughts for tomorrow are to, if I hear them tonight, set-up on that ridge in the morning... If I don't hear them, what are your thoughts on what I should do? I'm mostly concerned if the gobbler doesn't come back to the gravel pit...but I didn't spook them bad so he likely will in looking for his hen?? Any experience/help in this situation is appreciated. There are no other hunters up there besides me, and the gobbler has all day to re-group... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted May 2, 2007 Report Share Posted May 2, 2007 Always remember a turkey can see 10 times better than we can and they have a 270 degree view if they don't move their head. They always move their heads around so they can see everything around them. The only exception is a stutting gobbler that has his view obstructed by his fan. If I had been making the move you made, when I could see the field it would have been time to crawl in slowly from there if I felt like I needed to get closer. No need to take off your boots. Turkeys really don't know the difference between your noise and other turkeys making noise. They can hear a lot better than we can and will be checking out wherever they hear any noise boots on or boots off. Can't say exactly where he will be roosting if you don't hear him this afternoon. Wherever he usually is roosted is probably where he will roost again. If not tomorrow he'll be back where you heard him this morning. Chances are when you heard him gobble at 6:00 he was still on the roost. Make mental notes of every place you hear him gobble from each morning so you'll know where they are roosting most of the time. That way even if you don't hear him in the afternoon you'll have a pretty good idea where he probably is roosting. If you can figure out how they are getting from the roost area to where they usually end up going set up between the 2, preferrably closer to the roost than where he is going. There's also the option of setting up close to where you saw them in the corn field too. I'm sure someone else will add more options for you to think about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckbuster11 Posted May 2, 2007 Report Share Posted May 2, 2007 I'd be sitting where those dust bowls are at or on that field edge tomarrow morning. I wouldn't even go out tonight and listen. No use risking bumping them again tonight. He'll be roosting in the same general spot. Like you said, the dust bowls are being used daily and you are seeing fresh sign daily. That bird isnt going anywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkeygirl Posted May 2, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 2, 2007 Anyone else?? Come on...37 views...others must have some ideas on hunting a henned up bird...well although he was un-henned at 10am this morning... I'm not sure how aggressive I should be with this bird? His hen I think will take him away if I do too much calling....my only thought right now is try to get him as soon as he's off the roost... or if I see him and his hen heading across the fields between the gravel pit and the corn field (patch ofp ines seperating the diff. fields) is to try and get around them...if they go back to the corn field? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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