Gobblenow wrote:
if it is national forest try to get an inventory map of the timber, by age and species....lots of big old oaks on an north side might mean a turkey could live there ,at least, I have heard that.
This is really interesting info. I haven't heard that before. Do you know why that might be true? I know that south-facing slopes hold many game animals in colder weather just because they get more sunlight. I've actually steered away from north-facing slopes in the spring--maybe that's just a useless holdover from the days when deer was all I hunted. Perhaps birds like north-facing slopes when it's warm because they're not as hot??
When I hunt public land (and I almost exclusively do), I find that getting in early is important, sure. Having numerous birds located is crucial. If I show up somewhere and a truck is already there, I've got 5 or 6 other located birds nearby I can go to. Of course, that requires some scouting which you said you haven't done. Creeks are never bad places to try. I had a great unscouted hunt along a creek near a tiny greened-up clearing last year.
Being friendly & gracious with other hunters you encounter at parking areas is important. The guys I've met have always been friendly and willing to share the woods while keeping clear of each other. I
f you haven't scouted, then running & gunning is probably your best bet until you find some good sign to set up in. But, be careful running all over the woods early in the season--visibility is very good with the naked trees and you run a high risk of bumping birds, sometimes without even being aware of it.
Oh yeah, and do wear some orange while you're walking around.