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Spring 2020 Gobbler Season

Ok fellas. I need some help. This is obviously my first year turkey hunting, and first year hunting public land. I’ve always had private land to hunt deer on. I have spent the last 2 weekends and a couple weekdays proverbially beating my head against the wall trying to get on some birds. I’m attaching 2 screenshots from OnX where I have found turkey tracks in the road (they’re marked on map), but I need some help on setting up, trying to project the possible roosting area, travel corridor, and tips on getting close enough for a shotgun kill. I know very Little about using onX, what terrain features to look for and focus on, the second screenshot is a location I haven’t set foot on, but it’s another area I’m looking at. Any help would be extremely appreciated.29A73373-4925-49B9-A650-DCAFE32573C6.pngC40DA34F-02C9-4279-8A5F-07A4CEC72684.png
 
Luckily, the family isnt a fan of wild turkey meat, so im ok with not killing one, which will come in handy with this plan!
Breast them out and marinade the breast in Italian dressing or balsamic vinegarette dressing for about 30 minutes to an hour then grill on a low to medium flame and marinade the dry side everytime you flip them. You're family will love wild turkey!!! I also like to thin slice the left over breast meat and put it on a select greens with pumpernickel croutons with you favorite dressing. A couple of ideas. I would like to smoke one plucked but I have trouble keeping the skin on it.
 
Ok fellas. I need some help. This is obviously my first year turkey hunting, and first year hunting public land. I’ve always had private land to hunt deer on. I have spent the last 2 weekends and a couple weekdays proverbially beating my head against the wall trying to get on some birds. I’m attaching 2 screenshots from OnX where I have found turkey tracks in the road (they’re marked on map), but I need some help on setting up, trying to project the possible roosting area, travel corridor, and tips on getting close enough for a shotgun kill. I know very Little about using onX, what terrain features to look for and focus on, the second screenshot is a location I haven’t set foot on, but it’s another area I’m looking at. Any help would be extremely appreciated.View attachment 26636View attachment 26635
Like we say in trapping, "set the sign." Do the same here. I like that opening where you have a tracks marker. I'm sure the gobblers would like to display there. Any flats in the wooded cover too could be a killer early morning first light set up as they typically like to roost just over a ridge an fly down back to the ridge line. Then they like to work their way following the hens to openings for food, dusting and other activities. Spring green up means bugs and buds and grass seeds. Open the crop up on one and see what they're eating. If that field area near the tracks you found isn't heavily pressured, I try to set up there with a decoy or too and be patient.
 
There’s a ridge just off the field edge, and a creek running the the bottoms. Ive found scratching and I want to thin they’re roosting on the ridge over the creek. Do they fly down and work their way back up hill? Or do they typically fly of the roost and work from high to low ground?
 
There’s a ridge just off the field edge, and a creek running the the bottoms. Ive found scratching and I want to thin they’re roosting on the ridge over the creek. Do they fly down and work their way back up hill? Or do they typically fly of the roost and work from high to low ground?
Your best bet is look at the hybrid map, but while turkeys use terrain it’s not like deer cyber scouting. You just gotta get in there & find them, I can list a 1/2 dozen rule of thumb map things for certain areas then it will be way different on another property. The cool thing about turkeys is you’ll get a great idea of the property your on b/c your gonna walk it!
 
There’s a ridge just off the field edge, and a creek running the the bottoms. Ive found scratching and I want to thin they’re roosting on the ridge over the creek. Do they fly down and work their way back up hill? Or do they typically fly of the roost and work from high to low ground?
It really depends on several factors. If there is more food, dusting sites, water, and safe areas to strut/display I would key on the presence of sign or stick a trail camera out. You will know if you set up in the wrong spot, you'll hear them gobbling and carrying on in the other place you thought you should have set up!!!!
 
Mentioned to my wife that I might go turkey hunting a few days a week before work. She said I was intense. Then later I over heard her on the phone telling her friends that turkey hunting was my latest obsession. Guilty as charged I guess.
 
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Roughed up the slate and rounded off the striker and this pot call is purring now! Mouth calls are coming in pretty good, I’m working on transitions and calling at different volumes and intensities. We got some potential here, just gotta get to the woods more.

Shout out @woodsdog2 @Bigterp and @ThePennsylvanian
 
View attachment 26664
Roughed up the slate and rounded off the striker and this pot call is purring now! Mouth calls are coming in pretty good, I’m working on transitions and calling at different volumes and intensities. We got some potential here, just gotta get to the woods more.

Shout out @woodsdog2 @Bigterp and @ThePennsylvanian
Have fun gobblers will teach you more than you can ever read about, they’ll point out every flaw..... then a day later will run to your gun barrel!
 
You guys are killing me, PA doesn’t open for another month. I usually get down to MD to hunt mid April but doubt I’ll get there this year with the lockdowns. Burned some shoe leather today scouting some public land, located a couple flocks and found this on the trail on the way back to my car. 194A876C-FB82-48CD-BF7F-70BAAF0FC087.jpeg
 
You guys are killing me, PA doesn’t open for another month. I usually get down to MD to hunt mid April but doubt I’ll get there this year with the lockdowns. Burned some shoe leather today scouting some public land, located a couple flocks and found this on the trail on the way back to my car. View attachment 26665
I was looking up PA out of state tag prices yesterday. When does the season run?
 
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