Quiet Turkeys

There is nothing more exciting than a turkey gobbling from the roost. Even better if he is gobbling back to your calling. But what do you do when you have quiet turkeys? They gobble from the roost and shut right up when they hit the ground, or they just are not vocal at all?

This is where scouting comes into play. Even the pro of pro turkey hunters may admit, when turkeys are vocal, there is little scouting to be done. I for one am guilty of this myself. Not much need for scouting when you can hit an owl hooter or crow call and get one to shock gobble. You move in, call and if lucky he comes within gun range.

But if they are quiet and don't gobble, they become hard to locate. This where you have to scout, scout, scout. Talking to locals and seeing if you can get a tip on where strutting birds have been seen regularly is not a bad place to start. However, setting out on foot and finding sign is a must. Much like deer hunting, a good aerial or topographic map is a good place to start too. These maps can show large tree groups that may be used for roosting, and open patches or pockets that can be used for strutting.

Areas where large turkey tracks and strut marks from dragging wings may be a place to put your attention. Remember you are looking for turkey sign and lots of it. Once you find the sign, it isn't a bad idea to play deer hunter and sit on it. Of course calling as well but be patient. When you think you sat long enough, sit a little more. Remember, just because you don't hear that turkey coming, doesn't mean he isn't.

Bottom line, look for turkey sign that shows they frequent the area. This sign should be heavy and fresh. Once you have these areas picked out, sit on them. Don't be afraid to spend a couple hours at each location, it might just be what it takes to get that long beard in your sights.