Nothing during Scouting

[mlvaj]

Got back from scouting all day on Saturday with little to show for. Went to at least 10 different locations, all SE MN and saw no turkeys and heard one gobble. Is it too early to scout? What are we doing wrong? Also, had about 2-3 inches of hard crusty snow to walk through. I am taking 3 new turkey hunters this year and I would hate for them not to see anything. They were disappointed not seeing anything. Scouted field edges, ravines, and top of hillsides, and nothing. What do you guys usually do when scouting?

[leech~~]

If you don't have land setup to hunt I would start knocking on some doors or if all else fails. Hit the local bar around lunch or evening and wait for some of the farms to have a few beers and try and make some connections!

[bc21]

It's still plenty early. Once the flocks start breaking up and spreading out you'll begin seeing more birds, in my opinion.

[dan z]

Have some strutting regularly on the property I hunt. Can't wait!

[1eyeReD]

Heard a gobbler goin nuts in the woods behind the Home Depot in Chanhassen last week. It's gettin there. Be patient. They may have just been quiet the day you guys were out. It was easier to scout last year because we had more snow to show us tracks.

[monstermoose78]

I am not seeing many turkeys either and I have been cruising around before and after school.

[eyeguy 54]

went for a walk in the deer woods yesturday. lots of turkey sign. diggin up acorns all over the place.

[monstermoose78]

So eyeguy you are saying I need to look in the oak forest for turkeys

[bmc]

I was in the Cities the last couple of days.

On the way down, we took Hwy 65 to Co Rd 18, went over to Finlayson and then down I-35.

We didn't see any turkeys.

On the return trip we left Champlin and headed north on Hwy 47 to Aitkin, again we never saw a turkey.

Kind of disappointing, but I figured they're probably still in their winter flocks.

Brian

[Borch]

I've seen a few in the fields but most have been hanging out in the woods and swamp edges. I drove around a lot today as we lost two turkey hunting properties in the past few weeks and still haven't found any replacements.

I've had terrible luck finding landowners at home this spring. Plus is the one spot we do have is good and they added an additional 28 acres this winter. We did see 2 nice toms and some hens on some public land. Watched a hen get bred before we snuck out.

[DonBo]

I'm still seeing some huge flocks around the metro. 40 on a new piece for me yesterday morning, also heard a big bunch across the road that had to be near that size.

With this rain and some nicer weather coming up, I'm hoping things will start to green up soon. That should really get them to start spreading out.

[Borch]

Heard some gobbling this afternoon and saw individual gobbler as well as mixed groups of about 10 birds.

[Borch]

Seeing birds all over right now. Fair amount of gobbling and lots of strutters. The oak flats are getting torn up right now.

[monstermoose78]

Thanks for the heads up on where to try and find a turkey for the nephews. I will have to check the oak tree areas out as soon as I can.

[bigbucks]

Started seeing them this week most times in various places driving back & forth to town. Saw 3 long beards, 1 strutting this am, with 4 other birds I couldn't tell, but were likely hens. They had their heads down feeding straight away from me.

[Rick]

Now is the time to start getting those lonely Toms. A lot of hens are now on the nest.