This was my first season of turkey hunting. Everytime I went out I saw groups of hens scratching and yelping, but never saw any

[SoCal Hunter]

This was my first season of turkey hunting. Everytime I went out I saw groups of hens scratching and yelping, but never saw any gobblers. I did the usual.. out in the field before the sun was up.. trying to find the roost, but no luck. Any help out there??

[Big O]

Don't get discouraged, keep trying. "Del in KS", and "Beekeeper are "my" go to guys, so look for their response's. Good luck and Good hunting out there.
Oh, look for roosting turkeys towards the end of the day.

[jbird]

I'm surprised that you didn't hear any gobbles from the roost @ sunrise. Next season, go out the evening before the opener and try some hen yelps, barred owl calls, or crow calls. Gobblers will "usually" sound off from the roost, works best the last 30 min. before dark. Keep after them, believe me, if there's hens, there's toms. You ever see a bunch of gal's and no guys around?

[007]

jbird is right, try to put them to bed the evening before, listening for them to fly up and for the gobblers to sound off at that time. Go back the next morning, around 100 yards away if open terrain, closer (but not too much) if more broken, well before first light, start calling low and quiet when you hear the first songbirds of the day, and if he's anywhere around, you'll know it. While morning gobbling might be sporradic, stick it out, sometimes the longbeards blow up later in the morning after the hens slip off to the nest. Don't give up!!

[Reid Jones]

hey man if you're having trouble getting close to a male turkey, try a locator call! DEL IN KS please help.

[Del in KS]

In some areas (Kansas) gobblers rarely gobble after fly up. The place you talk about sounds like a hen hang out. Gobblers prefer strutting zones in springtime so that is what you should look for. An out of the way place usually a corner in a cropfield, a clearing in the woods even an old logging road will suffice. Get an owl hooter and walk you local woods just as the sky starts to lighten up. Give the "who cooks for you who cooks for you aaawwwwwwwl barred owl call. Put lots emphasis on the last notes. Kind of roll them like an old Scotsman rolling his "R's". That make's a big difference in the number of responses you'll get. I find that the call itself doesn't have to sound exactly like an owl. It's the last notes that count most. I recommend you click Beekeeper, Big O and my icon. On our profile page click "answers" and read all the turkey hunting comments. There is plenty of good information there to read.

[Del in KS]

Let me know how it works out. Gotta go for now.

[rudyglove27]

Good answer Del in KS and + 1 for you sir!!!