Need opinions for opening day tomorrow

[teej89]

Hey guys!

Well I had a plan devised for tomorrow, we're going to have strong winds, 20-30MPH(WNW), here in NE PA. I was going to hunt this game lands that's a fairly big chunk. Steep with plenty of benches, some deep draws w/ water and the best turkey habitat just happens to be on the southern face of the mountain, out of the winds. We could easily do an 8mi loop tomorrow hitting up all new territory the entire walk. I've seen birds here and lots of sign. However, there's a gamelands on my way to work and in one of the small fields I noticed toms strutting before, one time 2 weeks ago, low and behold... they were there again today... I'm torn, if I hunt the field, it's only like .5mi from the truck so could get slammed with guys but I could easily make it there first. My issue is, if the field is a bust I have no backup plan in that area, I'd have to uproot, drive 30min and hike 45min just to get to the starting point of where the birds are on the other game lands.

I wish I wouldn't have seen those birds this morning....

Sincerely,
A confused and overthinking wannabe turkey hunter

This was my bird last year, sat him out in a swamp next to a field in pouring down rain for 2hrs w/o rain gear or a tree to lean against. Got bit by something so bad it swelled up my lymph nodes the size of marbles and now I have a scar by my ear from it haha

 

[AssawomanGunsmith]

If you saw those birds strutting chances are someone else probably did too

 

[Scott85]

I would hit the big woods. I don't really recall seeing a lot of turkeys move in high winds and call will be less effective.

 

[jvanhoy]

That’s a tough one but I think I would start at the field you saw them at. Here in VA they have been hened up horrible right off the roost. So if those birds don’t work out I would haul ass to the other place and run and gun to find a bird with no hens later in the morning. I’ve had a lot of luck from 10 to 12 at this point in the season. Good luck.

 

[teej89]

I think my game plan is gonna be to go back there tonight, it's raining all day, and see if I can hear em fly up into the roost/see em in the fields tonight. If I don't locate them tonight I think I'll just hit the big woods. This game lands gets pounded by people and the road to work is a fairly major highway, tough to miss birds in full strut in the field.

 

[dcopas78]

I'd probably hit the big woods too as others have mentioned. Our season opened Monday. Narrowly missed out on a gobbler Monday morning. He wouldn't come to calls but would gobble. I circled around and got a head of him but I just didn't pick a good setup and he got past me in the brush without me every seeing him until he was out in the open field. If I'd sat down where my first instinct was, he'd been right in my face. Tuesday hit the state forest. Heard a few, but very little gobbling and no real response. Taking the wife out tomorrow to try to get hers. Good luck teej89!

 

[PAhunter]

Given how you describe the strutter/gamelands spot, I would be going big woods. But with the forecasted wind, locating a bird is going to be more than half the battle, IMO. Because of that, if I had the time to go listen/look tonight, I'd be trying to catch one going to bed on that big woods spot; especially if that area has some openings they are likely to spend time in this afternoon. I know it's a long walk, but that's why it's the better plan in the first place.

I gotta be at a work day at church in the morning, so no turkey hunting for me, but the windy forecast takes some of the sting outta that. Good luck, whichever you choose!

 

[406LIFE]

I don't leave birds to find birds. I'd start with the field. If the weather will have them penned down on that south face, they will be there after you check the field birds.

 

[teej89]

Given how you describe the strutter/gamelands spot, I would be going big woods. But with the forecasted wind, locating a bird is going to be more than half the battle, IMO. Because of that, if I had the time to go listen/look tonight, I'd be trying to catch one going to bed on that big woods spot; especially if that area has some openings they are likely to spend time in this afternoon. I know it's a long walk, but that's why it's the better plan in the first place.

I gotta be at a work day at church in the morning, so no turkey hunting for me, but the windy forecast takes some of the sting outta that. Good luck, whichever you choose!

I'd typically roost em but it's raining and windy here. There's a couple bench beneath some steep slopes that I feel i'll find em on tomorrow. Basically just going to enter and hit the first bench, call for a bit, nothing then move on and keep curling around that south face hitting benches and openings and calling for a bit. I'm not banking on finding em right off the roost. Listened for 3 mornings in a row this week and heard minimal gobbling compared to 2 weeks ago.

 

[teej89]

went to the big woods and got on one bird who gobbled twice off the roost then nothing all day. 20MPH winds really put a damper on the opener, found some sheds tho!