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Competitive edge
Area-specific information. Are maps available? Can you obtain maps of the particular section of the state or national forest you've chosen to hunt? The more maps you have, the better. I like to take this two-dimensional information and cross-reference it with high-definition topographic maps, mapping software such as "Topo USA 6.0" (DeLorme Mapping) or aerial/satellite imagery found on the Internet.
The author does much of his scouting with optics. More than once he's spotted birds as they roost in the evening only to return and successfully set up on them the following morning.
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Overkill? Not at all. I want to locate every possible geographic feature that might attract a gobbler: creeks, ponds, ridges, valleys, old meadows, potential strutting areas. These extremely detailed and often three-dimensional mapping aids allow me to do that from the comfort of my office chair. I can maximize my scouting potential by visually locating portions of "Public Area X" that warrant further investigation, which I'll do on foot.
Dealing with competition. The second scouting consideration concerns other hunters. How much competition can I expect? Are they out before first light, listening for break-of-day gobbling? If so, chances are good I'll have these folks to contend with a half-hour before sunrise. Or are these hunters showing up after 5 p.m.? They may be weekenders, and if at all possible, I'll plan not to hunt on Saturdays and Sundays.
I also try to note where fellow hunters are concentrating their efforts. Where are they parking? On the maps I'll look for alternate access to the areas I want to hunt; access that may deter other hunters.
Once inside an area, where are the places other hunters are most likely to stop and call? Humans are creatures of convenience, repetition and routine; where one hunter stands to call based on the theory, "This looks good," other hunters likely will too. You might get a gobbler to respond from such a location, but chances are he's been played with to the point that he's going to stand his ground until that "hen" comes to him. My call? Find another spot, do something different.
Mid-day hunting--after most hunters have left the woods--often surprises gobblers that have settled into a daily routine. Soft, quiet calling is the best way to fool public-land gobblers that have become people-shy.
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Be confident and precise. It's better to know the exact tree a gobbler's roosted in as opposed to its general location. You can do this by staying late--full dark--and not being hesitant to get in close to where you think he'll roost. Listen for him to fly up--heavy, rug-shaking wingbeats. Ideally, you'll see him fly up. In eastern Iowa I have a couple pieces of public ground where I can sit at a distance and use a spotting scope to roost birds. With the exact tree known, I can plan my approach for morning.
Get in tight. The greater the distance between you and a roosted gobbler, particularly on public land, the greater the chances of something coming between you and him. A hen, a coyote, a bobcat or another hunter.
Don't be shy about getting in close to the roost in the morning. Get up early, use the cover of darkness, and don't stop until you're within seventy-five yards of his roost. Fifty yards is better. By doing this you might bump birds, but, when things go right, your success is nearly imminent.
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