What do you look for when trying to set up on a bird in the morning?

What are your setup strategies for the first set-up of the morning?

First thing? Well, if I haven't roosted a bird (most of the time I haven't) I hope I at least know the area they should be in. I pretty much just get to a good listening spot and sit down for a while.

I don't bother with the owl hoot until it starts to get light good. I'd rather just let 'em start gobbling on their own.

Assuming I get a gobble, I'll let 'em do it again and then I'm up and heading that direction in a hurry. The properties that I hunt (with the exception of the new one for this year), I know very well. So I generally know where a gobble is coming from and where a good spot to set up and call is.

I'll try to get within a couple hundred yards of the gobbling bird if I can. But I don't generally push it to get super close. I like to just make sure I'm in an area where there are no big obstructions between me and him, where I know he'd would like to come to and where I know I can see him when he gets here (I'm usually filming, so I like to be able to see pretty good).

Other than that, I get hidden real good and make a couple of calls to take his temp. If he responds, then we're off and the game begins. I can't really tell you from there because every bird is different.

I pretty much do the same except early in the season I owl hoot a he crack of dawn so if one answers I can move fast while it is still dark to get set up. I have had them gobble at me in the pitch black dark a few times.

Later in the season they have heard it all so I wait for one to gobble.

I scout preseason and know the woods well....9 outta 10 times I have him roosted the night before....

I scout thoroughly prior to the season. I take notes as to where I see gobblers,strut marks, dusting, etc... If I am unfamiliar with the property I will in a way sacrifice my 1st morning and just listen from a road near the center of the property but there is generally a bird in reasonable range to pursue. On my land...I have a real good idea where they are going to be even if I did not roost them. I get in the woods way before 1st light in case the bird is real close. I get settled and let nature take its course, I dont generally hoot on one of these "blind" setups because for all I know that bird could be on top of me. Once I have pin pointed the birds location I will take action. There are several reasons why I get setup way before light..1) why not? 2) Assures me that I probably didnt spook anything. 3)Occasionally they will sound off long before it breaks day. I have found that the birds that hammer extremely early are going to be the "HOT BIRDS" that morning. double and tripple gobbling etc...

If i watched him flyup the day before then i usually slip in one hour before daybreak and setup within 40 yards of the roosted turkey in good cover.
If no roosted bird i listen for the first gobble and get on a level playing field with him usually within 100 yards with on obstacles between us such as creeks or fences

I look for..................

snakes

Big Dawg said:

snakes

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If I had to look for snakes I would probably just not bother going. Those snakes are not going to bother you unless you bother them first.

ive heard birds blow their heads off at 5:00 IN THE MORNING ON A FULL MOON.

A clear run way to the call, no creeks, no fences, no deep ditches,no big blow downs,no ivey thickets, no hang ups at all if possible.Scouting is always a plus.

yall ever had a bird jump limbs in the night? Theyll do it if cattle or dogs or anything spook em in the night....but ive also seen them do it to get closer to some hens. Roosted him on one end of a ridge with a group of hens on the opposite end of that ridge, and by morning he was in a tree no less than forty yards away from him. idk how often that happens though but it really made me mad...