Since its only a few weeks until opening day here in GA, I decided to go out to the local wma and do a little scouting for to see if i could find any signs of turkey moving through. I parked at the check station and walked down to the first opening and did find a few tracks where the birds look like they are moving out of the tree line and into the field. I used a crow call and box call. I did get a faint gobble from down in the trees. Each of the openings I did find the same signs, and also found some large deer tracks moving through the area. I'm not sure if the area I got the gobble out of is the roost area or where they seem to stay during the day, but it seems that was the only area I had a response from.
Went back out this morning about 7 to do a little more scouting and looks like I might have found the roost tree the birds have been hanging around. Its close to a small stream that has a nice field in between the roost and the stream, along with a dense tree line on one side but its thinner on the stream side of the field.
Well we have had a few days of some wind and rain I haven't been able to get out and scout the local WMA. So since we had a decent day I decided to go out and look around the same area I looked last week. Went out and found a set small pine trees and set up back in them, and started calling. I was using a Hunter's Specialties Strut "Closer" box call and after a few minutes of calling I had a very nice long beard step out of the tree line about 45 yrds away from me. I managed to get a set of binoculars up and see the double beard on this bird. I just hope that this big boy stays in the area when the season opens up.
