How To Constantly Find GOBBLERS the ENTIRE Season

[@dogsoldier0372]

Matt Dale is one of the most knowledgeable turkey hunters out there. He’s the guy that teaches veteran turkey hunters more.

[@bobtosi9346]

On top of that he’s a great communicator and it really shows he loves sharing

[@Taxidermist47]

I’ve turkey hunted for 30+ years, and I’m still learning. You’re never too old to learn from anyone. I’ll take any information Matt has to give!

[@Jwayne00]

Dale, as a young turkey hunter who has been turkey hunting since I was a kid and by myself since 2019 I love your videos. Everytime I watch one I learn something and/ or get reassurance/perspective on what I’ve found while Turkey hunting. As far as this video goes, it’s all true. I thought running around and striking up birds was the way to hunt, but probably 80-90% of the time it’s not. When I started sitting in the woods till noon everything changed for me. It’s just like deer hunting, you cannot learn anything unless you’re in the woods!

[@ronmexico5416]

Best Turkey hunting channel on You Tube bar none

[@daleyounk8005]

I'm here for any piece of knowledge you are passing on Matt! I really appreciate all of it and enjoy listening to you talk turkeys.

[@jamesclark5679]

To add to the sign. I know it's not visual sign but listening not for turkeys , but the crows. If you are out listening for turkeys gobbling in the morning. Do you notice how the crows will be in that location? So when gobblers start to clam up even after hitting the ground. Listen for them crows cutting up. Chances are they are close to some turkeys. Ol timer taught me that trick and I've killed turkeys using it. Not a single gobble and they came in silent.

[@brandonstrickland1685]

Turkey deer and coyote the crows love to follow them they find the corn for the crows food in general ever seen a crow harassing a hawk they love to mess with the coyotes the same way and will run them off crows are definitely a big help

[@scottwalden5085]

I wish I knew this today

[@brandonstrickland1685]

@scottwalden5085 you know it now tho dontcha

[@mattgohlke8216]

Crows are the assholes of the woods. A good time to a crow is a full day of just harassing everyone. But, yes crows on the harass is a sure sign that SOMETHING is over there.

[@BCvictoria]

I love absorbing your knowledge, Matt! I appreciate every one of your videos. Cheers from a new Turkey hunter from British Columbia 😀

[@Mark_Iveys_Feathers_N_Fur]

Matt after our hunt last year and your teaching those days and on here, I was able to get my first Fall Gobbler last season !!! keep up the good work some of us do listen lol

[@timothygray1439]

One of the biggest gobblers I personally have ever taken was back in 2003 was at almost 2 oclock with my back against a huge oak tree. I never touched a call. But I was middle ways and just off to the side of the most scratched area on a coworkers piece of property. Not only did get blessed with that gorgeous bird but I also saw 2 more with him,just as big along with their harrum hens. What a hunt to remember.Dale speaks the truth fellas. Do like he says.I promise you won't be disappointed.

[@ericbowser5522]

100% right!! Sign is king!! Great videos Matt

[@CumberlandOutdoorsman]

Hi Dale. I for one am always scouting for anything I hunt. Turkey sign, and knowing how to read it, is what makes a good turkey hunter a great one.

[@markhall1169]

Agreed with a lot of the other comments were here for whatever you're willing to share. I don't wanna ever stop learning or forgetting the basics. Btw would love to turkey hunt with ya 1 day.

[@warbirdflyerF4U]

Another great video Dale In my 45 years of Turkey hunting I've always used sign Starting now and my season doesn't open till May 1st to locate where the birds are hanging out Put the boots to the ground and keep your eyes down too I totally agree with your strategy thank you for sharing and I hope this video gets lots of likes 😊 Matt from New York

[@christopherbeckerdite4273]

I appreciate your time and effort making this for us. Thank you and good luck this season.

[@BlueCollarOutdoorsUSA]

100% spot on man! Hunting WNY has taught me sign over sound all day long Only way to stay on em year to year!

[@Mississippi72]

I learned this back in mid 80's when i started.i have sit on sign and just be quiet

[@stephenham6512]

Same! I hunt very heavily pressured state land in ny. There r days especially after the 1st 2 weekends that ill find sign and just sit for a cpl days. They usually come thru there once every 2-3 days if people haven't been walking all around. Most ppl in ny r lazy. They road call no answer they slam their truck door and move on. Not too man put miles on their boots. I actually killed a turkey bc of a road hunting I could hear him driving the road And stopping and calling but the gobbler would never answer. Everything he slammed his door he'd gobble. Snuck in to his strut zone soft called 2 yelps and he turelned right to me to close the extra 20 yards I needed

[@kearneystephens8019]

Best advice ever buddy! This advice really applies to me this year because the birds are not being vocal at all so far this year in my area where hurricane idelia demolished all of the woods in my hunt club

[@dwebb68]

Best advice I’ve ever heard for any turkey hunter, regardless of experience level!

[@adamjohnson4896]

Thanks for the video this is my son and I's first turkey season . We're learning anything and everything we can.

[@scottwalden5085]

This is my first season hunting and I really appreciate the advice. Im learning a lot. I did a couple hunts with a family friend when i was a kid, but its been 10 years. I didnt realize how much went in to it. I really love the videos they are keeping me motivated! Thank you!

[@glenwestlake8229]

Yesterday I was walking through the hardwoods calling and I saw a small patch where there was no leaves. So I thought maybe that’s turkey sign. Not too far and I found a turkey feather. I wondered how it got there. Maybe that was where they were roosting. My encouragement is now up. I can’t wait to look for more signs and get back to hunting the thunder chickens.

[@TTT-du6oj]

Guilty as charged,I’m an ear hunter these day’s i reckon,thanks for bringing me back to reality Matt😁🤙

[@ryanwindham2997]

I think you’ll be glad to know that I watched your whole video. 😁 I hunt with my uncle a good bit and he loves setting up on fresh sign/scratching.

[@travisbryan8224]

Thank you dale, got my first longbeard today in hill country Texas. Been at it for 4 days but you helped me get it done!

[@charleskeenom9481]

Thanks Matt for the information and I have been looking on the ground and have found more turkey places to hunt

[@outdoorswithroostercurrie6984]

I’m trying to soak up all the knowledge you’re giving us.

[@michaelellis780]

The art of woodsmanship !

[@TheNewHuntersGuide]

This man tells the truth!

[@mikehobbs7421]

Great video mr. Dale! You are a wealth of knowledge!

[@travissparkman6941]

Thanks for another video Matt! I get excited every time I get your notifications. I got to watch it immediately! 👍🦃

[@snailspace44]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I assume you have a video on recognizing turkey sign. I will search for that. This video tells me to look for turkey sign but gives no clue on what to to look for. As a newer turkey hunter I would like to see more info on what to look for to recognize turkey signs. Thanks. Keep up the good work.

[@rut.strut.hustle]

Great advice as always! You're at the top of them turkey's hit list!!!😂 Ive had boots on the ground in MD, VA, and WV so far this late winter.... getting ready to head to GA in a few days!

[@CharlieSmith-gl7ro]

Very great piece of advice there. Thank you for your videos! I watch em all. Cheers from Maine!

[@randlerichardson5826]

It may sound crazy but when I look for a roost tree I look for droppings to. If a gobbler is roosting in the same tree I’ve seen them do that and if I can I’ll be setting there within gun range of that roost tree.

[@jamesclark5679]

Brother , you are spot on. I've been turkey hunting for 20 years. I had an old school turkey hunter show me what you're talking about. That advice helped me up my game tremendously. Recently with all the game cams out I have taken that as another tool in my bag of tools for scouting. First of March I put out numerous cell cams ,till a week before season, at areas I've seen sign or turkeys at before. If I get early morning pics I know they are coming from the roost. If I get late evening pics. I know they are going to roost. So it gives me some what of an idea where they are roosting at. If I start getting pics during the day and notice they are coming through about the same times give or take an hour. I know where to set up during those times. I called in a nice gobbler last year by using that information. This year has been odd. 2 weeks ago my cameras were taking boocoos of gobblers and hens. As of 2 weeks ago they were gobbling like crazy. I don't go driving in every other day listening nor do I go in disturbing them during the daylight hours. I let my cams do the prescouting. But about a week and a half ago I stopped getting any gobbler pics and hen pics except for maybe 2 single hens. Now 2 weeks ago no more than 30 min apart I was getting different gobblers and hens at different locations! Somewhere around 9-10 gobblers and about 6 Jake's. I can't tell you how many hens. One gobbler had 6 and another had 9. But now I do good to get those 2 single hens once a day. I've never experienced this!. I hunt on our leased land that is 1100 acres. All gated up. No one except myself that turkey hunts on my lease. I've drove around to all four of our gates and there are no tracks or sign of any one entering my lease. So I am beside myself on what I'm seeing. I have a total of 6 cell cams out in very very good locations. Any idea what may have happened?!

[@EdwardHouston-y7o]

Someone is baiting a property next to you.

[@jamesclark5679]

@@EdwardHouston-y7o that is what I was thinking 🤔

[@scottfrederick8299]

The range, habitat used by turkeys change throughout the year. This is dependant upon food sources, cover, etc. I've seen areas that were torn up in the fall and winter and never seen or heard a turkey there in the spring. As green up starts, they will travel to areas that have new growth, food plots, pastures, clearcut edges, etc and places where bugs are more prevalent. Also the larger flocks of turkeys will split up and disperse to larger/different areas during the spring and nesting periods. Finding the sign will tell you where they are at. Once you find the sign pay attention to the habitat they are using and this will help you find them if you hunt different locations. And as mentioned, someone may be baiting them on the adjoining properties

[@RF-cz4ln]

Excellent video, thanks for sharing all of your knowledge and experience.👍🏻

[@TrapperDwreck]

Great video Matt. Good solid foundational knowledge!

[@00Papyrus]

New turkey hunter here: got my first turkeys to return a call in a highly pressured area, super stoked about it. Signs to look for would be: feathers, scratch marks, droppings....anything I'm missing? Spring season right now...thanks folks!

[@deweytaylor1495]

Amen, the truth! Like Turkey church and your that preacher that speaks the truth and stepped on our toes. That’s what we want. Keep it up brother!

[@Mark.l.Ev23]

I wish that I would have applied this knowledge when I was younger. I've been a fall Turkey hunter since the 1970's

[@charlesmiller1742]

Thanks for the tip Matt. I'm going to try this tip out .

[@carlkraus6034]

The first thing I do in preseason scout is look for sign in the leaves. I've done that here in Florence New York right now in March 2024. I've seen lots of sign in scratching in the leaves. That is how I know there are turkeys here.

[@StaticStutter]

hey Dale! new turkey hunter here. this is my second year at it. ive put some miles under my boots of scouting and hunting. last season called a turkey in and fumbled the kill. waited too long to pull the trigger and the joker saw me and ran off. i literally did this method today and it nearly worked. after a quiet morning i sat up by some scratch i scouted and did some light yelps and clucks. 30-40 min passed and a turkey gobbled at the bottom of the holler. i responded and he didnt hit back. i waited about an hour and he never came in. he could have had hens or his 6th sense kicked in but it was still a close encounter.

[@jonathanjones5344]

New subscriber here. I hunt many National Forests. I’ve found sign before. And try to use it as part of my strategy but there’s one place I find every year looks like you’ve raked the ground clean. I’ve killed birds near it but never real close it and I’ve never caught birds actually scratching there I always figured they had move around the ridge. I’m definitely no great turkey hunter. Hunted all my life but never spring turkey till a few years ago. Last year was a rough year found birds. I was patient I felt like but I couldn’t get them to play at all. God Bless and thanks a lot.

[@jonstephen8654]

great tips Dale. I hunt a small piece of property that has some turkeys on or near it and the ones that make sign seem to be passing through.

[@johnsandell4501]

Great learning episode. Thanks!👍👍👍

[@jimtesterman8976]

Great advise, always alway hunt the sign. I know stuff like trail cameras are great. But I don't use them, cause the fun for me is scouting, knowing what ever iam hunting is around and seeing if me and the good Lord make all work. Thanks for your videos

[@richardgreen5890]

I have been hunting turkeys for 60 years and I really prefer turkeys that won't gobble.Why,, because gobbling birds draw to many people.I was hunting turkeys in the fall and I remember all the deer hunters seeing me and saying awe,,thats that turkey hunter.I traded info on deer for info on turkeys.Your absolutely right in what you say,, I've heard turkeys call so soft that a man with good ears couldn't hear them up close.Ever wonder how they gather without you hearing them.Turkeys hear far better than good eared humans.I ought not share this,,but most folks enjoy hearing their own calling more than they enjoy killing birds.I can make almost any turkey call known but If I can I keep it as soft and few as I can.

[@mspahn1967]

You are exactly right! I got 40yrs experience I know all the tricks of the trade when it comes to turkey hunting. Patients is the key factor.

[@CH-nn7jg]

100 percent spot on

[@roypeavy3542]

Great video thanks for sharing 👍🦃🦃

[@monsterman2u]

Great video Matt! I agree with you on sign...We got some crafty Turkeys here in Oregon and they are a challenge for sure and I look for every advantage in the woods to find them. Good luck this year! We are about 4 weeks till opening and I'm hoping to bag one this year. Cause they out foxed me last year. LOL MaHalo

[@MeandMrBlue]

Good advice Matt THANKS

[@justinchadwick6547]

You have me convinced that I need to look for turkey sign, thanks. Now can you show me what the sign looks like please?

[@terrycook3710]

Thank you sir

[@voiceforthevoicelesstruth5480]

Love this your The Dan Infalt of Turkey hunting!!

[@jakelukasko8717]

Hi Dale, great information. Your videos really help me as a new turkey hunter that is just trying to figure everything out. I try looking for turkey sign on the state land that I hunt but the public land that I hunt is huge. Is there any tips you have as we’re to look for turkey sign so I can narrow down a large track of land? Thank you.

[@thepawanderer]

This video got me pumped for spring long beard

[@wesleybray3046]

Thank you. New hunter.

[@GMan-cp6sc]

Good stuff Matt….. March 25th….. youth is this Saturday 🦃🦉🇺🇸🙏

[@robertduell4511]

New to turkey hunting. Do have it can you publish videos with examples of sign you are talking about? I get tracks and scratching but what about others?

[@kurtwilhelm3823]

Awesome information!

[@mikewynings7890]

Thanks for the great info

[@yourfavoritgremlin]

Just wondering if you could do a video on how to hunt hens? While there isn't many I have come across a few bearded hens and it would be great to get one this season I'm just not sure how to go about it since their behavior is different from the gobblers. As always keep up the good work! I need all the help I can get when it comes to turkey hunting.

[@dannylainhart4320]

Thanks for the video verry nise

[@codypridg9504]

If theyre not gobbling i like to go set up where ive found strutt sign call every 10 minutes or so and sit still.

[@JohnGreyman]

Will do. Got any better pics of sign?

[@Owl4909]

your right , they have to leave sign , there are places they always seem to like .

[@garayscue2062]

My dad has showed me signs of where they came threw then said I bet they will be here as in a little ways away. We roost or don't but go next morning and there like 80 yards or right on top of us

[@northeastkentuckyoutdoors6455]

Great advice

[@DavetheForester]

Matt will never run out of questions to answer as long as he stays patient enough and is prepared to rehash things. I keep telling em these birds done wised up and bout learned everything there is to learn about hunters, put the boat in the water and forget about these lockjawed, "callshy", wise old Toms....even the 1 yo birds can hear the difference between you and the real thing these days!

[@tw-eb2ws]

Hahaha 🤣

[@MVPisME383]

Yep might as well just give it up

[@haroldmiille2016]

I just fallowed some turkeys tracks freshly made in the snow for about half mile then it went into a real steep ravine that I was not willing to go down into would have worked if I was willing to go down in there was not sure if it was a Tom or not so we didn’t go down into the draw

[@guyaltizer5549]

😮 ok guilty lol I’ll admit it. I don’t pay attention like I should to sign I pay more attention to hearing them 🤦‍♂️ thanks Matt for the reminder

[@ohhhspanky]

What do you think your success rate is with hunting? And within those successes, do you think the majority comes with the first two hours of sunrise and is that a heavy majority like 70-80%?

[@ontheline3654]

I like this video bc it’s about the only way I ever killed on on my own I hunt them like deer just find where they go and sit but unlike deer I don’t understand them so it’s harder so how long do they stay at a feed spot weeks? Days? what trees do they like to be at what are they eating like let’s say I find a spot all torn up today will they still be there in 2-3 weeks? I would love more information

[@kensweigert5959]

Will the Little Sly be back for sale in time for the Pa Spring season...May 5th ?

[@daleoutdoors17]

There was 30 online last night but they didn’t last but about 5 hours or so. There will be more maybe this weekend. You just have to watch for post and keep checking the spring Fever custom calls website every day or so. If you follow them on Facebook they usually post when they got Some up. You’ll get one! Just got to be quick lol

[@randlerichardson5826]

Matt hey 👋

[@AbelGuerra-xz3pc]

That’s what’s going on here in Florida been like that a few years gobblers are silent historical places they were always at they aren’t there it’s been hard trying to get one to come in sign is few and far between to top it off but I’m not giving up on them yet

[@connornelson308]

Okay, serious question here: how can you tell the difference between a turkey scratch and a deer scrape? Is there a noticeable size difference?

[@kirkout7366]

Deer scrapes are basically round, with dirt exposed. Turkeys generally have two elongated scratches that basically shape a V , with opened ends.

[@jonah-n8l]

😂

[@paulmiller676]

Are you seeing large # of turkeys I live i southeast Kentucky we. Do not have the numbers of birds we had in the past😢. Biologist say it's due to over harvesting and loss of habitat ?

[@fabianv5246]

Thats how we kill a turkey this passed weekend. After half a day of walking and calling, we saw signs on the ground, followed them and got to a meadow. We glassed in and saw nothing, I pulled my box call ripped a yelp and a tom’s head came up. Oh boy… what a mistake he made. Started using my slate call softly doing purrs and racking the leaves on the ground. After an hour of him going back and forth, he got within our killing zone and kapow!! He went down.

[@jeffreyprough9766]

Rule #1 be where they want/need to be for food

[@swamp_rat_fla1126]

I was scouting a local WMA last week and found a bunch of sign….looks like somebody spread 200 lbs of cracked corn.

[@brakemadness]

I’ll tell you why they continue to use that same area. There isn’t a mushroom hunter strolling through scouring every inch every hour on the hour. You don’t ruin the area with your approach. Turkeys will push in there because that is where they are not molested.

[@ricky2416]

Love your info. you should reach out to Andy Gagliano on the turkey hunter podcast and try to get on a episode. It would be awesome to hear all of you talk turkey

[@Mississippi72]

Fall turkeys taste better than spring time gobblers Thats a FACT

[@Nakai2024]

Dale how old are you. I feel like we getting white hairs at the same time, haha.

[@garyjacobs7342]

To many idiots run around the woods trying to to get a bird to gobble SMH 🤦‍♂️! They don’t have to gobble to be vulnerable. Too many people watch the tv reality shows with tactics that do nothing but constantly spook birds they don’t even know are there. When deer hunting you don’t run around the woods waiting for a deer to make a noise so why do it constantly when turkey hunting? Human nature that’s why. It will never change thus making it harder for those public land hunter who know how to hunt. Game over have a good day!

[@jesselacross993]

I have a place like that I have killed more birds on it than anywhere and guess what? Its public land

[@thomasbell9446]

Don't assume everyone knows what's on the ground. Need to give us some terminology. What's a sign?

[@glenwestlake8229]

Absolutely nothing is working this turkey season.

[@StumpArchery]

Have more videos on how to locate and terrain lay out for turkey 👍