Using a light.

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losthunter

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Do you guys use a light when you walk in before daylight for turkeys? I'm in rattlesnake country and didn't know if it spooks the birds or not.
 
Not anywhere near where I think they are or might be roosted. If it's really crunchy or has a lot of undergrowth near the roost, I'll use the screen from my phone if the moon isn't bright enough.


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Thanks I thought I would give it a try in the morning, I'm new to Turkey hunting and and have a long way to walk in the morning through the mtns and wasn't sure. I guess it's better to not get bit by a snake than kill a turkey. Maybe I'll hang out by the truck and call and hope to not half to walk half a mile through the mtns.
 
I like you hunt in very snakey country, it's also rough as heck and walking in the dark around here isn't easy. I use a light and have never had it bump birds. Often times I've walked right under them and they don't care. I would rather have the light and not crash around. If the birds are singing I can see well enough to not need it, but usually I'm sitting listening by then. Don't shine it in the trees and use a small head lamp rather than a spotlight and you'll be fine
 
Something else to keep in mind is that now that greenup has occurred, I think you'd be fine until you got very close to roosted birds.
 
You never know how a bird is going to react. I've had them fly off the roost in total darkness because I walked near using a light. On the other end of the spectrum I've been deer hunting and climbing a tree using a light and get settled into my stand only to discover after sunrise I have birds roosted above me in the same tree.
 
PalsPal":1exx52a2 said:
Something else to keep in mind is that now that greenup has occurred, I think you'd be fine until you got very close to roosted birds.
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True. You can het pretty close now with the woods,all leafed out. A light shined on the ground won't carry far thru the woods.
 
You could always switch to a red lens, not as bright and does not mess with your night vision either. Whenever I walk in if I have to use a light that's what I go with. I only switch to white light if I am in a bad way.
 
Setterman":3pgmxdgo said:
I use a light and have never had it bump birds. Often times I've walked right under them and they don't care. I would rather have the light and not crash around. If the birds are singing I can see well enough to not need it, but usually I'm sitting listening by then. Don't shine it in the trees and use a small head lamp rather than a spotlight and you'll be fine
Click to expand...
This. Always tickles me to see folks talking about walking a long ways in the dark for fear of spooking birds. Once i get real close to where I think they may be, I'll switch to a red light or cup my headlamp in my hand to where.its barely.throwing a beam
 
I have drove under birds on a 4wheeler and see them in the moonlight and not scare them, I usually walk trails and sit and wait until I can pinpoint them to an area
 

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