I wake up 2 hours before sunrise and try to head out the door so that I'm at my spot about 10 minutes before legal hunting. It's about a 15 minute walk. I've been hunting my place for 24 seasons, so where the birds are going to be is no surprise.
I always pack a thermos of coffee. I always pack a snack of peanuts. I've been using the same shotgun and the same load since 1996. I don't think I've bought a new call, except a few diaphragms since 2014.
Usually, the last 100 yards or so, it is light enough that I can switch off my flashlight.
Most days, I wait so that I'm not the first call. Once I hear a fair amount of tree calling, I work myself into the general pattern. About half the time, I get some sort of response. Unless I've got a bird actively seeking me, I usually nap between 0800 and 0900. Once I'm awake, I start trying to attract the attention of a mid-morning gob. That lasts until 1100, and then I go in.
