Locating Turkeys?

[TN Whitetail Freak]

There are a few spots i deer hunt in the fall that i see flocks of turkeys....i havent turkey hunted and will be my first year.....do you guys think they will be in these same spots come turkey season.....also i heard a bunch of yelping and a gobbling turkey in one spot on Dec. 15

 

[rem2506]

its hard to say. my turkeys are roaming some right now. i think I saw them about 2 miles away Saturday morning.just scout and listen closer to season.i usually start listening around the first of march.

 

[REN]

don't get excited or depressed on numbers or where they are right now. Everything changes come March so start hitting the ground a bit harder then.

A lot can happen between then and now for good and bad. As food sources change so do their ranges.

 

[Spurhunter]

As food sources change so do their ranges.

^^^^this!

A turkey's food choices change drastically from fall to spring. When spring rolls around they will be in those areas that have their preferred food sources.

 

[Frank G]

True statement, they do tend to move around alot depending on food supply.

 

[TN Whitetail Freak]

What do they eat

 

[REN]

in the winter they eat more roots and what acorns are still left as well as grazing type grasses if still found ala clover and wheat.

once spring starts coming they will shift more to new green growth and seed pods as well as bugs while still hitting grazing grasses ala clover and wheat. Once it really starts to green up they will try and load up on bugs due to the protein source.

turkeys are not very picky and will eat a wide variety of foods but as the days get longer they will start getting more into matting and new more substantial food becomes available they will shift ranges. Most areas have a hard time holding a large flock year round.

 

[catman529]

As food sources change so do their ranges.

^^^^this!

A turkey's food choices change drastically from fall to spring. When spring rolls around they will be in those areas that have their preferred food sources.

and nesting cover

 

[deerhunter10]

I don't worry about not seeing turkeys on my farms til juvi season. for some reason last year on one farm we didn't have the birds til the 2nd week of season. I would start really scouting about 2 or 3 weeks before season opens.

 

[TN Whitetail Freak]

So march 10 i should maybe head to these spots and try and find em? Maybe nearby fields....most these birds i seen are way bavk in the swamp near the river

 

[deerhunter10]

That's around the time I start watching them. Where they like to roost. How they fly off. Where they go during the day and I check that for all my farms. Several times before season opens. You can get a decent idea of where to set up during juvi and the a decent idea on opening weekend. Then I pretty much use most recent info the rest of the season

 

[REN]

Just be sure to so it from a good distance

 

[deerhunter10]

Just be sure to so it from a good distance

for sure and do not call at all

 

[woodsman87]

I would not call to them, not even locator calls. By about March 15th I would just listen from various spots, and listen from whereever you have permission to hunt. MAke sure you do it early in the mornings, before sunrise.

Also to improve your odds on hearing gobbles, if possible, go on a pretty morning. No wind, no clouds, heavy dew, and not too hot or cold. By the time the red birds start singing is when the gobblers start gobbling.

Im getting fired up just by talking about this.

 

[tree_ghost]

Im pumped about turkey season! This will be my first year, much less im only bowhunting... i found a couple of places to deer hunt this year but never really saw any turkey. Do you guys have any advice on finding some bird land?