March Turkey Hunts

[wkyhunter]

Looking for a suggestion or two for a March Public Land Turkey hunt. I have a week of vacation I have to use before March 31 and am looking at Alabama, Mississippi or Georgia. Would even consider North Florida if there was possibility of public land availability. Not asking for your honey hole, just a general area/state and maybe why.
Thanks in advance!

 

[Rakkin6]

Check out Lauderdale WMA in NW Alabama. Never been there myself but have heard some good things about it from some of my buddies from Alabama.

 

[wkyhunter]

Thanks for the reply!

 

[PossumSlayer]

https://www.outdooralabama.com/sites/default/files/Wildlife/wildlife-management-areas/2020-2021/2020-2021%20-%20D2%20Map%20Final%20-%20Choccolocco%20State%20Forest.pdf

I've seen a lot of turkey there, it use to be my back yard.

 

[wkyhunter]

Thanks!

 

[megalomaniac]

Mississippi has some absolute honeyhole public land spots that open up March 15th...

but the past 3 years, the number of folks coming from Arkansas and Louisiana has been astronomical, making it nearly impossible to find a bird to work without competition from another.

You will get into birds on any of the decent sized public land or national forests in north central or southwest MS, but expect a lot of run in's with locals in certain areas. Stay away from NW Mississippi (way too many folks from both LA and AR) and SE Mississippi (too few birds to bother with for such a long drive).

I've had my eye on and done my research on the large WMA just south of Tuscaloosa, AL in case I tag out early in MS since it's only a couple hours from me. Not too many birds, but looks like a place you can get away from others if you are willing to hike a couple miles in off the roads.

In general, I would expect a ton of pressure in North Alabama and North GA from all the folks north of there coming down for the early opener. I would expect a ton of pressure in NW Mississippi from the LA, AR folks. I would think central/ south Alabama or central/ south GA or central MS would be the places to go (but again, I don't have boots on the ground knowledge of those places)

 

[th88]

Check out Lauderdale WMA in NW Alabama. Never been there myself but have heard some good things about it from some of my buddies from Alabama.

Don't bother with opening week. There were literally a couple hundred people on it opening weekend last year. It was outright UNSAFE. Not trying to keep you away, just warning you. It is quite the experience though! Trying to kill a gobbling bird as numerous others close in on it even when you are a mile deep.

I've hunted all over MS and taken birds off every national forest except the Delta. Megalomaniac has got the right idea.

 

[megalomaniac]

Don't bother with opening week. There were literally a couple hundred people on it opening weekend last year. It was outright UNSAFE. Not trying to keep you away, just warning you. It is quite the experience though! Trying to kill a gobbling bird as numerous others close in on it even when you are a mile deep.

I've hunted all over MS and taken birds off every national forest except the Delta. Megalomaniac has got the right idea.

Good point, stay away from Delta National Forest in Central MS.... that place went completely DEEP underwater the past 2 years. Any birds alive went to the hills and haven't had time to make it back. Once they complete the pumps on the Yazoo River, there will be birds back in there.

 

[megalomaniac]

And I thought about this....

If you want bragging rights more than a good hunting trip, it may be worth it to come to SE MS and hunt Desoto National Forest. Literally half a MILLION acres of public land 20 min from my doorstep. Some Beautiful piney woods. And very few birds since Katrina. There are pockets of birds spaced out between miles and miles with no birds. This place used to have a decent population of original birds that have never been restocked from other places... yup, the same decendants of birds the Choctaws used to hunt. But the upside of the dramatic population decline is also the decline of hardcore turkey hunters there. Most folks I ran into just parked on the side of the roads, called from their trucks, then rolled a mile down to repeat the process. I didn't run into many folks when I hiked in last year. Ofc I didn't run into many gobbling turkeys either. But if you can kill one on Desoto, that's some serious bragging rights for those who know turkey hunting in MS.

Heck, Dave Owens came here for 3 days last year guided by locals... I bet he never comes back But I felt his pain watching his videos last year!

 

[Displaced_Vol]

So I've never done an out of state trip like this but will in the next few years.
Seems like y'all are saying it may be best to skip over some of the WMAs/NFS right on state borders? Even though it'd be a longer drive to more interior areas, you'll generally find less of a crowd?

Tons of good info in here btw.

 

[PickettSFHunter]

It will be a rough year with all of the birds that were killed last year due to COVID. I personally put AL last on my list, only go there if I don't have another early option that i want to explore. Turkey hunting is very popular in AL, seasons and limits have been liberal for too long. GA quota hunts are still open, FL deadline has passed. I suggest starting to build points. For folks that keep up with my trips, you all know how much I love traveling and hunting turkeys on public land, but it's just gotten downright crazy in the South with all the you tubers and their promoting. The WMA's that folks like to throw the names out of have become not even remotely enjoyable to hunt anymore.

 

[deerfever]

I agree with you Pickett state Forest, I hunt Alabama and it's becoming harder each year and the birds are fewer . I have never seen as many people as the last few years. Last year was unreal due to Covid but it was getting crowded way before then. I try my best to avoid others and will go the extra mile but it gets harder each year. I have a week off before the Tn season, I may look at some other options this season to try.

 

[Voldeerfan]

Anyone familiar with upstate SC? Particularly Greenville/Mauldin area for turkeys?

 

[megalomaniac]

Anyone familiar with upstate SC? Particularly Greenville/Mauldin area for turkeys?

My in laws live outside Greenville. That being said, I've never turkey hunted there. According to my father in law who used to he a big hunter, number of birds have dramatically declined in the upstate area in the past 5 years. They used to have some crazy liberal limits and a very early season opener. I was thinking they pushed season opener back a couple weeks a year or two ago to stem the bleeding, but can't recall for sure.

 

[wkyhunter]

THANKS !!!
I appreciate all the replies. I should have done this 25 years ago, but since I didn't guess this year is the best time!

 

[cowhunter71]

March 6th can't get here fast enough

 

[Andy S.]

It will be a rough year with all of the birds that were killed last year due to COVID.

This can be said for most states and public land. A lot of birds killed, and at least that many educated last spring. I hunted out of State last year in a State/County that did not allow any outsiders due to COVID, and we experienced the most OOS car tags and pressure we have seen since 2011. It was a freaking goat rope, but we still managed to have some fun and get in the game.

 

[Andy S.]

.... but it's just gotten downright crazy in the South with all the you tubers and their promoting. The WMA's that folks like to throw the names out of have become not even remotely enjoyable to hunt anymore.

Say it ain't so. Unfortunately for many, you are spot on.

 

[PossumSlayer]

W

Looking for a suggestion or two for a March Public Land Turkey hunt. I have a week of vacation I have to use before March 31 and am looking at Alabama, Mississippi or Georgia. Would even consider North Florida if there was possibility of public land availability. Not asking for your honey hole, just a general area/state and maybe why.
Thanks in advance!

where did or are going?

 

[catman529]

I would think you could get into some birds in MS, AL, GA, or northern florida. Places that get mentioned online will almost always have a lot of competition from other hunters. As said above, MS will have a lot of nonresident competition. Well I guess they all will because they open in March. I'd look for bigger tracts of land where you can walk 10 miles in a day and not cover but a small portion of the land.