Turkeys and water?

[Boll Weevil]

How do your turkeys act when water is involved? Creeks, ditches, canals, river swamp standing water etc. My turkeys don't care one iota and have had strutters in standing water several inches deep. On the other hand have had birds in the Midwest for example, that would hang up on a logging road low spot with a mere puddle.

Might be regional and I'm just more curious than anything...in my area they'll fly across a river to come to a call.

 

[woodsman04]

I've seen em do from one extreme to the other and everything in between.

but, if I want to call up a turkey I usually try to get on his side of the water if I can

 

[cbhunter]

They love to roost near and often over swampy land from my experience

 

[Gravey]

I've had them fly over a creek and others that wouldn't cross if their life depended on it.

 

[Setterman]

I've had them fly a River but not walk around a mud puddle the size of a dinner plate. Strange creatures

 

[Boll Weevil]

^ This. Just weird sometimes.

 

[megalomaniac]

They love to roost near and often over swampy land from my experience

That's exactly what they do in south MS.

On my TN farms, water seems irrelevent... except they are going to the creeks for water (at least the hens) mid morning during the dry spells. (Not applicable this spring )

 

[Huntaholic]

If you've ever hunted osceolas, youd see that water doesn't bother them AT ALL. Ive seen them walk 200 yards down a "push", (log road-fire trail) in 4 inch deep water and never miss a stride.

 

[RoyalPrudent]

I've called birds across small creeks, and had them hang up on gravel roads. I killed one in the 'glades one time that came in splashing through 5 inches of water for over 100 yards. Between the gobbling and the splashing it was the loudest bird I've ever heard.

 

[Andy S.]

I've seen "eastern" turkeys negotiate water in numerous ways, so it just all depends. Several "generalizations" made here, but one must take notice that others are pointing out different sub-species that obviously live in different habitat for their entire life, thus not applicable across all sub-species and habitats which they encounter daily.