2023 Turkey Hunting Thread

[BigCountry14]

The turkeys on the farm always frustrate me. Off season I can walk right up on 4 to 5 gobblers and jakes. Season in and getting near them is like pulling teeth. I've walked up to within ten yards and they just looked at me like "What?" and walked off

Speaking about those deer feeders, when we used to run them. We had to put the morning run to 0 seconds or the turkeys made is a plan to always show up before the deer and eat it all. Only run it in the late after noon and the turkey will be on roost in an hour or so from when it runs and they never get into tearing up the corn.

I find this amazing. In 15 years at this place, I have never once had a picture of turkeys in my deer feeders. They will walk right by it and never think twice.

 

[remrug]

Do those of you with your own property to manage/ hunt turkey do any predator control (e.g. trapping foxes, raccoons, etc.)? I'd be interested in your approach if you don't mind sharing. I can trap on my property and it's loaded with fury predators, but no turkey even though they are in the general area. I think the predators keep the turkeys away, or possibly eat the eggs/young. I'm a total novice and have only had minimal/intermittent success trapping. I've just got some coon cuffs in the mail and have two live traps deployed. The raccoon season in my county is year-round.

I used to trap years ago. I found out crushed up crab shells make excellent coon bait. I would freeze about a gallon and had enough bait for a whole season.

 

[Archeryrob]

That must be why they tear up my compost pile. I find it easier to dump crab shells on top and they dry out in a day and don't stink. Verses putting them in a bag and in 3 days the garage stinks. Then the dogs are smelling around the compost pile because of the night time action.

 

[OneGunTex]

Do those of you with your own property to manage/ hunt turkey do any predator control (e.g. trapping foxes, raccoons, etc.)? I'd be interested in your approach if you don't mind sharing. I can trap on my property and it's loaded with fury predators, but no turkey even though they are in the general area. I think the predators keep the turkeys away, or possibly eat the eggs/young. I'm a total novice and have only had minimal/intermittent success trapping. I've just got some coon cuffs in the mail and have two live traps deployed. The raccoon season in my county is year-round.

According to Dr. Mike Chamberlain, one of the more well-known turkey researchers out there (and big time hunter too), trapping is only effective if you can do it systemically - in other words consistently over a long period over a wide range. The issue is mostly that both turkeys and mesopredators have a large enough home range (more than a couple hundred acres), so even if you are killing every coon holed up on your property this week, you can't get enough off of all of your neighbors' properties to keep them from eating the same turkeys that roam the area.
He advocates primarily for habitat management & burns - make the turkeys want to be on your property instead of your neighbor's, and trapping if you can be wide and consistent enough to make it worth it

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[Doco Overboard]

I used to trap years ago. I found out crushed up crab shells make excellent coon bait. I would freeze about a gallon and had enough bait for a whole season.

Oyster shells same thing. If you have some and throw them on the ground, coons will be right on them.
Eagles and other birds of prey locally are getting a lot of the turkeys that became established here on the shore past few years.
I saw about 15 of them just on 1 deer carcass just the other day.
I have a picture of about 40+ of them on some manure piles when some chicken house were crusted out from last year I think it was.

 

[BigCountry14]

Heard birds gobbling pretty good this morning, even with the snow.

 

[BigCountry14]

Birds were on fire at day break this morning. Hearing more birds this year than ever before up here. They'll probably all disappear April 17

 

[cww]

Well good luck to all, just got started a few years ago and lost both my spots right after deer season so probably watching from the sidelines

 

[Muleskinner]

Been getting pics of birds at both my farms. One gobbler was probably close to 25 lb. I bought a new shotty...got to go pattern it

 

[Archeryrob]

Two jakes ran through the yard yesterday morning while waiting for it to warm up to work in the garden. It got me all excited.

 

[Derwood]

Well, even though Dr. Chamberlain's research suggests it may not directly help my extremely local turkey population, I am still trying to reduce the raccoons out here for the good of our birds other prey animals (and my garbage cans)...and damn damn those coon cuffs work well! After making some bait adjustments, I caught 3 in 3 days using just 4 cuffs! Turns out they love koolaid powder with a little water added to make a paste, mixed with dog food and marshmallows. Can't say I blame them! Longer term, getting more cover is a big part of the overall management plan for the property.

I've not heard any gobbles yet or seen any turkeys driving around. I usually see them in my neighbor's horse fields.

 

[OneGunTex]

Well good luck to all, just got started a few years ago and lost both my spots right after deer season so probably watching from the sidelines

Not sure where you are in the state, but get out on public land!! Need to do some scouting, but I've been successful on a piece of public property smaller than 250 acres!

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[b-troll]

Do you guys know a good place to pattern a shotgun? Preferably near Odenton.

 

[OneGunTex]

Not that close to Odenton but could probably do it at the public range at Myrtle Grove. Just be careful not to destroy the target frames (or better yet, bring your own cardboard stand)

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[Pale Ryder]

Do you guys know a good place to pattern a shotgun? Preferably near Odenton.

AGC if you’re a member or know one.

 

[b-troll]

I’m not a member. Maybe I should remedy that.

 

[mauser58]

Here are a few Toms strutting their stuff in front of a few hens yesterday. They were in no way moving out of my way.

 

[Doco Overboard]

Check it out, tagged for the study.

 

[BigCountry14]

Check it out, tagged for the study.

Did she just have a band? I thought they were putting radio transmitters too

 

[engineerbrian]

My youngest son shot his first gobbler yesterday as part of Marylands youth season. The gobbler had a 9 3/4” beard