2023 Turkey Hunting Thread

[BigCountry14]

Going to start it off again this year. Less than 2 months away. Getting some occasional visitors, but can't wait to hear the first gobble.

 

[gwchem]

I can't wait. Starting to practice mouth calls this year. We have a nice, healthy flock around the property lately. Our coyote culls seem to be paying off.

 

[outrider58]

From my treestand this past deer season...

 

[gtodave]

I just grow mine. It's easier.

 

[Archeryrob]

Better get them deer feeders filled up

 

[outrider58]

Better get them deer feeders filled up

I had a couple friends get popped for turkey hunting a farm that still had a trace of corn in deer feeders. No batteries in the hoppers, just to corn that was left around the bottom edges. Complete bulshit.

 

[CaptainAwesome]

I had a couple friends get popped for turkey hunting a farm that still had a trace of corn in deer feeders. No batteries in the hoppers, just to corn that was left around the bottom edges. Complete bulshit.

"popped" meaning .....citation from game warden??

 

[outrider58]

"popped" meaning .....citation from game warden??

Yep. It was my buddy's farm. We were actually out on the bay fishing when the three friends called us just after it happened. They slapped them with hunting turkey over bait(complete ********), hunting without written permission(we cross each others lines all the time), one guy got hunting without a license(he had accidentally left it back in the truck). Of course, they all had to go to court for the BS. I think most of it got dropped except the hunting without a license 'on him' and paid a small fine. It was all BS.

 

[BigCountry14]

Better get them deer feeders filled up

That one is filled, and might have some stuff other than corn mixed in it. But they never touch it. All the feeders come out by April.

 

[BigCountry14]

Feeder went off right as he came in...guess that spooked him

 

[midnightSGT]

I saw a flock feeding along Route 4 in Saint Leonard yesterday. No Gobblers were strutting or gobbling yet. It was nice to see them close to home.

 

[Derwood]

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.

 

[Mini14tac]

I picked up a Dukes Dog Proof coon trap and have trapped 4 coons so far on my property since February 20th. I drop in a few mini marshmallows topped off with Raccoon Delight just up to the top of the trigger. They are nest raiders so kill as many as possible to save the turkey population.

 

[Derwood]

Thanks, Mini14 -- 4 Duke cuffs arrived in the mail yesterday. I didn't get that lure but maybe I'll try some. I was going to try marshmallows mixed with koolaid powder and dog food to start. I'm going to put them out today and see what happens. My area has soooo many raccoons. Twice last year I had one try to climb up into my treestand while I was sitting in it! I've got one flat on my wall and I get them on trail cams almost every night. Now that I've moved up from live cage traps to the cuffs, I'll try to put a dent in the population.

 

[BigCountry14]

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 started trapping last February. Between my 8 acres and my dads 5, we have removed 30+ raccoons and 4 foxes. Try marshmallows in the dog proofs (they are not cat proof, so watch that...). When I started, I could catch at least one in every night. Now I get about 1 every 10 days.

 

[Derwood]

I started trapping last February. Between my 8 acres and my dads 5, we have removed 30+ raccoons and 4 foxes. Try marshmallows in the dog proofs (they are not cat proof, so watch that...). When I started, I could catch at least one in every night. Now I get about 1 every 10 days.

Nice. My property is about the same size, with a creek and lost of downed trees. So it's pretty ideal habitat for coons and foxes. I even saw an otter last year. Have you noticed an increase in turkeys since you started trapping?

 

[BigCountry14]

Nice. My property is about the same size, with a creek and lost of downed trees. So it's pretty ideal habitat for coons and foxes. I even saw an otter last year. Have you noticed an increase in turkeys since you started trapping?

It's hard to gauge so far. 2021 was a great hatch with the cicadas all over the place. Hoping to start seeing results. I'm also currently doing a lot of habitat work. Thinning my canopy of large poplars and planting a bunch of dogwood and possumhaw. Hoping all of it leads to more consistency in the population.

 

[outrider58]

We've got quite a few turkeys running around the farm I hunt. Unfortunately, the coyotes are beginning to make their presence known. We plan on getting after them post haste. Last year, they made hunting difficult.

 

[Archeryrob]

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.

 

[outrider58]

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.

We used to call them sky rats.