NEED HELP Getting Turkeys Back on Property

flyingz · 03-13-2007, 11:48 AM

Recently have not seen many birds on property. Normally I see them everytime I go out. Checking Cattle/horses, fishing etc. Told the coon hunters not allowed until season was over. It starts Aprilthe 6th, and ends early May I believe. Have video from December and January of over 100 birds together.

Any ideas or help would be greatly appreciated. I'm going to start putting some corn out, but looking for other help as well.

thanks
flyingz

JW · 03-13-2007, 12:19 PM

Well you might want to look into the NWTF and the food plots they suggest.

Corn will help but be careful about baiting laws in our state.

What is your predator problem like there - got more yotes that usual.? You did say coon hunters used your property. That is good - coons do wreck a few nests.

Do you think poaching may be going on in your area?

If you saw that many birds - they gotta be there somewhere - go look for them.

JW

flyingz · 03-13-2007, 12:51 PM

Have to be 100 yards from any feeders put out. I'll check into some food plots, but I have quite a few cattle and horseson property, so it makes it a little difficult to keep them out of them sometimes.I do have quite a fewpredators, but have been recently narrowing them down. Itjust seemed odd to me that there have been so many of them in the past, and then in the past couple of months Ihave not been seeing them. I have right around 640 acres next to a river so it is prime area along with pecan bottoms.

SwampCollie · 03-13-2007, 01:33 PM

Turkey's routinely change their patterns when the season's change. This is more typical of colder climates, but happens in the warmer places as well. You likely have a great place for turkey's to winter, but there is something nearby they like better when the weather warms up. If you have feeders out now, but cannot bait during the season, then you are shooting yourself in the foot, because when the food source drys up...so will your birds...

duramaxnay6 · 03-14-2007, 08:28 AM

Corn is your best bet. It's funny how the only place that darn corn falls out of my truck is on my turkey property!

You need to do it a while before the season so they have the pattern of coming on the property. I used to have that problem at another property I hunted. Come spring time, they headed for the bottom land, off the property![:@] Not even corn could bring them back.

OntElk · 03-14-2007, 10:36 AM

I would bet they are there based on what you described. Just been unlucky in your sightings. I would go out and pay more attention to sign rather than sightings. You find one fresh track, droppingand/or a feather and your question is answered.

Everything suggests that a turkeys presence in a given area in Springtime is based on hens nest success. If they had a good hatch based on habitat, pressure and predators then they will be back(or stay there). Coons are public enemy number 1 to a turkey so having them taken care of is great (only downside is if it's dogs running around at night chasing them up trees the whole pressure thing might work against you). Early season food can get them there and if you have good habitat they will stick around even after the food dries up.

I have this exact scenario in one spot. I waited years for the poulation to expand into our property. Birds had always been in the area down the road but never on ours. Last year put out corn very early and got tons of birds finally. I stopped feeding a full month before our season opened. Birds were still around and I shot a nice longbeard there. I figured we had perfect habitat and roost trees. I was right and the turkeys, once they found us, really seemed to like it.

This year is the next test. I have put out no feed whatsoever. I am going to the property in 2 weeks to scout. I expect to find the birds in full swing when I get there. I'll let you know........