Wash, while turkeys prefer more open areas, they will go through that kind of stuff. They usually don't hang out in it because they can't see predators in it. When I say thick stuff, I mean knee high to waist high stuff with intermittent open areas. You usually can't see into these places, and they spook before you get to 'em. I haven't been at it around here very long at all, so I can't say where exactly they hang out. I haven't had any luck finding them either, but it would stand to reason that an accurate count would be impossible to make in this type of terrain. They usually make counts based on observations in open areas or at bait sites, and enter them into some type of formula for estimating total population(I think). If the birds don't come out to either, they probably aren't counted. But if most of the birds in an area come in, you get a skewed population estimate of more birds than are actually there. I have a hard time believing Easterns are doing as well as they seem to think. Wayne or WANWTF can tell you how they come up with these magic numbers, but I don't believe there are as many running around here as they say. I think the populations are spotty. And what I call a good population of Easterns and what they call good are probably 2 totally different things.

Hunt hard, live right, and tell your kids you love 'em!