Ky Headhunter

I look for areas with natural wind breaks to hunt when the treetops are whipping. For example, I found an creek surrounded by steep hills sporting dense cedar thickets. The bottoms flattened out a short stretch before reaching the creek, and cedars gave way to fairly open hardwoods. Never much wind there, even during really bad weather. The animals (turkey, deer, etc.) consider it the place to be during harsh weather. I found the area by accident, taking a shortcut to retrieve a treestand the day after a short but intense winter storm. The bottoms were absolutely littered with sign... turkey tracks, deer tracks, 'coon tracks, well you get the idea. It has been an excellent spot to hunt during high winds ever since, but I would never have known it if I hadn't happened by at the right time. I had scouted the area several times before, when weather had been calm, and dismissed it as a hunting spot due to lack of animal sign. Apparently turkeys hate windy days as much as I do.

Tracks and droppings seem to be the most reliable sign of a good spot. Dusting bowls are nice too, though I haven't had much luck hunting right over them. I love searching for feathers in late winter/early spring; an area littered with tail feathers might be the boxing ring for toms working out the pecking order before hens are ready to breed. Some hunters search for shed antlers, I search for shed feathers.

Turkeys need water, but in many habitats they can get about all they need from dew or rain-laden vegetation they eat. I suppose in habitats with less succulent vegetation or arid climates, water sources would be more heavily used.