Turkey Hunting in Carbondale, IL Area
 

Looking for some general tips with regard to turkey numbers and hunter pressure on public land around Carbondale.
I inspect buildings for USPS and have a pile of facilities in far southern Illinois to visit this spring. I am considering Giant City SP, Turkey Bluffs, Kinkaid Lake and Crab Orchard. I have a trip scheduled for Jan. 9-15 and I may do some scouting then.
Thanks for any advice.

I would check out Crab. Deer hunted there alot this season and seen turkeys every hunt. There is an abundance of crop fields to set up on you just have to find the right spots.

The Williamson County permits are all gone for the first 3 seasons when I can hunt this year. So Crab isn't an option this year, maybe next. I applied in the 3rd lottery for adjoining Union & Jackson Counties. I don't expect much to be left for the random draws, but will look.

Not to change the subject but ive done alot of work out there around johnson city, pittsburg area isnt carbondale close to that...We always see tons of turks

When I was attending SIU I did a lot of squirrel and deer hunting at Giant City. I was a beginner turkey hunter and had no luck because I didn't have a clue what I was doing. I would try there now in a heartbeat because they are thick down there. Also if you have access to a boat there is a big lake south of Cdale (can't recall the name but fished it a lot) that is on federal land. I think you need a Shawnee forest access permit or something, but I know guys who would just park the boat on the shore and listen for gobbles. Just remember that there are scads of hunters down there so get as far from the roads as you can and figure out where nobody else is gooing. Good luck!

rw

Still hunting turkeys?
I was at U of I in the 60s and watched someone hunt turkeys there. Now live south of Carbondale-50 miles-on the Ohio River in a little place called America. Have turkeys, too.

Nick