Help! Out of my element.
 

For the few years I've been hunting it's been in bluff country where all the turkeys are concentrated in the thin strips of woods on the sides of the steep bluffs. Thebirds are pretty much everywhere thereare woods and tend to go to the fields on the tops of the bluffs for everything but roosting. It's fairly easy to find birds.I've never even focused on a particular bird on the roost at night or in the morning. Usually I try to sit on the woodsline between a few of the gobblers hoping one of them finds me prettier then the many hens he is already with.

This year I got drawn for the first time in my neighboring state of Wisconsin. I networked distant family and friends and got permission to hunt on two farms and a partial of woods. Today I went to scout this unfamiliar territory and realized I'm thoroughly uneducated about turkey hunting!

Here's the 3 spots:
[ul][*]300 acre farm - mixture of corn, alfalfa, hay, and cow pasture. Woods alongthe sides of the propertyand some swampland. The farmer owns some of the woods. The woods are mostly poplar and birch with some maple, oak and pine. It's pretty thick, even given it's early spring and none of the undergrowth is up yet. He said he hasn't seen any turkeys yet this spring but has heard a few gobbles. When I walked the woodslines I found a few tracks in the mud and snow so there are at least a few around.[*]200 acre farm - all corn. Woods along the sides of the property. The woods have a bit more oak and maple along two sides, one side is moslty poplar and birchgoing towards a swamp(this side is REALLY thick). The farmer doesn't own any of the woods. Hesaid hehas seen occassional turkeys crossing the fields. While I was there I heard a tom gobbling from the direction of the swamp, probably from the opposite side, with thattight poplarwoods between us.[*]120 acres of solid oak woods amongst 100's more acres owned by others.It does lookfairlyopen amongst the trees, at least at this point early in the season.The guy who owns the property says that theturkeys often come in to feed on the cornhe puts out for deer right behind his house. He said he saw about 20 that morning, including some jakes and toms.[/ul]
I have no idea where to spend my precious 4 days of hunting! What area do you think is my best bet? How would you start? How the heck does one hunt in the woods without raising a horrible ruccus, especially if it's thick?

Thanks in advance for sharing your expertise and advice!

RE: Help! Out of my element.
 

I've hunted MN and WI for quite a few years now and not much difference other than there are more birds in WI than MN. If you can get out there the evening before the hunt maybe you'll catch them gobbling off the roost just before dark. Some nights they do and some they don't. Then get in there early (5am), listen, and go from there...Good luck...

RE: Help! Out of my element.
 

how close are these properties? maybe you can work birds on 1 and then go to the other if nothing is going on

RE: Help! Out of my element.
 

I would start out at the 300 acres first, just because of the pastures and fields. I would attempt to roost one the night before. Then in the morning Id be on a field or pasture. If ya can locate a strut zone. I would also visit the other 2 propertys that same day if your not successful on the 300 acres. Just my thoughts.

RE: Help! Out of my element.
 

Thanks...keep the tips coming please!

There is 9 miles between the two farms and 3 miles between one of the farms and the woods.

RE: Help! Out of my element.
 

I'd have echo Arrowmaster. For one thingthe 300 ac. parcel isa bigger tract, and it has pastures and fields. When things start greening up, they are out eating fresh greens, picking bugs, etc. Plus during rains they'll be out there, and using them for strutting. We encounter way more turkeys in mixed pine and oak woods than even straight oaks.

RE: Help! Out of my element.
 

I agree with all.


First I would walk, look, listen and scout all three properties. I would concetrate on fields after 8 AM each day looking for birds that are using it. You said you found tracks in the mudy edges - start there with your scout.
Wisconsin is the only state I actually hunt fields and field edges. The woods are susally ravines that are untillable and very hard to crawl up and down in my area. Some are flat out 90 foot drops. So we cocnentrate on fields and field egdes. Rahter than Run and Gun - (going at a gobbling bird) we scout areas to put up blinds and sit and wait........Since we have hunted the same area in Wisconsin for many years I actually start my scouting the Sunday before my opener. 1. This is the last day of the previous hunt season. I let others tell me where they are seeing birds - I looked for parked vehicles. Then get out and listen at 1st light - I do not call. 2. I run roads, trails, for the 1st few horus after I start to hear gobbling off the roost - all are marked on my map for later reference. 3. After Gobbling stops - I run roads, walk fields, run trails, looking for the birds I have heard from the roost. Keep at it and you will see them - I don NOT call! 4. I stop at 9 or 10 and then do it all over again till 1 PM. then I stop get a bite to eat and then check areas where I have seen birds from 3 to 6 PM. Birds will feed before fly-up. A few days of doing this I will start to develop a pattern of almost any bird. There has been a few times due to weather I was very frustrated - 2 days of scouting and not much info. And then the 3rd day it all came to gether so I could send all 4 of us in a direction to get a bird. And we did.

Now on tracks in fields I look for the freshest sign. Look for sandy areas for dust bowls. On heavilly tracked areas stand there and ask yourself - where do you see the biggest trees. If you can - go look at them. any turkey poop under them or feathers or broken branches? Fresh tracks rub out. don't leave them for your comeptition and if they use the area they will make more. Be sneaky. Before you enter any field stand well into the edge and glass that field. Be careful of tall grass as the bird may see you but you can't see them - happens all the time.
For locator calls I will use a crow, owl, duck or dog whislte. I do not use any hen calls at all. I may use a gobble call as long as no one else is around - but I use that on rare occsasions. And I choose to glass more than I call.

JW

RE: Help! Out of my element.
 

So, just to be clear, the majority would choose farm fields over woods, even if there's more confirmed sightings of a number of Toms and Jakes in the woods?

I like that answer as hunting farmland is certainly more familiar to me. However, if going into the woods is more likely to produce a bird for me, I'd give it a shot.

RE: Help! Out of my element.
 

if i am seeing more birds in the woods thats where i would be are there any old logging roads in them woods? Also look for any openings in the woods maybe using these areas for strut zones

RE: Help! Out of my element.
 

Well you didn't say what those woods are like........if you do find what ultimag suggested - I'd use them more inthe mornings and evening anduse fields during the day.......

Ifthe wodds are big enogh where the birds don't fly into the field from the roost...I'd be int he woods.....

You go where yo think is best.

JW