Florida Turkeys
 

Frequent visitor, new poster here. Several families (from Oklahoma) are headed to Destin for Spring Break. Imagine my surprise and elation when I find out that we arrive in Florida on OPENING DAY OF TURKEY SEASON. Is there anyone reading that can give me some advice on where to start looking for either a reputable outfitter or somegood public land? I'm open to either, but would like to do it myself. Public land is not an issue.

Thanks in advance for any help!

RE: Florida Turkeys
 

10-4, THERE ARE SEVERAL GOOD PLACES AROUND THERE. I'M ABOUT AN HOUR NW OF THERE. I'LL SEND YOU A PM...................TONY

RE: Florida Turkeys
 

Apalachicola National Forest ...lots of turkeys in there 20-25 miles south of Bristol, Florida...the forest is huge...and this is a great area to turkey hunt near Sumatra, FL

only thing is, you will have to drive east from destin about an hour and a half, then south 30 more minutes...but they are in there...easterns

RE: Florida Turkeys
 

Thanks for the info. We will give em a shot in March.

RE: Florida Turkeys
 

Not that I have anything against Easterns, but if you've made the jaunt that far, I would seriously think about hunting for Oceola's. You never know if you'll get the chance to make it again. You can kill the other sub-species right here in OK, except the Goulds.

RE: Florida Turkeys
 

i agree ;)

RE: Florida Turkeys
 

I fully agree with all huntma as well. You can only hunt Osceolas in Florida.

RE: Florida Turkeys
 

Not so!....There are Easterns in N. FL and the panhandle....

RE: Florida Turkeys
 

Rebel... I thinks what he was trying to say is that the Osceolas are only found in Florida, so it's the only location they can be hunted.

RE: Florida Turkeys
 

Thanks Gamblinman, I should have explained that a little better

RE: Florida Turkeys
 

There's some good hunting for Eastern on Eglin AFB not far from Destin.

RE: Florida Turkeys
 

10-4!:)

RE: Florida Turkeys
 

The only problem with hunting Osceolas is, if you go with an outfitter, you are going to pay at least a grand just to take one turkey. If you have the money and don't mind spending it for one turkey, then that's your choice, but that's kind of steep to kill one bird. Are there good populations of Easterns in the panhandle? Are there any public areas that there is not a hunter behind every tree?

RE: Florida Turkeys
 

RE: Florida Turkeys
 

Agreed, but... Let's say that you travel 1000 miles or more to hunt Osceolas on public land. Unless you have excellent inside info, you have to scout and hunt at the same time, find a place to stay, get meals, and then hope that you can kill one. By the time you figure all your costs in and your time, you'll find that it would have been far easier, albeit a few dollars more expensive,to hunt with an outfitter who knows the local birds, and probably have a much better chance at a harvest. Do others go down and hunt public lands and harvest there bird, sure. But many make the trip, only to come home empty handed. I would rather pay a little extra and come home with my Osceola. If hunting with an outfitter for Osceola's really strains the budget, I would hunt closer to home, and delay my trip to Florida until I can afford to have a good shot at one.

RE: Florida Turkeys
 

What you're saying makes perfect sense. Having said that, me and a friend are going down the first week and try our luck at an Osceola on public land. I wouldn't have it any other way. I know we're likely not going to get a bird the first day, and we may not even get a bird,but we're going to have fun trying. I definitely wouldn't want to throw down $1,500 for a 3 day trip and get a bird on the first day. That's where the fun in turkey hunting comes from: Getting to know the birds and trying to outsmart them. I'd rather do the leg-work myself than pay someone else to tie one up for me. JMO, Simp

RE: Florida Turkeys
 

Yea my bro was in the air force and he told me that the base doesent get much hunting pressure... Said the birds are very reseptive to bad calling...

RE: Florida Turkeys
 

You will not find Osceolas anywhere near Destin, FL...osceolas are not indigenous to this area and are found only in the peninsula of Florida..a loooong drive from Destin.

"Florida is home to the Florida wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo osceola) and the eastern wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris). The Florida wild turkey is found only in peninsular Florida (figure one). North of the peninsula it intergrades with the eastern subspecies. The Florida wild turkey is best distinguished from the eastern subspecies, which it closely resembles, by its darker wing feathers. The white bars on the primary wing feathers are narrower than the black bars and are irregular or broken."


You can find a map on myfwc.com of where Osceolas reside...type "osceola turkey" in the search area and link will come up with map

RE: Florida Turkeys
 

Mr. Longbeard that means I may have a shot. LOL

RE: Florida Turkeys
 

Well, it really isn't that far from Destin to find what the NWTF considersthe Osceola's range. I'll be driving down from Oklahoma to hang out in a beach house for 8 days. After that drive, the jump over into Osceola turf will seem like a walk in the park.
"The National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) only recognizes birds as Osceolas if they are taken south of a line drawn between Taylor and Dixie counties on the Gulf to a line running between Nassau and Duval counties on the Atlantic coast."
We may give it a shot. You can bet we'll be hunting some kind of turkey that week.

RE: Florida Turkeys
 

there are piles of huntable birds within an hour or so from destin. i can think of 7 or 8 publicplaces to hunt.....tony

RE: Florida Turkeys
 

Yep, we're going to haul the shotguns and cammo down there. There will be 5 or 6 families headed that way, but only 3 or 4 hunters. We will probably do a mid-week hunt on public land. Hopefully there will be fewer hunters out and about then.

Thanks everyone for the help.

RE: Florida Turkeys
 

Is the hunting pressure pretty heavy at these locations?

RE: Florida Turkeys
 

some of those public places need special permits I believe

RE: Florida Turkeys
 

If you want to hunt opening weekend then you'll need the special permit that was issued back a couple of months ago. After the opening weekend is over then anyone can get on as long as they have their license, turkey permit and WMA stamp and they're at the gate early enough to receive their quota permit. Some WMA require a quota permit and some don't. Most do though.

RE: Florida Turkeys
 

ON BLACKWATER, EGLIN AFB, POINT WASHINGTON, YELLOW RIVER DOESN'T NEED ANY SPECIAL PERMIT. EGLIN IS A TYPE 2 MANAGEMENT AREA SO YOU DO HAVE TO BUY THEIR PERMIT. SOME PARTS OF BLACKWATER AND EGLIN GET HUNTED HARD OR I SHOULD SAY THERE ARE ALOT OF WEEKEND WARRIORS. ON THE WEEKENDS I MOSTLY JUST KEEP CHECK ON THE BIRDS AND HUNT THEM HARD DURING THE WEEK...............TONY