Adrian J Hare

Here in Ontario there is miles of different farm land , the birds have everything from Corn, to Soybeans,spring Wheat, Beachnuts and accorns, pineseeds,.

What do the Turkey use as a tipical food source in your state? I would like to hear about (Texas) where things are a little drier there. If I was to scout and was going to start with the feeding areas where is the best area?...BT

maytom

Hey Adrian, when are you guys going down there to hunt again? Is it in march?

Knockemstiff

Adrian,
I figured out the answer to my question. I was watching the outdoor channel about deer hunting in TX. They showed a flock of turkeys in a small cedar bush eating the berries, real funny seeing all those big birds trying to fit into that little bush.
Anyways, while I was out last Sunday I noticed that the last heavy rain had washed all these cedar berries into concentrated areas. Turkeys must have been having a real feast.

Probtrapper

Knockemstiff,my middle son is a first sgt. and we hunted Fort Hood 3years ago. We found most of the birds near the water. There's a creek that flows through some of the sections that is open to hunting,when you put in for your area to hunt(which you have to do every day on base) try to draw one of these sections.I think they were# 26-27.not sure,you'll have to check. They have a map with all the sections marked at the draw site. These creeks have a ton of bottom oaks in them so no doubt the turkeys feed on the acorns. Also they have a lot of musquite trees in Texas and I'am sure they feed on musquite beans. Good luck at Hood this year.

nontypical buk

Well if I were to hunt in Texas I would find the one tree in the deserted land the turkeys roost in and pattern which way they fly down, come to PA if you want to hunt a bird thats actually a challenge.

Mr. Longbeard

I wonder if the turkey hunting is anything like the deer hunting in Texas?

Don't they use feeders out there?

Edited by - Mr. Longbeard on 02/23/2002 23:06:54

Knockemstiff

Probtrapper,
went scouting sunday, and thats right where I found them, by the water (not over by area 26,27 but in another area). 10 Turkeys my first day out made me--&gt;<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

Mr. Longbeard,
They do use feeders here for deer, just doesn't seem right to me. I'm not sure about turkeys, either way it's not something I practice. I grew up in Washington, where you go to jail for baiting.

Stiff

Ryan Tucker

Most any ranch in Texas has a huge supplemental feeding program. As a general rule though that is exactly what they are a supplemental feeding program. You can't just sit on a feeder and wait. If you do they have to many other feeders to use. The habitat is pretty sparce. Insects, berries, etc. are all a part of the diet. But in a dry year there won't be much natural vegetation. Baiting in Texas produces different results than baiting in other states. It isn't nearly as effective in my opinion. Plus, at a quality ranch they'll be baiting in so many places it will be so many food sources that it is no different than checking fields, etc...

Ryan Tucker

Knockemstiff

Rayan,
That is true, I have seen several people sit on feeders last fall only to go home empty handed, defiantly not a guarantee.

fowler

Hey Nontypical Buk-
How many turkeys have you harvested in Texas?...I didn't think so. You probably wouldn't like it anyway, considering there's no challenge to it. Good luck in PA, hope you beat the other four guys to the one bird you are all hunting at the same time. As for me, I guess I'll go get set up in the deserted land underneath the one roost tree. I like to take them out on their flydown at first light.