..I thought the question???was do they scare them,not do you hunt from your ATV...i have never shot a turkey while traveling on my ATV.....

..JESUS IS COMING BACK BE READY...

I don't know for sure, but I think they can have an effect. There is one place I hunt here in CT (state land) where I followed the expanding turkey population (they haven't been around all that long), and this little area was getting better and better every year until about 5 years ago. Then the ATV's showed up, not the putt-putt kind of thing that one might use for hunting, but the run wot kind of vehicle's. That first year a week after season opened I spent a few days with a gobbler with about 6-8 hens (very unusual for our late season here in my experiance), and I sorta expect it was because they had been disturbed from their nesting areas. The following year I managed to get the one gobbler in the area that I heard (prior there was quite a few more then that), and since then the birds have been totally absent except for an occasional bird spending a day or 2 there.

Edited by - RayC on 02/26/2002 08:09:00

I have hunted an area that is National forest. There was a lot of ATV and motorcycle travel. I don't know if it effected the turkeys but it sure did hinder my ability to hear them gobble.I had to find places where there was no traffic. The worst offenders for noise were the dirt bikes.

I have watched several times when there would be a group of turkeys in a field feeding and they would hear a four wheeler coming and they would just lay down let them go by and then continue feeding when danger passed,but the same goes for vehicles,i was working a big bird a few years ago close to well traveled blacktop he would answer my calls and strut just out gun range and every time a car came by he would lay down and let it pass,then get up gobble and strut this went on for a hour and a half before he came into range thats one i will never forget he put on quite a show.

I've watched them run away from motorized vehicles. I've had gobblers responding to me on the roost when some loud 4 wheeler comes roaring by driving directly under some of the roost trees en route to the best part of the property several miles away!<img src=icon_smile_angry.gif border=0 align=middle>

It doesn't scare them much at all, neither does driving through the field in a truck. Turkeys see farmers driving through fields everyday and they are used to it. They will probably head for cover if they see you coming or drive by, but they aren't going to be totally spooked. Where I hunt, we use 4-wheelers alot because the property is so large. But that doesn't mean drive right up to where you are going to hunt, it means drive into the area and park it, then walk the last 500+ yards to the setup and you won't have a problem frightening any turks.

It is possible to get different racks mounted onto your bike if you want to go that route. My uncle used his mountain bike last fall for bowhunting and had a secure rack to hold his bow in front of the handlebars. He would ride that up and down logging roads in the early morning so he could get in close to his stand without scaring any deer on the way in the dark. I mean, that huge 10 pointer didn't notice him.

hey Triplebeard870, what seasons are u going this spring in iowa? this is my first year going and what season do u think would be best for a first timer to go. thanks guys for all the great replys

I usually hunt 1st and 4th season. 1st being because then you get the first knock at them and they are less call-shy than any other time, 4th season because it is the longest and the most weekends. First season starts on a monday and goes through thursday, so if you can't get off of work that wouldn't be a good choice. 2nd season is usually the most crowded because it is the first weekend, runs from friday until wednesday I believe. I've hunted 2nd before too, I've had success all-year round.

If you hunt first season, you've got to get in close early, on the roost and get them early, otherwise they will usually shut up really bad and make it really hard the rest of the day. Second season the subordinant gobblers will gobble all morning through 10 o'clock or so. Once I fired one up and shot it at 10:45. Fourth season they turkeys are wiser, but you have an extended time to hunt, and they work prett decent all day round. Third season you could say falls somewhere in between. I hope this helps, good luck.

new young hunter you shouldnt have to ask that you know that it will you dummy and i bet you cant figure out who i am

If you are riding in an area that has alot of atv traffic I believe the noise becomes routine to the birds and will not affect them as much. I've listened to birds gobble to heavy machinery before. However if your hunting area does not see much activity the sound of an atv could have a serious impact. Also remember to check your local laws regarding there use and always respect landowners.