Success ...

Well it finally happened. I got my first YES to hunt on private land! I have been at it for a while and tonight I finally got permission to hunt anytime I want.

This will be my first season for turkey and I plan to do with the bow. So the burning question ... WHERE DO I START? I plan to go and walk the area looking for tracks and possibly try to locate with calls. The owner confirmed that birds are there so I am hoping they stuck around. Anything else I should be doing before the season starts? I know I have over a month to go but I want to learn as much as I can before then.

Very excited and can't wait to get out there. Thank you in advance for any and all suggestions.

Bucky

check the place out early morn and in the evening, from a distance with your binos, try and pattern the birds which way they leave and head back into the bush, walk the bush during the day and look for their roosting tree, it will have feathers and droppings around the base.....

Learn where all the fences,ditches,creeks and other barriers are. While turkey's can easily fly over and around these obstacles often times they won't. Look for good places to set up. Just because you can see for miles from one tree doesn't mean its the best spot. Ideally look for a spot that the first time you see the bird he's already in range,this gives the bird less of a chance to pick you off and don't be afraid to hunt in the woods.They are still in their winter patterns right now and will be for some time so I would leave the locater calls at home. Keep the birds as dumb as possible,only walk the property mid day and in the mornings/evening keep your distance and use your bin's as already said above. Closer to season get out early in the morning when its still dark and listen for gobbling. Good luck and don't get too aggressive and you'll tag your tom.


Goose smasher

Excellent stuff, thank you fellas I will apply all of the suggestions so far. Based on other resources I have been reading this may very well be my biggest challenge ever lol.

congrats do some pre season scouting

OK so ..... I went for a walk through (a quick one mind you) and did not notice anything around the trees. I did see a lot of tracks but none looked like turkey. There is a snowmobob trail that runs in front of it which doesn't help tracking in the snow as they have it packed down pretty good. On that note, do you think having that there over the winter will have detered the wildlife from coming back over winter?

Thanks again.

They may not even be there right now due to winter. They will be in the best wintering area's now. The best cover and food is where they spend most of the winter. Come spring they will break up from the winter flocks and spread out to area's they haven't been in for month's. Don't worry too much about where they are right now.

Goose smasher

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Originally Posted by Goose smasher

They may not even be there right now due to winter. They will be in the best wintering area's now. The best cover and food is where they spend most of the winter. Come spring they will break up from the winter flocks and spread out to area's they haven't been in for month's. Don't worry too much about where they are right now.

Goose smasher

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That was my hope thank you for the confirmation :). through everything I have read trough it looks like there are a couple really good areas in and on the outside to setup when they return (I am very optomistic).

I use Google Earth to see the lay of the land and what is on the surrounding properties such as agriculture, swamps etc. Try changing the date the picture was taken as it will show where the evegreens are as opposed to open areas and hardwoods etc. I learned to go to my computer first after scouting a swamp for a whole day, then checking google earth to see a small piece of highground in the swamp which gets a lot of deer activity. After going back to the spot I located on my computer I found a hot spot of deer activity and few other old tree stands (go figure).

Good luck.

Like Goose Smasher said! Best thing for you to do now, is get familiar with the property. I wouldn't worry about the birds now. When it gets closer to opening, put in some early mornings and listen for the birds. Leave your calls at home as well. You may only educate them if you start calling during preseason. I usually don't scout until a week before the season, but I've hunted the same area for 15 yrs or so.
You can also spend some time checking out any travel routes the birds may have. Try to pattern their movement a bit before season.

Roosting trees are usually the bigger/taller ones that are not to dense with branches, they want to fly easily into and out of the tree....

To add to the above, they are sometimes found on or by the side of a hill. Easier access for the birds to get in to the tree, flying from the top of the hill into the tree means less energy spent from the bird.

Well definitely some information that I have not seen and it all makes perfect sense, I am greatly appreciative thank you. Am I correct in saying that the tree type I should be looking for are pine, spruce etcetera?

I've hunted Brant and Norfolk county for the last 10 years, if you're in St Thomas you aren't that far off from where I am. In my experience, there's no tree that turkeys love roosting in more than a white pine.

Good to go, here's to luck for your turkey hunt.

Remember if possible show your gratitude to the land owner, offer to help him with something or anything you can do for him/her.

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Originally Posted by greatwhite

Good to go, here's to luck for your turkey hunt.
Remember if possible show your gratitude to the land owner, offer to help him with something or anything you can do for him/her.

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Luck is the one thing I will need lol. I have made sure to offer my services during field harvest and any other time that he may require a helping hand. I also offered to share and game. The only request I got was to clear out any nuisance animals and do not hurt any of the trees. I know it's early in the year so I will be sure to ask again when the work on the fields begins.

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Originally Posted by WayneGretzky99

I've hunted Brant and Norfolk county for the last 10 years, if you're in St Thomas you aren't that far off from where I am. In my experience, there's no tree that turkeys love roosting in more than a white pine.

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Correct only an hour away from the telephone city. I will keep that in mind and keep my eyes open while I am out.

Thank you all again this will be tremendous help.

Wish we could have Turkeys in Alaska to hunt.

They love to roost over water too. Be it a creek or a pond.

Goose smasher

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Originally Posted by Goose smasher

They love to roost over water too. Be it a creek or a pond.

Goose smasher

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Well I have both of those lol. Apparently a group went in years ago and wanted to "improve habitat". They then went to the owner and asked for thousands of dollars to continue .... he said no!