Amateur Turkey Hunter

[jnoonan22]

Hey, I'm still fairly new to turkey hunting. I've only been on a few trips and have yet to bag me a bird, but I'm learning more each time and hopefully getting better.

I live in KY and my in-law's farm has a regular group of birds that move through the back, typically on a daily basis. Our season here opens a week from this Saturday. Tonight, my wife and I are going to go out where they typically gather and start tossing out some corn feed. I've got a decoy that seemed to gather some interest this past spring I plan on using again and a fairly good spot for cover with a decent shot-angle.

For those who are not from KY, right now we are experiencing a serious drought (we are 7" to 8" low on rain for the year). Grass is brown or dead in many areas. I was hoping some experienced turkey hunters could let me know if droughts will affect turkeys' behavior and patterns, if there are things to keep in mind or tricks I might consider. Just trying to prepare the best I can. Thanks in advance!

 

[natman]

Our season here opens a week from this Saturday. Tonight, my wife and I are going to go out where they typically gather and start tossing out some corn feed.

Check your local game laws very carefully before you do this. Some jurisdictions have rules against hunting "over bait". Sometimes this means not putting food at a location for as long as a month beforehand.

Best of luck.

 

[janobles14]

when the droughts come at this time of year turkeys will turn to the dying grasses for seed. find somewhere with wild grain plants that are about to give up the ghost. also if you can find any place with water at all they will likely be roosted above it (especially flowing water). they will water early and then late (just before roosting).

hunt the thinner woods early and late and move to field when the sun is higher (especially if the weather is cold and dry).

if baiting is legal then i would toss out the feed (enough for two days) and hunt the end of the first day and then all of the second. they have to find it first. threshing a field might provide a good flock as well. knock out the food sources that are above their heads so they can glean them on the ground. they will almost instantly notice that the grasses have been beaten down and could run right on in.

 

[jnoonan22]

Thanks for the input. I checked the fish/wildlife site and apparently baiting is not legal, though I couldn't find any details on the issue. I'll have to try and locate some sources of water around the area.

 

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When the weather is hot and dry, watch the water holes and brooks. Turkeys need water, and lots of it. A few years ago my buddy was hunting a large tom. He set up on him 1/2 way up the hill he had seen the bird on. At day break the bird gobbled a dozen times, he called to him and he answered back, but flew over his head and down the hill. My buddy came to work that day and asked why the bird did that, I told him the tom likes a drink before anything alse. My buddy parked himself by the pond the next morning and shot a twenty pounder when he flew in to get a drink.