Turkey hunting forum for turkey hunting tips

We own 1000 plus acres in North Louisiana. We have zero turkeys on or directly around us. Have had a picture of a couple hens passing through a couple years ago but that's it. As a crow flys there are a lot of turkeys and have been for years about 3 miles south of us across a major highway. I have contacted the LDWF about trapping and moving some birds on us with no avail. I've emailed and called NWTF and haven't even got a response. I even have a family friend that owns some land with a lot of birds on it that has given me permission to catch some and move them on us. But I need someone with the net and explosives to do it. It's aggravating when you are trying to help the Wild turkey spread its range and can get Zero help. If anyone knows anybody that could help PM me. Thanks

My thoughts are if they are only 3 miles away they would be in your property if you had what they are looking for.

Instead of looking to trap and transport, see if you can get someone out there to help with controlled burns, food plots, and water. I would bet you would see more if you did that.

  Strange that you see some Hens and yet no Gobblers. I would definitely  find out what the Turkey Situation is with your connecting Landowners. Something to my mind just does not sound right..

Quote from: 2flyfish4 on June 16, 2022, 11:11:53 PM
My thoughts are if they are only 3 miles away they would be in your property if you had what they are looking for.

Instead of looking to trap and transport, see if you can get someone out there to help with controlled burns, food plots, and water. I would bet you would see more if you did that.

Agree with this. If there are alot of birds within 3 miles, just during natural dispersal
you should have turkeys IF they have what habitat they need. I'd try improving my food plots and maybe timber as well and that should be the place to start with.you could contact TURKEYS FOR TOMORROW perhaps they may have suggestions. 

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Also how wet is your property? Could definitely effect nesting and brood raising.

No one is going to trap turkey and move them to your property in this situation. If they did, people would be standing in line for game and fish agencies to bring them turkey.

Put some habitat pics of your place on here and maybe someone could give some insight as to why you don't have turkeys.  I agree with those above.  If you have turkeys fairly close, but they are not on you then you are missing something

Quote from: deerhunt1988 on June 17, 2022, 08:27:58 AM
No one is going to trap turkey and move them to your property in this situation. If they did, people would be standing in line for game and fish agencies to bring them turkey.

Truth.  Using publicly funded infrastructure (agencies, manpower, equipment) to strictly benefit individuals is generally not an accepted practice.  An exception to this might be if you, as the landowner, signed something stating that you were going to allow the public to hunt your land.  Not many landowners around that are going to do that! 

As has been stated, you should be analyzing why the properties a few miles away have turkeys while yours does not,...and then making the needed improvements to your property to attract birds to it.  Sounds to me like some key elements needed to hold turkeys on your place are missing or they would be there already.

Now, you might be able to make an agreement with your DNR/game department to let you T&T birds from another private-property source (if that source agreed to it, obviously),...and with any associated costs for that coming from private sources.  However, unless you made the needed habitat improvements, those turkeys would likely relocate to more desirable habitats anyway. 

Bottom line is that it looks to me like that if you want turkeys to come live on your property, you got some work to do!   :icon_thumright:

Contact some local land managers, you need an evaluation of your property.  I doubt there would be a legal way to trap and transport turkeys?

Just raise some domestics until they are 18 weeks old, then release them on your property. Thats how wild turkeys evolved in the first place when Ponce De Leon brought over domestic pigs and turkeys to the US and they escaped and became wild.

Quote from: TurkeyReaper69 on June 17, 2022, 09:47:18 AM
Just raise some domestics until they are 18 weeks old, then release them on your property. Thats how wild turkeys evolved in the first place when Ponce De Leon brought over domestic pigs and turkeys to the US and they escaped and became wild.

Nope,Turkeys evolved in North America.

What we did years ago was make contact with our local biologist and he came out and surveyed our place and took notes and gave us a plan to help the wildlife. So my suggestion is to do the same. Have a biologist come out and survey your place and give you suggestions on making improvements.  Some of the improvements we made were adding watering holes, planting clover, rotating our areas we bushhog and we planted lots of saw tooth oaks. We also do some select cutting of our timber and we always leave areas with grouping of trees for roosting spots etc.  We also added trails or some people may call them field roads and we keep these trails or field roads maintained during the year. Make sure you have areas of sand for the turkeys to scratch and peck for girt. If you don't pick out a couple areas and order a couple loads of red sand and have it dumped and spread out for the wildlife.  Primos said one of the thinking missing on one of his hunting places in Mississippi was sand so he had loads of sand dumped on his farm and it made major improvements to his turkey population and holding birds. Lots of things you can do in helping your turkeys etc.   BUT turkeys will always have a wintering area, breeding area and nesting area. IMO

Quote from: deerhunt1988 on June 17, 2022, 08:27:58 AM
No one is going to trap turkey and move them to your property in this situation. If they did, people would be standing in line for game and fish agencies to bring them turkey.

X2.

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Quote from: Dtrkyman on June 17, 2022, 09:30:07 AM
Contact some local land managers, you need an evaluation of your property.  I doubt there would be a legal way to trap and transport turkeys?

This is true. Legally you can not

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Might check online for wild turkey eggs and get an incubator?
Once they can fly release them


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Quote from: wchadw on June 17, 2022, 11:35:21 AM
Might check online for wild turkey eggs and get an incubator?
Once they can fly release them


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https://www.ebay.com/itm/155033618895?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=hBLF_dL-SJy&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=eduGOV93Rbm&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Might work? Probably have pretty high mortality rate
If you try this, better do it now so they will get big enough to survive winter
If you do, I'd like to know how it turns out


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Quote from: wchadw on June 17, 2022, 11:35:21 AM
Might check online for wild turkey eggs and get an incubator?
Once they can fly release them


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This has been proven to fail and harm natural populations

Quote from: TurkeyReaper69 on June 17, 2022, 09:47:18 AM
Just raise some domestics until they are 18 weeks old, then release them on your property. Thats how wild turkeys evolved in the first place when Ponce De Leon brought over domestic pigs and turkeys to the US and they escaped and became wild.

Ponce DeLeon only released Oseollas, it was Cortez who released the more abundant Rios and Goulds.

If LA are like most states, you would be in violation of the law to trap and transport wild turkeys on your own.  And the state is not likely to populate private land with turkeys from public land.

When the hunting lease I'm on wanted turkeys, we paid $700 per bird to have some transplanted to our property back in the 90's.  I think the NWTF had a program and I don't know if the state participated at all.

Quote from: davisd9 on June 17, 2022, 12:15:38 PM

Quote from: wchadw on June 17, 2022, 11:35:21 AM
Might check online for wild turkey eggs and get an incubator?
Once they can fly release them


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This has been proven to fIl and harm natural populations

Correct

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Quote from: Greg Massey on June 17, 2022, 10:08:14 AM
What we did years ago was make contact with our local biologist and he came out and surveyed our place and took notes and gave us a plan to help the wildlife. So my suggestion is to do the same. Have a biologist come out and survey your place and give you suggestions on making improvements.  Some of the improvements we made were adding watering holes, planting clover, rotating our areas we bushhog and we planted lots of saw tooth oaks. We also do some select cutting of our timber and we always leave areas with grouping of trees for roosting spots etc.  We also added trails or some people may call them field roads and we keep these trails or field roads maintained during the year. Make sure you have areas of sand for the turkeys to scratch and peck for girt. If you don't pick out a couple areas and order a couple loads of red sand and have it dumped and spread out for the wildlife.  Primos said one of the thinking missing on one of his hunting places in Mississippi was sand so he had loads of sand dumped on his farm and it made major improvements to his turkey population and holding birds. Lots of things you can do in helping your turkeys etc.   BUT turkeys will always have a wintering area, breeding area and nesting area. IMO

Very interesting. Good information here

Quote from: Greg Massey on June 17, 2022, 10:08:14 AM
What we did years ago was make contact with our local biologist and he came out and surveyed our place and took notes and gave us a plan to help the wildlife. So my suggestion is to do the same. Have a biologist come out and survey your place and give you suggestions on making improvements.  Some of the improvements we made were adding watering holes, planting clover, rotating our areas we bushhog and we planted lots of saw tooth oaks. We also do some select cutting of our timber and we always leave areas with grouping of trees for roosting spots etc.  We also added trails or some people may call them field roads and we keep these trails or field roads maintained during the year. Make sure you have areas of sand for the turkeys to scratch and peck for girt. If you don't pick out a couple areas and order a couple loads of red sand and have it dumped and spread out for the wildlife.  Primos said one of the thinking missing on one of his hunting places in Mississippi was sand so he had loads of sand dumped on his farm and it made major improvements to his turkey population and holding birds. Lots of things you can do in helping your turkeys etc.   BUT turkeys will always have a wintering area, breeding area and nesting area. IMO

When they were restocking turkeys in this area in the late 70's and early 80's the Fish&Wildlife picked the properties. The land owners were then approached and had to sign a no hunting agreement for 5 to 10 years if memory serves. Improving the habitat as already mentioned seems best.

Quote from: crow on June 17, 2022, 12:55:07 PM

Quote from: TurkeyReaper69 on June 17, 2022, 09:47:18 AM
Just raise some domestics until they are 18 weeks old, then release them on your property. Thats how wild turkeys evolved in the first place when Ponce De Leon brought over domestic pigs and turkeys to the US and they escaped and became wild.

Ponce DeLeon only released Oseollas, it was Cortez who released the more abundant Rios and Goulds.

Correct me if I'm wrong but were Easterns brought over on the Mayflower and gifted to the Indians at Plymouth?

Don't need to contact anyone, you are wasting your time with your request.   Why would they do that?

Quote from: TurkeyReaper69 on June 17, 2022, 02:59:00 PM

Quote from: crow on June 17, 2022, 12:55:07 PM

Quote from: TurkeyReaper69 on June 17, 2022, 09:47:18 AM
Just raise some domestics until they are 18 weeks old, then release them on your property. Thats how wild turkeys evolved in the first place when Ponce De Leon brought over domestic pigs and turkeys to the US and they escaped and became wild.

Ponce DeLeon only released Oseollas, it was Cortez who released the more abundant Rios and Goulds.

Correct me if I'm wrong but were Easterns brought over on the Mayflower and gifted to the Indians at Plymouth?

No, you must be a product of public education.

Eastern's (originally from the Eastern block Slavic countries--hence the name)  were brought across the Bering sea land bridge by the Ojibway. From there they were used as trade barter with the other tribes and dispersed mainly thru the east, so the name stuck.

You guys need to go fishing or something!

Quote from: Gobbler Yelp on June 17, 2022, 04:48:49 PM
I am brand new here, but are you people serious. The Wild Turkey is native to North America

:D  I'm not new here, but I was assuming some of the comments about the originations of turkeys were made just to see if they would get a rise out of somebody.  Apparently, it worked!  The truth be known, wild turkeys were brought from Mars by space aliens just to torment turkey hunters on Earth.   ;D

I am speechless.

Good

I always thought the pilgrims ordered them in on Thanksgiving from Amazon.

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Like this post.

Quote from: Happy on June 18, 2022, 08:03:05 AM
I always thought the pilgrims ordered them in on Thanksgiving from Amazon.

Yeah,...maybe so,...but I'm pretty sure Amazon had to get them from the space aliens from Mars first!   :toothy9:

Mars...No Amazon...No
If you believe Paleontologists turkeys might be descendants of dinosaurs.
The Surprising Connection Between Turkeys and T. Rex
By George Frederick published November 05, 2012
A few days after Thanksgiving dinner, a popular tradition calls for two people to grab opposite ends of a dried wishbone and pull until the bone breaks in two.
The irony: The wishbone is special because it's one piece.
The furcula (the technical term for a wishbone) is formed by the fusion of two collarbones at the sternum. The furcula is an important part of a bird's flight mechanics — a connecting point for muscles and a strengthening brace for wings. The bone is elastic and acts as a spring that stores and releases energy during flapping. (Ever try to snap a wishbone before it's been dried?)
Scientists once thought the furcula was unique to birds. Paleontologists now tell us that the bone dates back more than 150 million years to two-legged, meat-eating dinosaurs including the Tyrannosaurus and Velociraptor. These reptilian movie stars didn't fly. Their furculas likely served as structural supports as the dinos held their prey.
The furcula is a key component of the commonly accepted theory that birds are the descendants of dinosaurs.

Quote from: Turkeybutt on June 18, 2022, 09:55:24 AM
Mars...No Amazon...No
If you believe Paleontologists turkeys might be descendants of dinosaurs.
The Surprising Connection Between Turkeys and T. Rex
By George Frederick published November 05, 2012
A few days after Thanksgiving dinner, a popular tradition calls for two people to grab opposite ends of a dried wishbone and pull until the bone breaks in two.
The irony: The wishbone is special because it's one piece.
The furcula (the technical term for a wishbone) is formed by the fusion of two collarbones at the sternum. The furcula is an important part of a bird's flight mechanics — a connecting point for muscles and a strengthening brace for wings. The bone is elastic and acts as a spring that stores and releases energy during flapping. (Ever try to snap a wishbone before it's been dried?)
Scientists once thought the furcula was unique to birds. Paleontologists now tell us that the bone dates back more than 150 million years to two-legged, meat-eating dinosaurs including the Tyrannosaurus and Velociraptor. These reptilian movie stars didn't fly. Their furculas likely served as structural supports as the dinos held their prey.
The furcula is a key component of the commonly accepted theory that birds are the descendants of dinosaurs.

Somebody had to go and get all technical on us!  Turkeys came from Mars!  That's my story and I'm sticking to it!   ;D
Now, we can debate all day whether or not Amazon or Ponce de Leon delivered them to the Pilgrims or not, but the actual "War of the Worlds" began when those darn Martians brought those F'ing turkeys down here to torment us!  Facts is Facts, bubba!   :toothy9: :angel9:

Maybe you are correct! Now that i think of it I do recall maybe seeing some turkeys leave the space ship white watching the movie The Day the Earth Stood Still.
Then again it could be some residual substances from the night before!
"Gort! Klaatu barada nikto"

 They dropped the turkeys off when they built the pyramids, maybe Stonehenge, I forget

I agree with others. If your property was conducive to turkeys you would have them. Kansas has a Habitat First program. I contacted them on advice to help ground nesting birds. A biologist came out and looked the place over then made a gamp plan. They assisted me with seed and equipment to restore native grass. They also did cost share of invasive tree removal. I have seen more quail, meadowlarks, butterflies, etc but I still lack turkey nesting success. Maybe Louisiana has a similar program.

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THIS POST HAS TOOK A TURN FOR THE LITTLE GREEN PEOPLE....  :z-dizzy:

Quote from: Turkeybutt on June 18, 2022, 09:55:24 AM
Mars...No Amazon...No
If you believe Paleontologists turkeys might be descendants of dinosaurs.
The Surprising Connection Between Turkeys and T. Rex
By George Frederick published November 05, 2012
A few days after Thanksgiving dinner, a popular tradition calls for two people to grab opposite ends of a dried wishbone and pull until the bone breaks in two.
The irony: The wishbone is special because it's one piece.
The furcula (the technical term for a wishbone) is formed by the fusion of two collarbones at the sternum. The furcula is an important part of a bird's flight mechanics — a connecting point for muscles and a strengthening brace for wings. The bone is elastic and acts as a spring that stores and releases energy during flapping. (Ever try to snap a wishbone before it's been dried?)
Scientists once thought the furcula was unique to birds. Paleontologists now tell us that the bone dates back more than 150 million years to two-legged, meat-eating dinosaurs including the Tyrannosaurus and Velociraptor. These reptilian movie stars didn't fly. Their furculas likely served as structural supports as the dinos held their prey.
The furcula is a key component of the commonly accepted theory that birds are the descendants of dinosaurs.

A couple of seasons back, I was hunting a bird I nicknamed GOLIATH because of the huge 3 toed tracks he was leaving on the muddy two track road along a flooded timber area. Now I realize it wasnt a gobbler but a DANG DINOSAUR! Who would have guessed it?

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Since this thread has gone WAAAAYYYYY off track a buddy of mine called me to come look at a track in the woods.  He was a much more experienced turkey hunter than me, so I was thinking it was a cat track or something.  I get out there and look down and start laughing.  He asks me "WTH is that!?!!?!?!?".  I knew instantly.  It was a rhea. A local farmer client had about 5 or 6 that he no longer wanted and he just turned them loose a year or two earlier.  Hunted that area for the next 3 years, never saw another track. 

The habitat is a little thick, we had it select cut about 5 years ago. It's perfect for deer but not as good for the turkey. A biologist with the state has already came out and rode the whole property. He thinks Interstate 20 which is a 4 lane highway is acting like a wall to keep them from dispersing onto us. We are surrounded by ag fields and a river runs through the whole property. I can't get pictures to load or I would drop a map picture. I wouldn't be transporting birds from public to private. We have a family friend with land that has turkeys. He agreed to let us trap a few and release them.  As far as food plots and all. We have plenty. I'd say we have over 60 acres of plots.

Quote from: Louisiana Longbeard on June 18, 2022, 11:31:59 PM
The habitat is a little thick, we had it select cut about 5 years ago. It's perfect for deer but not as good for the turkey. A biologist with the state has already came out and rode the whole property. He thinks Interstate 20 which is a 4 lane highway is acting like a wall to keep them from dispersing onto us. We are surrounded by ag fields and a river runs through the whole property. I can't get pictures to load or I would drop a map picture. I wouldn't be transporting birds from public to private. We have a family friend with land that has turkeys. He agreed to let us trap a few and release them.  As far as food plots and all. We have plenty. I'd say we have over 60 acres of plots.

From your description here, it sounds like the habitat is there to hold birds on the property.  The next question on my mind is whether the area has historically held wild turkeys?...or have they been recently introduced there?  If they have been recently introduced, they just might not have had time to increase to numbers where they would naturally migrate to your property.

I doubt that the interstate highway would be a barrier to turkeys, so I personally would discount that possibility.  If there are other geographic barriers between your property and those areas that currently have turkeys, then those, combined with the highway, might potentially be a problem.  That also seems unlikely to me, however. 

Getting back to your thoughts on transplanting birds, you should contact your DNR and see if they would grant you permission to trap some birds off of your friend's place, that is assuming there are enough birds there to ensure viability in both locations.  Personally, I see no reason that they would not allow that, unless there are some unknown, underlying circumstances involved.  Might be some costs involved for any associated permitting and DNR oversight, but I can't imagine a reason they would be against trying to expand the state's wild turkey population through something like this. 

Again, based on your description, I still come back around to asking the question,...Why do you not already have turkeys staying on your property?  Seems to me there are some existing conditions or circumstances that you may not have identified.  Excessive numbers of predators perhaps?  ...It's somewhat a quandary to me...

Quote from: Louisiana Longbeard on June 18, 2022, 11:31:59 PM
The habitat is a little thick, we had it select cut about 5 years ago. It's perfect for deer but not as good for the turkey. A biologist with the state has already came out and rode the whole property. He thinks Interstate 20 which is a 4 lane highway is acting like a wall to keep them from dispersing onto us. We are surrounded by ag fields and a river runs through the whole property. I can't get pictures to load or I would drop a map picture. I wouldn't be transporting birds from public to private. We have a family friend with land that has turkeys. He agreed to let us trap a few and release them.  As far as food plots and all. We have plenty. I'd say we have over 60 acres of plots.

Burn some. Plant some chufa and clover
Try spraying and disking a medium size plot and let natural grasses grow back


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Gobblenut, it has me puzzled as well. The area across the highway has had birds for years and years. I'm 37 and when I was a young kid there were birds there so no they are not newly there. We do have a lot of predators as far as coons, possums, bobcat, and coyote. But the thing is there are as many or more where the turkeys are at so I don't see that being a difference maker either. I don't know but it is frustrating. We plant wheat, oats, and clover every year. Lots and lots of Ag fields all around us.

If your bordered by any Pilgrim communities they can be rough on turkey populations at certain times of the year

Quote from: Louisiana Longbeard on June 19, 2022, 08:47:38 PM
Gobblenut, it has me puzzled as well. The area across the highway has had birds for years and years. I'm 37 and when I was a young kid there were birds there so no they are not newly there. We do have a lot of predators as far as coons, possums, bobcat, and coyote. But the thing is there are as many or more where the turkeys are at so I don't see that being a difference maker either. I don't know but it is frustrating. We plant wheat, oats, and clover every year. Lots and lots of Ag fields all around us.

If you have turkey that close, with a thousand acres, you might be able to make some changes to keep them on your place ( without knowing what your place does or doesn't offer).  There's some good stuff on youtube and other sources on managing/developing your property for turkey but I'd contact my biologist and tell them you're interested in a consultation about what you can do to benefit turkey on your place and improve habitat. Bottom line- if you have turkey literally across the road but not on you, it's a habitat deal and even if someone transplanted them (they wont) on you, you'd probably just have more turkey across the road. They're going to go where they can get what they need. Good luck and hope you can get them going on your place

There is a lot of heavy traffic on I-20, so I would be surprised if the interstate did not interfere with the exchange of turkeys from one side to the other.

Quote from: silvestris on June 21, 2022, 02:54:01 PM
There is a lot of heavy traffic on I-20, so I would be surprised if the interstate did not interfere with the exchange of turkeys from one side to the other.

Yes I-20 is busy all the time. That's what we were told is that is like a wall they don't want to cross. That's why I'm wanting to try to let a few loose on our place and see what happens

The problem you have now, sans habitat, is getting Wildlife & Fisheries to agree to trap some of your friend's turkeys to your ground.  The LDWF will certainly not release turkeys into a thicket.  The number of acres you control and/or the number of cooperating neighbor's acres are also a factor.  Trapping and relocating turkeys is hard work and the Department is going to have to see a good chance of success to undertake the task.

Lots of good ideas here, maybe a few that were a little far fetched, but there is a reason that you dont have turkeys. You said the deer are there, well they like what you have. I think that predator and egg stealer control is a good step. Controlled burning with planting turkey friendly crops is always a good idea. Roosting areas are also a big thing, if there isnt any other needs near the roosting areas then it might just be convenience for them. Turkeys here cross Interstate 95 all the time and it is a busy road. A turkey biologist may be needed, a general state biologist will be helpful but it might not be his specialty. Keep looking for help, but I dont think the state will transplant birds to your property. They may help, but those programs are very expensive and planned well in advance. Good luck and I am pulling for you, Al Baker

Turkey drive on the other side of 20!


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Quote from: Dtrkyman on June 27, 2022, 06:18:22 PM
Turkey drive on the other side of 20!

:TooFunny: :TooFunny:  I'll bang on a frying pan from here in New Mexico to help out.  Maybe throw in a little whoopin' and hollerin' while I'm at it...   ;D

 :newmascot:
Sounds good to me

Quote from: silvestris on June 17, 2022, 09:32:23 PM
I am speechless.

For once!!!

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Quote from: Shiloh on June 18, 2022, 06:21:53 AM
Good

X2

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Quote from: Happy on June 18, 2022, 08:03:05 AM
I always thought the pilgrims ordered them in on Thanksgiving from Amazon.

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I think the guys have hit on your main issue. There has to be something missing.
In the past I've found that too much thick cover is not what turkeys like. Some good cover for nesting, and for deer is good. Controlled burning at the right time of year would be helpful. Thick cover also is good for predators.
I would see if you can get a turkey biologist, public or private to look at your place. That should be Step #1.
Because even if you succeed in transplanting turkeys onto your place, if the habitat isn't what they are looking for, they won't hang around. And those few that do will be picked off by predators.
Good luck!!

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