After reading shaman's post about keeping a turkey log with descriptions of his favored Honey Hole, I got to thinking about some of the places I hunt where I've regularly killed birds from the exact same spot. I wonder how many of you have that kind of spot where you know you'll stand a good chance at taking a bird, because of location, cover, terrain, water, food source, whatever?
I've got two spots that have been extremely productive over the years and both are related to terrain, location, and cover where turkeys like to spend time.
At my old lease, there was a 1,000 yard long powerline cut that was the only open area in a block of at least 1,400 acres. There were 2 creek bottoms and a flat topped ridge with a distinct bench just below the crest of the ridge. Gobblers loved to go see and be seen from that bench just below the ridge. The elevation allowed their gobbles to carry & pull hens from long distances. The only cover in the mature pines was a stump hole from an uprooted tree with the soil hump from the rootball behind it. It was a perfect little fox hole in some open woods, where turkeys could see a long ways. I wish I'd kept track of how many gobblers have been killed from that one spot, but it is somewhere between 30-35 longbeards.
The other is at one of the horse farms I hunt. It is also slightly below the crest of the highest ridge on the property, though it is in a stand of mature hardwoods. What makes it produce so well is that there happens to be two big trees down next to each other, that provides an ideal set up. There is also a wire panel pasture fence 100 yards behind it, making a pinch point between two fairly big blocks of woods, kind of like an hourglass with one flat side. Gobblers like to strut on the ridge in those open woods because they can be seen and heard for a long way. I've only had rights to hunt that land for 6 years, though I've taken seven gobblers from the same spot (I also missed one there last year. He was too close and I didn't wait him out). That farm is small and I don't have the luxury of much land to hunt on, as it is less than 100 acres, though I don't need it if the gobblers are willing to come to my calls. I've had a few walk the horse trail behind me, where I could hear them, but could not turn to see or shoot them. I'd rather have them walk on by than spook the turkey and make him more nervous than he already is. I've also had a couple of late season, wary gobblers stay on the rise on the neighbor's property, expecting the hen to come to them. They left when it didn't happen and they saw no hen.
Both places share elevation, open areas, and have security in the form of cover or the other side of the ridge to disappear to if threatened. They also have great places to set up within range to take advantage of the places turkeys like to be. I look for similar scenarios in other places I hunt and it has paid off when I can find the right mix.
So, how about you? Do you have a regular, productive spot? What helps make it that way? Have you recognized a similar spot somewhere else and had it pay off?
Jim
I have several. One of which even my own sons have never seen. I just have general areas though and not a specific tree or log to set up on. When I hear I tom gobble in one of these locations all I can typically think is "you poor dumb so and so". There is a reason why he is there and I have danced that dance enough times that i feel my odds have risen drastically. And history has proven me correct. I like to roam and small bits of property aren't for me. I love just covering ground and getting a boots on the ground surveillance of everything going on. Finding a bird and trying to kill him. Just over the years I have accumulated a few spots that it just isn't a healthy place to be if your a gobbler and I am around.
I have several as well .........some at.home.......some in other states...... Some locations are just golden.
I've had a few over the years. I had an old spot along a fence row on public land that was good for at least one Gobbler a year. They logged it a few years back and it will be 15 years or more before it will be worth hunting. Another spot I've hunted opening day for the last 5 years killed a bunch sitting under the same tree. Whatever it is that makes a gobbler pick a certain spot terrain,saftey, food etc. will attract another Gobbler when he's gone, plus your probably killing the next offspring from the same area.
Quote from: Yoder409 on March 10, 2019, 11:39:44 AM
I have several as well .........some at.home.......some in other states...... Some locations are just golden.
Bingo. This is me as well. Moved to NC and last year was my first year hunting the location and I had a ton of success. Scouted yesterday morning and watched a bunch of toms fly into the fields. Hopefully they stick around for another month so my daughter can try and get her first.
Got some Fall longbeard spots but the state turned my go to Spring spot into a gun hunting spot,so my Spring go to is in NE.
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I have a number of "go to" spots where I know my odds of killing a gobbler are better than others. I just don't go to them very often to fill a tag. There has been a year or two when things were going so bad that I ended up going to one of those spots just to get even with all the gobblers that were not cooperating,...but that is usually as a "last resort" option for me. Sometimes a guy just has to do that to prove to himself that he can still kill one. ;D
Here's one of mine, in the Berkshires of Massachusetts, at the nexus of an old stone wall dotted with ancient beech trees, a small spring fed creek, and a very old, almost gone, logging road.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7812/40378434323_b1692f6358_o_d.jpg)
Quote from: Rapscallion Vermilion on March 10, 2019, 09:01:12 PM
Here's one of mine, in the Berkshires of Massachusetts, at the nexus of an old stone wall dotted with ancient beech trees, a small spring fed creek, and a very old, almost gone, logging road.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7812/40378434323_b1692f6358_o_d.jpg)
Thought I was going to cyber scout a new Merriam spot, just kidding. Man I bet that log has some stories! Beautiful spot!
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A place with black water and black dirt, where God's lips must have kissed his creation as he enjoyed it. It is a place that soothes my soul! I have killed a good number of turkeys in this field and watched many others die. I have a spot I could sit for hours just enjoying creation.
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190311/7a618e232ff9b10671ee7a89e3a86477.jpg)
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I have several, I keep some to just myself and others I will bring someone along. I have a farm that the owner always is telling me shoot them all, he has some great habitat even though he manages the farm for deer, turkeys are seeing the benefits too. He has 200 acres and that place just holds birds on it! I take everyone there to kill birds. I have spots on the other farms that I/We routinely kill birds at, and I do some run & gun if that isn't working. I found a killer spot on public 10-12 years ago, it's a hard spot even to run across, a couple of miles back in but all ridge top, never ran into another hunter, I'll never tell another where it is and I have kept track on it and have better than a 90% kill there. It has a junction of 3 old logging roads coming together and the must have turned skidder and other equipment around in there for a while, it keeps open and seems many birds use these roads for strutting. Once I get there and get an answer you can tell what road there coming from and I have trees to use for each set, in the timber no decoys and just magic right there!!
MK M GOBL
I have several. Some on public land some on private land. Despite pressure on both some places just consistently attract/hold birds. Ive tried to connect the dots and draw up similarities to formulate some kind of common denominator but just can't. They're all different
I have several as well. gobblers in same place year after year. some are located on same farms I've been hunting for 25 years. one in particular stands out as I have taken gobbler from same tree on same date 5 different times.3 of those were within 30 minutes of same time. I will be seated at base of that tree this year on that date.
I have had several. Unless you are wealthy and own the land, cherish them while you have them, for time changes all.
I have one spot that if the bird roosts there and gobbles, I have very high success rate in killing him. I just know where he is gonna go from hunting that farm for a long time. I just smile when one gobbles there.
I have one on public as well, but it is no where near that good. Good chance I will see him, but he wins more than I do at that spot. But still good odds.
I have a couple that's house money. I haven't killed one on either spot in roughly 15 years. But every kid I've ever taken to either spot has come out with blood on their lower pants leg and a big smile on their face.
I had a go to spot on a farm I hunted for over 30 years, killed a lot of turkeys and deer there. The owner sold the farm just before turkey season last year. Devastating to say the least! I've been depressed ever since.
I have one place on public land in NC that is much too easy to get too. probably shot 10 birds within
200 yards of one spot. ( between 2 fields.)
I have a few. And a couple of them are in some oddball places. Lightening tends to strike twice.
I don't have any specific trees, but my favorite spot is on public land (i hunt 90% public).
I hunt there every opening day, and have killed 15+ on this tract.
I have one spot in VA i hunt with a friend. It is under a pine tree at the top of a sloping field. The birds come up toward you so you can shoot under the overhanging pine limbs and you are always in the shade. It has been the demise of a pile of birds and the site of countless decoy thrashings.