When looking at aerial and topo maps, what specific types of features do you look for and which have you had the most success with? I'm in WI for reference.
Thanks!!
When looking for a good spot to hold turkeys, I look for 4-5+ acres of thicket/tall grass which will hopefully look good to the hens as a nesting area. Very near this spot I look for some woods to provide roosting sites. An open area, like a picked soybean or corn field adjacent to the woods is an added plus to allow me to set up decoys as well as to provide an area for the toms and hens to gather after fly down. The further all of this is away from any roadway, the better. I took a gobbler this morning in an area that provided all of the above.
Depends on what part of the country I'm in. Early in the year I look for cattle farms around big timber.
Usually big ag/farm fields with adjoining timber holds birds. Then I will start looking at topography.
Then I go in and do some listening to see what's around
Around me a mix of more open areas and hardwoods or in other words edge habitat. I also look at topo's to see how ridges intersect which would affect my travel. Last is potential access points. If it looks easy to get to I usually move on.
Depends on what you have available or where in the country we're talking. In Oklahoma for example, if there's a flowing creek, there's gonna be birds. Sometimes a big deal can be hardwoods on the satellite if there's primarily pines around. But I would say anywhere you have timber, water, an ag field/cattle farm in a small area, it's probably worth looking at. In a lot of states if there's cattle, you're gonna find turkeys on the public behind the cattle
Mixed habitat and water.
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In North Florida, I look for creek bottom/pine transitions. I also look for turkey/black jack oak areas, especially near creeks/hardwood. I check topo for elevated points extending into fingers of creek bottoms. Sat up blind on just such a spot this year and called one in for a buddy.
Does everyone get permission from the land owner?
Since I started hunting old growth mountains I look for beaver flows. They're the closest things those birds have to a field and the right ones are a magnet to strutting toms.
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