While hunting out west, it was the first time I've hunted with cattle around. The rancher said to look for areas where you see a lot of dried cow patties flipped over and you will see turkeys. To my surprise, he was correct. Where ever we found a spot with a lot of cow patties flipped over, we found a ton of turkey droppings, tracks, etc.
Our guess is that they are flipping them over to look for bugs. I didn't witness a turkey actually flipping over one, but I'm positive that's what is going on.
I did notice that the birds I shot smelled strongly of cow manure and sage. A lovely bouquet, lol.
So my question is to you guys that hunt them here in Georgia and for that matter anywhere else. Is this a common practice for turkeys?
Yup...they flip them over...eat bugs...pick stuff out of the pie...
Turkeys & cows may not be best friends, but they do mix well...
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They eat seeds out the patties as well.
Sent from the Strut Zone
Whatever the cows ate and didn't digest, the turkeys will .......... :TooFunny:
Love me a pasture gobbler. Especially a pasture with a ditch or creek = DEATH ZONE..
Turkey food....yum
Yeah and they don't necessarily wait for it to dry either, sometimes I think they just follow them around and get it when it hits the ground.
Quote from: nitro on April 25, 2016, 01:06:35 PM
Whatever the cows ate and didn't digest, the turkeys will .......... :TooFunny:
Love me a pasture gobbler. Especially a pasture with a ditch or creek = DEATH ZONE..
:agreed: This is exactly why I love hunting dairy farms
Just wait until you see a gobbler track in a wet cow pattie...
I have feed cows hole corn (cattle can't digest hole corn)when I was younger, the reason being is that the cows walk around pooping and it would be hole corn in the patties and turkeys where everywhere in that field!!! Ha ha!!
Talkem into given up!!!
Quote from: Big perm2 on April 26, 2016, 07:46:23 PM
I have feed cows hole corn (cattle can't digest hole corn)when I was younger, the reason being is that the cows walk around pooping and it would be hole corn in the patties and turkeys where everywhere in that field!!! Ha ha!!
Talkem into given up!!!
Hahah I like your style
I don't believe I have ever killed a bird that knew what a cow pie was. I killed two on a farm in my life but there were no cattle for miles. Only crops.
Quote from: Happy on April 26, 2016, 07:52:25 PM
I don't believe I have ever killed a bird that knew what a cow pie was. I killed two on a farm in my life but there were no cattle for miles. Only crops.
Happy your needing to get out more and hunt these cow patties...ha ha ha
I've grown up hunting cow pastures and this the first thing I look for as far as sign. It's hard to find tracks and such because it goes from cow pasture to oak hammock and not a lot of soft dirt.
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MOooooo to the walking bait piles.
I am a bit of a shut in I suppose. Least I don't have to run from any bulls!
Quote from: Happy on April 26, 2016, 08:45:10 PM
I am a bit of a shut in I suppose. Least I don't have to run from any bulls!
funny
I just posted on a related thread about farm animals and related my experiences of turkeys turning over cow turds...
I hunted a ranch with a good population of wild peacocks, and they were really noted for following the cattle around to turn over the cow turds.
We run a small herd of cattle on my home farm here in southern middle TN. These birds love what the cows are putting down. We feed a mix of grains which is just the screenings at one of our local graineries, it is a mix of cracked corn, cracked beans, and wheat. Turkeys absolutely go crazy over the cow patties.
Soooooo....To sum all of this up, the turkeys love it when the "chips" are down?
I've killed many birds in cow pastures and without a doubt, every time, their feet and up their legs are covered in cow mess...
When late season comes around and folks begin wondering where all the turkeys disappeared to is when I really shift to cow pastures---The cows keeping the grass mowed down creates more preferred strutting areas when the crop and hay fields become too tall and the cow manure is a constant source of food. I have killed them where they actually had a dried ball of cow manure on the end of their beard---Probably a cause of many of the beardless toms you hear about.
The beards and feet from the birds I shot in Oklahoma reek of manure. Interesting reading all these responses. I had no idea that cow patties were a secret weapon. Looks like I need to invest in a couple of cows for my 100 acres back home in Georgia. lol.
QuoteSoooooo....To sum all of this up, the turkeys love it when the "chips" are down?
LMFAO