All,
My wife and I purchased land last year (120 acres). It was great for deer hunting. We have seen turkeys here and there randomly but nothing to be very excited about with regard for hunting as I know turkey's range can be quite large. I do have other areas to hunt when it comes to turkey hunting. that all being said, we put in some fall food plots (two 2.5acre plots) this past fall. The plots were oats, wheat, rye, and turnips. I actually got quite a few pictures of turkey's using these plots which was pretty cool. We also planted white clover into these fields (this past fall) with the hope the clover will grow up nice this spring. If the plots come in nice, would the turkey come to these fields? Do they like clover plots? Thanks!
Around here turkeys use all the fields we have, I seem to notice birds in old corn fields in the first part of the year along with some bean... just doesn't seen to have as much waste grain. As spring progresses birds move into the hay/clover fields as the green up. I also see some differences when planting time comes. I live in a area with a good mix of hardwoods & farms (dairy and otherwise). We also do plenty of food plots and turkeys do use, of turkeys are opportunists when it comes to food sources.
Now my best turkey hunting spots have more to do with location than anything...
MK M GOBL
I have noticed that food plots help some but best thing is farmers who spread chicken poop on fields, chicken poop has allot of undigested grain and corn in it, turkeys come and pick through it.
I have some places that have turkeys during deer season, but come time for turkey season they are long gone. It's just got where they want to be during the spring. Location is key, old hardwood trees for rising, a pond, a nice creek, open hardwoods, fields, etc.
We always cut the craw open on a bird and see why they've been eating and I have been amazed and some the things we have found in there lol.
9 times out of 10 it's corn where someone is still baiting from deer season. It is highly illegal here to hunt or attempt to hunt over bait for wild turkey.
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Most of the turkeys down here gravitate toward fields when it rains especially.
They will hit the clover in the plots, if it looks like the wheat is getting tall go in and cut 6" off the ground. They love our clover patches in MS. I'll go in and cut or light disc to spur new growth. If it gets to tall they don't seem to hit them as hard.
Turkeys love clover plots, we have several clover plots and another thing you can do is dump some loads of sand through-out the property, turkey's love to scratch in the sand...
I can't offer any guarantees that you will have turkeys this year over previous springs.. Will your plots add attractiveness to them absolutely.
In the spring they want good roosting, good strutting, good feeding, and good nesting all in close proximity. You improved 2 of those 4 with your plots and hopefully you can flop a big ol longbeard right out back
Quote from: BottomLand54 on February 07, 2018, 08:05:30 AM
I have noticed that food plots help some but best thing is farmers who spread chicken poop on fields, chicken poop has allot of undigested grain and corn in it, turkeys come and pick through it.
I have some places that have turkeys during deer season, but come time for turkey season they are long gone. It's just got where they want to be during the spring. Location is key, old hardwood trees for rising, a pond, a nice creek, open hardwoods, fields, etc.
We always cut the craw open on a bird and see why they've been eating and I have been amazed and some the things we have found in there lol.
9 times out of 10 it's corn where someone is still baiting from deer season. It is highly illegal here to hunt or attempt to hunt over bait for wild turkey.
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It is widely believed that the chicken manure is what decimated the turkey population in southern middle Tennessee and North Alabama.
Quote from: SKFOOTER on February 07, 2018, 09:33:13 AM
Quote from: BottomLand54 on February 07, 2018, 08:05:30 AM
I have noticed that food plots help some but best thing is farmers who spread chicken poop on fields, chicken poop has allot of undigested grain and corn in it, turkeys come and pick through it.
I have some places that have turkeys during deer season, but come time for turkey season they are long gone. It's just got where they want to be during the spring. Location is key, old hardwood trees for rising, a pond, a nice creek, open hardwoods, fields, etc.
We always cut the craw open on a bird and see why they've been eating and I have been amazed and some the things we have found in there lol.
9 times out of 10 it's corn where someone is still baiting from deer season. It is highly illegal here to hunt or attempt to hunt over bait for wild turkey.
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It is widely believed that the chicken manure is what decimated the turkey population in southern middle Tennessee and North Alabama.
Wow I never knew that man our farmers dump it out we live in a big chicken farming area and the last 2 years or turkey population has tripled. I sure hope it's good this year
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I dream of killing strutters in bright green fields every year...but most of my field birds come from muddy or dusty old nasty ag fields!
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Make some nesting habitat. A three or four year old clear cut works wonders for that and for holding deer with a good bedding area. It helps keep hens in your are and the toms follow.
The clover and/or chufa plots would certainly help attract some birds.
I know on archerytalk you talked about creating deer bedding, those thickened areas will improve nesting habitat as well.
We have 120 acres as well and had turkeys around our property but none really on it. I did some research and we planted chufas. We now consistently hold turkeys on our piece. Once the chufas matured and were ready it looked like someone had gone back through with a tractor and turned the ground under they had been spending so much time in that plot scratching around. Just a thought if you ever want to give it a try on your piece.
Turkeys will use the same plots deer use. Clover is a Great draw but they like rye, oats, winter wheat, winter peas and they love turnip greens as well. We plant all the previous mentioned crops and the turkeys are in them throughout the fall, winter and early spring until green up. Later in the spring and throughout the summer they will come through from time to time but they turn to bugs to feed their poults. Continue with your current plantings and your turkey sightings and population will continue to increase.
Disc a few strips in your plot and keep them disced throughout the season. Turkeys love dirt
Turkeys love my clover plot. But I think ultimately every situation is different A plot
In a good nesting area will have turkeys in it all throughout the day. Mainly hens but them gobblers will come looking at some point
Quote from: Gut_Pile on February 07, 2018, 08:58:19 PM
Disc a few strips in your plot and keep them disced throughout the season. Turkeys love dirt
A good practice
I dont know much about clover types but some of the orange groves I have hunted here in Fl very often have clover growing wild between the rows, or in the "middles" as we say... The root systems produce small white bulbs I believe are called root nodules. I couldnt count the gobblers I have killed with a craw full of these. Now they eat the slop out of the leaves and blooms too but they love to dig up the little bulbs. Now whether the variety you planted shares this characteristic I have no idea.
Quote from: Panhandle_strutter on February 07, 2018, 01:24:38 PM
We have 120 acres as well and had turkeys around our property but none really on it. I did some research and we planted chufas. We now consistently hold turkeys on our piece. Once the chufas matured and were ready it looked like someone had gone back through with a tractor and turned the ground under they had been spending so much time in that plot scratching around. Just a thought if you ever want to give it a try on your piece.
How large was the plot you planted? Chufa appears to be pretty expensive.
I'd see how the clover does for a year or two at increasing draw. chufa is great for birds but going to take plot space away from deer food clover will attract both
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