Ive been scouting and have a awesome place picked out to hunt been seeing numerous birds in this big open field. The owners lease the field to a farmer and i get a call saying there getting ready to plow and get the field ready and probably start planting around turkey season in a couple weeks. This is a real ball buster ive had my hopes up hunting this area. How much will this affect the hunting plowing up the field. it was mostly grass and id have all kind of pictures of turkeys in it everyday. Will turkeys come back once they plant it?
I normally have to beat them off of my food plots when I plant them by broadcasting and cultipacking. They will come from a long way and spend a lot of time to pick through the seed. Not sure if they are drawn as much to fields where seeds are drilled though.
I was hunting an old wma food plot few years ago. A tractor came in mid morning and started plowing. I had to move my blind and watch. Nowhere to go when he was finished, I set the blind and waited, wondering what would happen. Two hens came into the field on the other side. I was watching them and messed up a chance at a gobbler who came out 5 yards from me. Missed a close shot at him, but within 10 minutes, I filled my tag.
A lot of years i will disc up some ground just for the turkey, they like the dirt/mud and as grasses start coming up they will bug in it. Also, if it is dry enough they will dust in it.
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Thanks for the replies guys this makes me feel a little better lol.
Bobby, I'm not sure where you are but most farmers around me practice No Till. The fields are sprayed with glyphosate and planted without disturbing the field (no discing or plowing anymore). If they do disc before planting, the birds will enter the field to get the seeds and grubs that are turned up.
We just went through the same thing with the farm and we will be hunting youth season tomorrow. They plowed the field and got done in the evening in the next day there was no turkeys in the field at all. Fast forward to the very next day and it was packed. Watch the field this morning as ND saw a total of 3 gobblers and for Jake's with a bunch of hens. In my experience when a plant seed, you're going to see a bunch of turkeys eating it. I wouldn't worry about it too much
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Turkeys will stay in the area ..
I grew up farming and my private hunting ground is our family farm. Trust me, it will be fine. Considering the time of year the only thing they could be planting is corn, which will certainly work to your advantage for obvious reasons. Also, gobblers are drawn to these freshly turned fields to dust and strut.
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You may very well see even more turkeys than before. Good luck!
You couldn't have a better scenario except if you owned the place yourself!
They love that freshly scratched up dirt even if there ain't any seed sown.
You'll be fine...
Should help, always see birds out after a plowing.
Quote from: Sir-diealot on April 04, 2020, 09:40:33 PM
Should help, always see birds out after a plowing.
My man is right, always seem to help me also
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Every turkey I saw today was in a freshly plowed field!
I wouldn't worry. You know they are in the area. Use your calling skills and if anything it makes scratching and finding food easier.
They'll be back in no time.
Back when I hunted WMA's more, one of the tricks we used was to find a field or plot well off the beaten path and spend a couple of hours in it with a good string trimmer. Anything that helps expose seeds and bugs will draw the birds in.