St louis area public land

[Affl1c]

Anyone hunt any public land around western st louis? Im near warrenton and there are a few places like daniel boon and whiteside,  just looking for a recomendation on where to start, i am brand new to turkey hunting and missouri so any help would be appreciated.

[o2stk1]

get you a map of consv. areas its the best 20 bucks you can spend, you can pick one up at a headquarters or order on line it will show u some out of the way places and what u can expect there.

[MOStrutter]

I used to live in St. Charles and turkey hunting can be tough around there.  A lot of areas are managed hunts only and you have to draw for those so make sure oyu put in for them this season so hopefully by 2015-2016 you can hunt those areas.  Other than that, CAs can get pretty crowded so do your homework, don't hunt close to parking lots or roads, and get out there earlier than anyone else so you can get your spot.  My buddy who hunts public areas a lot goes by this motto, "If the turkeys don't work, I can't control that.  But if someone beats me to my spot, than that's my fault and mine alone."  God luck this spring and be safe.

[alclark2]

I've thought about heading down there in the next few years also. My wife wants to go to a ball game and I want to go hunt.  I hope you find a good spot.

[Affl1c]

thanks for the tips, i am going to start scouting next week!

[Michigander]

oops

[Affl1c]

Went out today for a couple of hours, didnt see a track, no feathers or droppings anywhere, i know there are turkey on this land but today was concerning.

[dlewis82nd]

Check out reform ca. Itll be a little drive but there are alot of birds there. I live right down the road from it, have havent there when my private farms get slow amd have had good hunts.

[Affl1c]

thanks i will check it out, its not much further than to a couple ive been looking at, im near warrenton so its not to far at all. thanks again

[dlewis82nd]

no problem at all.

[MOStrutter]

I wouldn't be worried about looking for tracks, feathers, etc.. when scouting.  You have to remember that these birds will be pressured enough when season starts so I wouldn't be getting crazy and tromping all through the timber looking for birds.  Every area has maps in the parking lots and they show where features of the area.  Go out in the early morning and without even leaving the parking lot just listen for gobbles.  This will let you know how many birds there are and where they are and use those maps for references and then scout off of that.  Good luck.

[alclark2]

I wouldn't be worried about looking for tracks, feathers, etc.. when scouting.  You have to remember that these birds will be pressured enough when season starts so I wouldn't be getting crazy and tromping all through the timber looking for birds.  Every area has maps in the parking lots and they show where features of the area.  Go out in the early morning and without even leaving the parking lot just listen for gobbles.  This will let you know how many birds there are and where they are and use those maps for references and then scout off of that.  Good luck.

Combine this info with using Google maps and see where they like to roost and learn the terrain. I hunt a lot of public so I'll get the map and hunt it and see where they gobble. I'll check these maps and learn about a creek bottom that wraps round the hill with a food plot on top. I sat on the plot last year and they gobbled a semi circle around me a quarter mile out or more. It sounds like they travel the creek bottom after they leave the roost. This year if they pull that move I'll know to cut them off at the pass. You can learn a lot on google maps, mapquest, yahoo maps, etc... Another thing is that differnt map services often times use differnt images of the land. Some can be winter and others summer.

[Affl1c]

went out and checked a few spots the other day and spotted a few hens, found some scraping and gobbler droppings, i cant wait to put my first missouri turkey in the dirt!