Hunting river bottoms and flood plains?

[Timmer]

Hi gang,

I'm going to be traveling to northeastern Iowa this spring and I'm taking advantage of the opportunity to turn it into a hunt.  I don't have any contacts or locations so I'm going to hunt public land.  For most spots I'm researching, the data on the specific wildlife area lists turkeys as a species present at the location.  That sounds great but most areas are along rivers and have descriptions of "bottom land forest" or "floodplain woodlands."  I'm used to hunting in bluff and hill country.  My only way to pick a location, aside from reading the description, is using an aerial map to try to judge the quality of the spot.  Most of it is looking pretty rough and wet to me.  All locations are surrounded by farmland so I assume there are decent food sources.  I'm thinking that I should focus on larger areas in hopes that there might be a reasonable amount of high ground.  What else might I look for?

Aside from picking a few spots, I'm wondering how hunting these areas might be different.  Due to the potential of water I'm guessing I likely won't be able do as much running and gunning as usual.  Does anyone have any tips or tricks for me for these types of areas?    Does the whole "generally can't call turkeys across water" rule apply as much if the turkeys are living in a floodplain?

All thoughts, advice, and guesses are welcome!

[ElkTurkMan]

 Where in northeastern Iowa are you planning on going?  There are a few public hunting area's in Allamakee County where you wouldn't have to fool with a lot of water.  Also I think they have opened yellow River Forest to Non residents, that could be another option. 

[Timmer]

Thanks for the reply!  I noted northeast because that is the zone (6).  I am actually staying in Coralville, which is more accurately in east central Iowa.  Those spots you noted are a bit too far, although I could hit them on the way down or back.

[jcour4]

Grew up in Illinois but live in the ms delta now and I can tell you water doesn't affect turkeys as much as you'd think. I've shot turkeys in swamps that I could barely find a dry spot to sit down. I've also hunted spots in Illinois in major flood plains and shot birds, as long as it's not completely flooded out and the area has habitat you'll be on turkeys.

[silvestris]

Swamp turkeys have a propensity to roost over water"

[rob_brady]

Swamp turkeys have a propensity to roost over water"

And make your head hurt!  I have some birds that like to roost over water and pitch onto the neighboring property.  Nearly impossible to kill...

[tha bugman]

get some hip boots!

[El Pavo Grande]

get some hip boots!

Agree that hip boots are a wise investment.

I have found that most river bottom turkeys I've hunted aren't too effected by water.   They cross it daily, so it's just normal for them.  I have killed them wading through back water that is well above their spurs, had them fly large areas of backwater or sloughs, and walk logs across sloughs.  Bottoms turkeys are a different breed sometimes.  Well worth the experience if you haven't hunted the terrain before. 

One of the biggest differences is judging how far they are when they gobble.  Always err on the side of caution, because the majority of the time in flat bottomland they are not as far as they sound.  Also, pay close attention because it is easy to get turnaround in the bottoms.