Between a rock and a property line

[TnRidgeRunner]

So here's the deal. I have a lease that's a little over 700 acres. Sounds good right? Well, it's amazing for deer, however, the turkey population seems to be pretty partial to the property next door. I've learned (by walking down the dagum logging road and seeing em in their truck the opening day of season) that the hunters on the adjascent property have had corn feeders out all the way up to turkey season. Nothing wrong with that as they did it legally and took them out before opening day (they were in the back of dudes truck).  My issue is that I just won't tresspass but all the birds seem to average 150 to 250 yards onto their property. Once in a while I'll catch one gobbling on my property and I can make a move on him. (in my opinion the setup circumstances go a really really long way in killing a gobbler) Most of the time I'm listening to birds that I think are too far away and have too much terrain that's not really easy to navigate for me to call in. What do you think? The land here is pines on top and hardwood hollers and these birds seem to be constantly on the other side of the next ridge when roosted. I'm all ears.

[spaightlabs]

Depends on the day and the bird.  I've had birds run across a full section to get to the bird they couldn't see.  They will cross hollers, rivers or whatever else is in their way if they want to get somewhere. 

[hs strut]

i was always told that a turkey wouldnt cross a creek to find you ive proven that wrong multiple times if you find one that wants to dance he will come

[TnRidgeRunner]

I know I won't stop trying, and waiting for those exceptional times that the bird is actually where I can make a move. Just frustrating when I walk down the border road and every, and I mean every gobble is on the right side.(their side) I do think I've made the mistake of not trying to work some birds that did answer directly to me, because of them being so far onto land that I can't touch. Also, sometimes I feel bad for calling them off of the other lease. One bird I killed last year I later found out (bout 30 min after killin him) that I had called the tom out of one of the other guys lap. He wasn't mad, but it kinda put a damper on it for me.

[Skeeterbait]

Been hunting that situation for several years.  Our timber company property literally surrounds 500 acres of beautiful deer and turkey sanctuary that no one is given permission to hunt.  By timber company rules we cannot hunt any closer than 50 yards from a property line.  Some times you catch a bird on our side and sometimes not, but you ALWAYS hear birds in the sanctuary.  When the hens start sitting their nests all day, the gobblers WILL come to you.  Learn what you can about their property with aerial imagery.  Try to set up where it will be the easiest for them to get to you.  Follow the rules and when you call one across the line it is a great accomplishment.

[jblackburn]

i was always told that a turkey wouldnt cross a creek to find you ive proven that wrong multiple times if you find one that wants to dance he will come

I've called them across creeks, hollers, fences, roads . . . If he is in the mood, he'll come.

I've also had them hang up hard at creeks, hollers, fences, roads . . . If he is not in the mood, he won't come.

[hs strut]

i was always told that a turkey wouldnt cross a creek to find you ive proven that wrong multiple times if you find one that wants to dance he will come

I've called them across creeks, hollers, fences, roads . . . If he is in the mood, he'll come.

I've also had them hang up hard at creeks, hollers, fences, roads . . . If he is not in the mood, he won't come.

exactly it just takes time and patience it will happen

[appalachianstruttstopper]

If the turkeys are responding to you, there is a good chance you can work them. If this is the only property you hunt, then I would hunt it hard. There will be sub-dominate birds that will be lonely and may not gobble every breath, but they will be interested in hens and they will come and investigate. Be careful with your set-ups, you may have alot of silent satelite birds coming to investigate, you don't want to get busted. Tread lightly. Eventually if you stay on your side and work the birds, you will probably have some birds start roosting near or on your area. Lonely birds will come, and as season progresses, they will be more of them. If the other property hunters are pressuring the birds, your chances will increase also.

Pour it on them.

[TnRidgeRunner]

Skeeterbait I think your probly right. I don't really have to do allot of research on the topography ( summertime there are no property lines here, just kinda ride your atv where it's fun and don't mess anything up) maybe later on in the season will be the time. Just frustrating...took my vacation day's early. Any advice guys for when one is responding from a longer distance? My go to is the ol putt and purr wait, but I don't think these birds can hear leaves being scratched

[Skeeterbait]

Also, you can start thinking about what you may can do to make your property more appealing to the turkeys in the off season.  Yes it is hard to compete with corn but if they are following the law like you think and removing the corn before the season, then the effect won't last thru the season.  Instead you may can do some wildlife planting that will be legal to hunt over durring the season.   Wheat is a good one here as it heads out durring our season.  It also attracts bugs in the field.  Plots of wheat are great turkey attractors.  White clover is another.

[appalachianstruttstopper]

Any advice guys for when one is responding from a longer distance?

IMO if a bird is responding, he is killable, just got to be patient and let him come to you in his time. Most of the birds I hunt come to me off of property that I don't have permission to hunt on. There are severaly place I hunt that are 4 and 5 acres in size, I hafta be patient to get a turkey to come to me without the perfect ideal setup.

[TnRidgeRunner]

Thanks for the advice guys! My game plan for next year is to do a similar thing, I want to feed corn up to a few weeks before season then pull the feeders out, and also they just thinned the pines (fifth row) so it's opened up to do some pretty good foodplots with the extra sunlight. For now I'm thinking I'm going to try to work the birds that respond to me, got kinda spoiled on the one that was on my land after trying to soft work several birds that weren't even close. Next year is a long ways away but planning never hurt anyone unless they didn't follow through. I think if I work to get em on our land, or at least roosting there, the tables will turn dramatically. I have other places I can hunt, ( public land) , but I know every inch of the lease...that's what gives me the advantage when one is on our property. It is truly amazing though, the other properties in the area hold birds and I've been on em(with permission) and the terrain and forage is no different. Neither is the proximity to fields.(we don't have many fields)

[DirtNap647]

basically comes down to: right turkey, right mood, right time

[Dtrkyman]

You need something on your property they do not have over there, I bet they have food plots to go along with there baiting.  I would look into setting up the property for nesting hens. I would talk to a local biologist and see what hens prefer to for nest sites in that area, they seem to like multi floral rose thickets around many places I have been and are close to water sources!!

Bring in the gals and you know who will be following!!

[Garrett Trentham]

Do whatever you can to get your property's habitat right. That includes everything from roosting trees, strut zones, food, nesting habitat, brood rearing habitat, etc. You want to have everything they need, and the best of it. Unfortunately this isn't always possible.

Food is a big attractant during the early spring. There is very little left from the fall growing season and pickins are slim. This is why baiting works so well prior to turkey season. A lot of the turkeys in our area of NC focus in on picked soybean fields this time of year. Soybeans are one of few food sources that are still readily available before the bugs come out.

However, the number one turkey attractant this time of year is a chufa patch. I'd put a good chufa patch against a hundred pounds of cracked corn any day of the year. They love it. The only bad thing about chufa is that it's hard to re-plant because once they find it, they never leave and they'll dig up the seeds you plant in the summer.