Louisiana Turkey hunt

[Gamblinman]

Anyone have any leads to turkey hunting in Louisiana? It's one of the few states left that I need to harvest a bird in. Looking for an outfitter or a line on private land.

Thanks,

Gman

[hotrod3h]

I'm in the same boat brother. Looked at that state hard this year and had a good lead but looks like it's not going to pan out. If you should happen to find something would you let me know. Probably will have to be next yeAR for me as this year almost full. Giles Island the only place I know of really expensive tried calling three times leaving a message but never called back. Good luck I hear great food as well.

[Hooksfan]

There is a reason Louisiana is one of the last states on the list for folks wanting to hit every state.  It can be done, but don't expect it to be easy.  The best way to get access to private places would be to offer a hunt swap, as private places that don't get hunted are virtually non-existent and Louisiana hunters would jump on an opportunity to turkey hunt just about any other state.
If I were to look for private places, I would look somewhere in the Feliciana Parishes or extreme Northern Louisiana along the Arkansas Line. 
Good luck.  My retirement plan is to travel the country and try to kill a turkey in every state as well.

[Hooksfan]

Also, be prepared to know that a lot of the private access is owned and leased by large paper companies and hunted by clubs who likely put more pressure on their land than most public land in many states will receive...., not to mention that you will deal with the other members of the club who may or may not be happy about an out of state visitor.

[Tail Feathers]

Not to steal Gamblinman's thread, but if anyone wants to PM me some public land info in Western LA I'd be might grateful.  I'm in deep east Texas and looking for something close to Toledo Bend Lake area if there are any birds there.

[DC1.]

I'm in the same boat brother. Looked at that state hard this year and had a good lead but looks like it's not going to pan out. If you should happen to find something would you let me know. Probably will have to be next yeAR for me as this year almost full. Giles Island the only place I know of really expensive tried calling three times leaving a message but never called back. Good luck I hear great food as well.

Giles Island is considered to be in Mississippi.

[smalls]

If you can somehow find someone that doesn't turkey hunt, but has them, that is the ticket.  I hear people all the time talk about having turkeys on their land, but they don't hunt them.  They tend to be stingy with who they let on their land though.

Like someone said, most private land is owned by timber companies, and the majority of that has hunting clubs on them.  Some don't even allow turkey hunting (STUPID!!). 

There is plenty of public opportunity as well, but not as easy as private land birds that aren't fooled with.

My suggestion, don't hunt anything in the Atchafalaya Basin.  The flooding in 2011 did a number on the population, and it still hasn't bounced back to pre-flood levels.  The Florida Parishes north of Pontchartrain are good, as is west Louisiana.  Vernon Parish, where Clear Creek WMA is located, is one of the top Parishes in terms of turkey harvest.  Lots of piney woods, primarily timber.  Kisatchie National Forest is in that area, as well as Fort Polk and Peason Ridge, all good public lands for turkeys.  Hard birds to hunt though, lots of pressure on those properties, and Polk and Peason can get shut down anytime because of Army manuevers.

Hope you find somewhere to hunt.  Good luck!

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[silvestris]

Clear Creek, Fort Polk & Peason Ridge all have huntable populations.  The first part of the season in Clear Creek is lottery only.  Polk & Peason are tricky as you have to go early to see which areas are open daily due to military operations.  Kisatchi National Forest has birds.  These areas probably have the best public populations.  The key to all is locating the hardwood bottoms or streamside management zones.  In Louisiana, hardwoods = turkeys.  You will have to work for your bird in Louisiana as well as be prepared for the ignorant turkey hunter.  Overall, Louisiana does not have the most knowledgable turkey hunters.  My fellow Louisianians make me want to pull out what little hair I have out sometimes.  They don't mean to be rude, they just don't know any better.

[Clif Owen]

In the western portion; I suggest Fort Polk or Clear Creek. I can actually show a person a few areas more in the central part of the state but everything is public land. We had turkeys on our lease around my stands but the timber company fixed that about 3 years ago.

[Clif Owen]

I just thought about another area that I've seen birds in that used to have a bunch...Tensas National Wildlife Refuge. I might can point a guy in the right direction there or in West Bay which has a lottery hunt.

[Gamblinman]

Thanks to everyone for the replies and information! Public is not a problem, although it would most likely have to be next year...between hunts I already have scheduled and the bass and crappie spawn, this spring is pretty well booked. If hunting public, I'd like to have a few days of scouting and a few days hunting to give me the best chance of harvesting a bird.

Oldgobbler is an amazing place. Thanks again. Good luck to all, and safe hunting.

Gman

[smalls]

You will have to work for your bird in Louisiana as well as be prepared for the ignorant turkey hunter.  Overall, Louisiana does not have the most knowledgable turkey hunters.  My fellow Louisianians make me want to pull out what little hair I have out sometimes.  They don't mean to be rude, they just don't know any better.

Hate to agree with this, but I'll be damned if it ain't true.  And some of the worst location calling you'll ever hear.  They will stop right at your truck, blow on an owl call, jump back in the truck and drive off.

I'm not the GOAT turkey hunter, but I at least know the proper etiquette for hunting public land.....DON'T MESS UP SOMEONE ELSE'S HUNT!!



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[silvestris]

Gamblinman, you can kill more turkeys in Louisiana from your easy chair than with on the ground scouting.  Lot of work, but less than on the ground.  Get a paper map of Kitchachi to help distinguish between NF lands and inholdings.  Download and print the WMA maps foe Clear Creek, Polk & Peason.  Get a Topo App.  I like and use Topo Maps on my iPhone and iPad and like it a lot.  Incorporate Google Earth to check for unfavorabl land management practices and you will know more about a piece of property than most who rely on shoe leather.  I have used these techniques before setting foot on a piece of ground and I am rarely surprised by what I find.

[Hooksfan]

You will have to work for your bird in Louisiana as well as be prepared for the ignorant turkey hunter.  Overall, Louisiana does not have the most knowledgable turkey hunters.  My fellow Louisianians make me want to pull out what little hair I have out sometimes.  They don't mean to be rude, they just don't know any better.

Hate to agree with this, but I'll be damned if it ain't true.  And some of the worst location calling you'll ever hear.  They will stop right at your truck, blow on an owl call, jump back in the truck and drive off.

I'm not the GOAT turkey hunter, but I at least know the proper etiquette for hunting public land.....DON'T MESS UP SOMEONE ELSE'S HUNT!!



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No better and no worse than anywhere else.  In Louisiana, you are dealing with a population where a very large proportion of the folks hunt compared to other states, increasing the likliehood of running into morons.
I know turkey hunters from Livingston and St. Helena parishes that I would put up against the best hunters from anywhere else.

[Gamblinman]

Thanks again for all the suggestions. These days, I like to hunt private land out of state, just to try to eliminate the hassles and speed things up a bit. I have a dog that has to be boarded, so I try to make my trips 4 days or less...gotta get back on the crappie and bass.


Gman