Missouri, Tennessee, or elsewhere for first eastern?

[JMalin]

Wanting to see some new country and chase after an eastern.  I'm a Texas resident and the less driving I can do while maximizing opportunity, the better.  If you had a choice between western Tennessee and southern Missouri, which would you choose?  Would driving a little further into the interior of either state be more fruitful?

[dirt road ninja]

Eastern OK has Easterns and it may be closer. Of the two, Id try TN only cause I haven't hunted it yet, so not much help to you there.

[JMalin]

Eastern OK has Easterns and it may be closer. Of the two, Id try TN only cause I haven't hunted it yet, so not much help to you there.

I was under the impression that the numbers of easterns in Oklahoma were similar to that of Arkansas (not very good).  It would certainly keep me closer to home if I could get on one there though.

[bigriverbum]

looking at this map

https://www.nwtf.org/hunt/wild-turkey-basics/habitat

why are there no turkeys that portion of eastern texas? just very heavy agricultural land? never been to texas

[JMalin]

looking at this map

https://www.nwtf.org/hunt/wild-turkey-basics/habitat

why are there no turkeys that portion of eastern texas? just very heavy agricultural land? never been to texas

I don't really know why easterns don't absolutely thrive in the eastern third of the state.  Stocking efforts have been ongoing over the last decade or more.  Supposedly a lot of the piney woods they used to inhabit historically grew too thick from a lack of forest fires.  There are some areas in northeast Texas along the red river that have good numbers, but most of the highest density areas are private.  Some counties with birds don't have a permitted season.  Counties with easterns and a spring season for them generally start after the birds have mostly finished up their breeding.  I've thought about trying in some national forest land in the northeast corner, but feel my odds of getting into gobbling birds would be better in other states with higher bird densities.

[Delmar ODonnell]

I would say Tennessee because you can only hunt until 1:00 in Missouri. Not that you can't have a great hunt there but on out of state trips that's a lot of down time. Tennessee's nonresident license is one of the more expensive, though.

[Cowboy]

I would go with Tennessee.  I believe the population is better than Southern Missouri.  I've been told numbers are down there.  More tags in Tennessee.  Back in 2000 I lived in Beaumont Texas and there were turkeys in the Piney Woods. Not sure how dense or widespread they are now. Hogs probably take a toll on them I'm sure.

[timberjack86]

If I'm not mistaken west Tn numbers are way down.

[timberjack86]

Middle Tn has had a significant decline in harvests too, alot of hunters begging the twra to reduce bag limits but the keep giving us 4 a year. I wouldn't mind seeing it reduced to 2 a year if it means more turkeys.

[Spitten and drummen]

Tennessee would be my pick.

[JMalin]

Having to stop at 1 o'clock would be a big adjustment for sure.  I guess if I hunted in Missouri close enough to the Kansas border, I could hunt the afternoons there.  Time is on my side this spring.  Do have a New Mexico trip on the agenda, but that's about it other than my home state.

[PharmHunter]

Missouri!  They are huge and there's enough to go around. 

[Missouri hunter]

We don't have anymore turkeys in Missouri anymore...

[cutt down]

If I'm not mistaken west Tn numbers are way down.

Yes they are down.....a lot! I too wish they would reduce the limit, at least in the western part of the state, to 2 instead of 4.

[renegade19]

Wanting to see some new country and chase after an eastern.  I'm a Texas resident and the less driving I can do while maximizing opportunity, the better.  If you had a choice between western Tennessee and southern Missouri, which would you choose?  Would driving a little further into the interior of either state be more fruitful?

I would have suggested Illinois public land but you're way too late to get a tag this year.