2022 Turkey day

turkeyfail wrote:

Just wondering if anyone has any tips for this region in particular public land which seems to be very tough to find something. I have a couple more mornings to take a crack at this, and can spend longer times out there but I am starting to lose all hope!

I can’t help you specifically in that region. What I can do is offer my advice as a fellow turkey hunter. The first part you need to do is find where they are roosting at night. There should be a relatively specific area or two with big trees where they spend the night. Find that spot, and then set up nearby. Not too close, but nearby. Then go from there with your decoys, calling, etc.

Scouting the roost is the first step I take every spring when I’m turkey hunting. They are birds of pattern and often undertake the same daily routine day after day, as long as they aren’t overly pressured.

turkeyfail wrote:

Hi folks, stumbled on this forum out of desperation I am brand new to turkey hunting, live in SE MN. I just started my season B but the first 2 mornings have been very rough, trying to find turkeys on public land. I have a whitewater WMA tag so I thought that would be a fun place to go…but i’ve been having a terrible time locating birds. Heard a few distant gobbles yesterday morning but have not laid my eyes on anything. I’ve been leaving the woods pretty early after feeling like I am wandering aimlessly. Just wondering if anyone has any tips for this region in particular public land which seems to be very tough to find something. I have a couple more mornings to take a crack at this, and can spend longer times out there but I am starting to lose all hope!

I’m more SSE MN for my hunting so cant give you location specifics, but from what your saying it sounds like you leave after the morning. If you can get out again around lunch, do it. That’s when you get your lone Tom’s and Jake’s roaming around looking for an odd hen. Great time to run and gun in the forest or along the edge of the trees. They’re also a bit more susceptible to calling over longer distances at that time too.

Thanks for your quick replies. Really appreciate it. I did try scouting a few weeks ago for those roosting trees. Honestly it seems like there isn’t a sign of a bird anywhere i’ve looked. The whitewater WMA is quite huge, but there isn’t a whole lot of public land elsewhere that isn’t a long haul from where i live. If I could find where they roost I’d feel way better, just doesn’t seem to be happening despite a fair amount of effort.

FF – good advice, yes I did assume that if you aren’t hearing much in the morning it was a lost cause, I can try to head out in the afternoons and see what I can find. I have yet to have any gobbles in response to my calls which is super frustrating since it gives me no indication of which way to travel.

I assume most people are getting birds on private land?? Seems like the public land is pretty sparse down here for turkeys outside of a few specific regions.

turkeyfail wrote:

Honestly it seems like there isn’t a sign of a bird anywhere i’ve looked. The whitewater WMA is quite huge, but there isn’t a whole lot of public land elsewhere that isn’t a long haul from where i live. If I could find where they roost I’d feel way better, just doesn’t seem to be happening despite a fair amount of effort.

Certainly possible. If you aren’t hearing or seeing them, its likely there aren’t any even in the immediate area. Turkeys generally don’t roam huge areas. I honestly would not even try hunting an area unless I saw or heard some nearby. That may not help you now though, since your season is already in progress.

If you don’t bag one during season B, you can hunt again at the end of the season in May. I am not sure if you were aware of that or not.

I am currently hunting season B as well and this morning was my first crack at it. When I set up my blind last night, I saw about 15 of them on the neighboring field, including 3 mature toms. This morning I sat there until 11. I saw 2 hens, 8 deer, and 2 raccoons. I heard gobbling behind me for a while off and on, but those birds never came out. I’ll try again tomorrow. They are a frustrating critter to hunt sometimes.

gimruis wrote:

I am currently hunting season B as well and this morning was my first crack at it. When I set up my blind last night, I saw about 15 of them on the neighboring field, including 3 mature toms. This morning I sat there until 11. I saw 2 hens, 8 deer, and 2 raccoons. I heard gobbling behind me for a while off and on, but those birds never came out. I’ll try again tomorrow. They are a frustrating critter to hunt sometimes.

What did you end up doing with your blind? Did you put it in the middle of the field?

Yeah the frustration is leading me to believe they are simply not here in strong enough numbers to find them in this vast area of land. I am honestly not sure where to go though as an alternative. I have looked at maps and nothing seems great. I would be happy to just be seeing them nearby, I could care less at this point if I even get one. Yes I can head out again in late May for a few more attempts, but I’m trying to just figure out where I should even be scouting. I have OnX maps and have really been having trouble locating something with turkeys on it. Anybody who is willing to give me some southeast MN areas to try would be a saint! Seems at least years ago people thought whitewater was a good area to hunt, but I don’t know if I’m just awful at scouting or if they truly have largely moved off these lands for some inexplicable reason.

CaptainMusky wrote:

What did you end up doing with your blind? Did you put it in the middle of the field?

Lol no not yet. It’s on the edge of the timber and the field for now. If those things start walking through the middle of the field on a daily basis though, I’m plopping my blind out there!

Never turkey hunted down there. I did watch this series of videos earlier this spring put on by the DNR and he goes over an area in the SE that he has hunted in the past and if you are savey with a mapping app its not too hard to figure out what public he is talking about. I think its in the first video around the 1hr 40 min mark. Lot of good information in this video series.

https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/gohunting/wild-turkey-hunting.html

turkeyfail wrote:

I have OnX maps and have really been having trouble locating something with turkeys on it.

Spend more time scouting, and when you locate some turkeys look up who’s land it is and go knocking. I’d imagine people would be more receptive to a turkey hunter than deer or ducks. Watch The Hunting Public Turkey tour, they do a great job of explaining the “how” to their success.

dhpricco wrote:

Never turkey hunted down there. I did watch this series of videos earlier this spring put on by the DNR and he goes over an area in the SE that he has hunted in the past and if you are savey with a mapping app its not too hard to figure out what public he is talking about. I think its in the first video around the 1hr 40 min mark. Lot of good information in this video series.
https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/gohunting/wild-turkey-hunting.html

Genius – I did watch this months ago, didn’t notice he was talking about SE MN there. I see where he’s talking about. That is just north a bit from whitewater i could go check it out. A rainy day tomorrow but I could probably scout. This is such a great forum.

Now if I can just bamboozle one of you to be my personal guide for some cold hard cash

BigWerm wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>turkeyfail wrote:</div>
I have OnX maps and have really been having trouble locating something with turkeys on it.

Spend more time scouting, and when you locate some turkeys look up who’s land it is and go knocking. I’d imagine people would be more receptive to a turkey hunter than deer or ducks. Watch The Hunting Public Turkey tour, they do a great job of explaining the “how” to their success.

Thanks – I hate bothering people in real life, so much easier to bother people on the internet – but yes probably good advice.

turkeyfail wrote:

Thanks – I hate bothering people in real life, so much easier to bother people on the internet – but yes probably good advice.

You also never know who you are going to run into banging on doors. I once pulled up to a farm to ask permission to pheasant hunt. The old man and his son said no. I had just opened a bag of venison sticks so I offered them one. He proceeds to take the whole bag. I said, I guess you can have them all and laughed and drove off.
Later that year they shot and killed a guy from Maple Grove who told them to remove their farming equipment from his father’s land in Belgrade because he was trying to hunt. I was a bit spooked after that.

BigWerm wrote:

Spend more time scouting, and when you locate some turkeys look up who’s land it is and go knocking. I’d imagine people would be more receptive to a turkey hunter than deer or ducks.

That’s how I do it. I scout in person with my truck and binoculars. Then I knock on the door. Most landowners are receptive and allow me to hunt turkeys or pheasants, but obtaining permission to hunt deer is significantly tougher because everyone hunts deer.

Most people that reject me do it because they already hunt or they have relatives who are going to hunt. Rarely do I flat out get rejected. And once you obtain permission, they often let you come back next season too. A package of deer sticks, a filet of fish, or a 6 pack of beer goes a long ways.

TF – are you sitting in a blind or actively stalking them? You said you heard distant gobbles. Are you moving towards them or just hoping they come your way? Are the gobbles coming from the public land? I don’t blind hunt so if I hear gobbles I’m heading that direction. And don’t let the rain scare you off. Turkeys come off their roost in the rain. It’s lightning/thunder that keeps them tree bound.

FinickyFish wrote:

Are you moving towards them or just hoping they come your way? Are the gobbles coming from the public land? I don’t blind hunt so if I hear gobbles I’m heading that direction.

To be honest, I don’t hunt turkey’s as I don’t see the challenge in it, and the license costs more than a processed turkey (that apparently tastes way better too). I walk up on turkey’s all the time bow, duck and pheasant hunting and more often than not I’m able to get within shotgun range before they run or fly off. So I agree with FinickyFish, start walking and go shoot em in the face.

BigWerm wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>FinickyFish wrote:</div>
Are you moving towards them or just hoping they come your way? Are the gobbles coming from the public land? I don’t blind hunt so if I hear gobbles I’m heading that direction.

To be honest, I don’t hunt turkey’s as I don’t see the challenge in it, and the license costs more than a processed turkey (that apparently tastes way better too). I walk up on turkey’s all the time bow, duck and pheasant hunting and more often than not I’m able to get within shotgun range before they run or fly off. So I agree with FinickyFish, start walking and go shoot em in the face.

To be fair you could say the same thing about almost any game. Can’t tell you how many times I walk right up to a giant buck pheasant hunting and how many roosters I kick up deer hunting a fence line. All would be cheaper to just buy the meat but that’s not why any of us do it.

FinickyFish wrote:

TF – are you sitting in a blind or actively stalking them? You said you heard distant gobbles. Are you moving towards them or just hoping they come your way? Are the gobbles coming from the public land? I don’t blind hunt so if I hear gobbles I’m heading that direction. And don’t let the rain scare you off. Turkeys come off their roost in the rain. It’s lightning/thunder that keeps them tree bound.

Well when i thought i heard very distant gobbles Monday morning i tried moving to them. Do not use a blind or decoys (no point If i can’t find them). But, after about 7am they stopped making any noise and would not seem to gobble to any turkey or crow sound i could make so i had no real idea which way to keep walking since the distant gobble was inconclusive. Also it’s easy to get so deep into the woods i lose cell access and worry about getting back out again (at least without some major headaches). It’s tough to track something when it just seems to go totally silent. I tried accessingg the land further East this morning but i heard nothing at all from that location.

turkeyfail wrote:

Hi folks, stumbled on this forum out of desperation I am brand new to turkey hunting, live in SE MN. I just started my season B but the first 2 mornings have been very rough, trying to find turkeys on public land. I have a whitewater WMA tag so I thought that would be a fun place to go…but i’ve been having a terrible time locating birds. Heard a few distant gobbles yesterday morning but have not laid my eyes on anything. I’ve been leaving the woods pretty early after feeling like I am wandering aimlessly. Just wondering if anyone has any tips for this region in particular public land which seems to be very tough to find something. I have a couple more mornings to take a crack at this, and can spend longer times out there but I am starting to lose all hope!

I would drive around at dusk and in the morning and just call from the road. I would not even hunt until you locate something.

Well part of the thrill with Turkeys is figuring them out unless your @BigWerm (just yanking your chain). You will notice the gobbles die down early morning, especially early this year with all the crappy weather. They’ll start getting loud again a few hours later, then die down ‘repeat pattern’. I guess I would start my next morning closer to where you first heard those morning gobbles and work from there. And just remember, don’t expect to bag a bird first year (or every year). Just look at the harvest data on the DNR site. Most people don’t bag a bird.

BigWerm wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>FinickyFish wrote:</div>
Are you moving towards them or just hoping they come your way? Are the gobbles coming from the public land? I don’t blind hunt so if I hear gobbles I’m heading that direction.

To be honest, I don’t hunt turkey’s as I don’t see the challenge in it, and the license costs more than a processed turkey (that apparently tastes way better too). I walk up on turkey’s all the time bow, duck and pheasant hunting and more often than not I’m able to get within shotgun range before they run or fly off. So I agree with FinickyFish, start walking and go shoot em in the face.

I mean…is this the site people come to to equate cost of gear/time versus quantity of meat obtained?

Time spent outdoors in the spring after a long winter, actively pursuing interactive birds that pose a challenge to almost everyone else besides you, and give up a great amount of some of the best white meat (in my opinion). Not ripping you, all your other contributions are great. Just think it’s a little off base. Or maybe I was just felt personally attacked by the money I waste on this stuff ha!

To the OP, the Whitewater SP receives lots of pressure. Lots of birds learn by now being vocal has negative results. Lots of quiet birds that want to sneak up on ya first. Put some miles on and find birds, set up in a birdy area and rip some calls. Give it 30-60 min and move. Being mobile and covering ground away from the road will get ya in some good areas.

BigWerm wrote:

To be honest, I don’t hunt turkey’s as I don’t see the challenge in it, and the license costs more than a processed turkey (that apparently tastes way better too). I walk up on turkey’s all the time bow, duck and pheasant hunting and more often than not I’m able to get within shotgun range before they run or fly off.

It’s MUCH harder than deer hunting, that is for sure. And the stats bear that out. Average success rate for a spring turkey hunter in MN is between 20-25% with a shotgun. With a bow, its about 10%. Deer hunter success rate is about 45% during general firearms season.

The issue I generally have is getting one close enough to shoot. My max range is about 60 yards. My max range with a scoped rifle for deer is like 400 yards. If I can see a deer, I can basically shoot it.

You are correct on the taste though. A butterball is a lot better. But then again, a butterball grows up in a barn with an endless supply of feed and water without any stress. I’m definitely don’t do it because I like eating them.

To the OP, the Whitewater SP receives lots of pressure. Lots of birds learn by now being vocal has negative results. Lots of quiet birds that want to sneak up on ya first. Put some miles on and find birds, set up in a birdy area and rip some calls. Give it 30-60 min and move. Being mobile and covering ground away from the road will get ya in some good areas.

Thanks that makes sense!

gimruis wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>BigWerm wrote:</div>
To be honest, I don’t hunt turkey’s as I don’t see the challenge in it, and the license costs more than a processed turkey (that apparently tastes way better too). I walk up on turkey’s all the time bow, duck and pheasant hunting and more often than not I’m able to get within shotgun range before they run or fly off.

It’s MUCH harder than deer hunting, that is for sure. And the stats bear that out. Average success rate for a spring turkey hunter in MN is between 20-25% with a shotgun. With a bow, its about 10%. Deer hunter success rate is about 45% during general firearms season.

The issue I generally have is getting one close enough to shoot. My max range is about 60 yards. My max range with a scoped rifle for deer is like 400 yards. If I can see a deer, I can basically shoot it.

You are correct on the taste though. A butterball is a lot better. But then again, a butterball grows up in a barn with an endless supply of feed and water without any stress. I’m definitely don’t do it because I like eating them.

Here I am being that guy again. But those butterballs that taste good are give 2 sq feet for 8 months, force fed, live under more stress than any animal with a central nervous system deserves, and are treated in some of the most inhumane ways possible. Im no PETA guy but I just don’t get where some of these takes come from. Im being “that guy”, sorry. Just surprised.

ganderpike wrote:

Here I am being that guy again. But those butterballs that taste good are give 2 sq feet for 8 months, force fed, live under more stress than any animal with a central nervous system deserves, and are treated in some of the most inhumane ways possible. Im no PETA guy but I just don’t get where some of these takes come from. Im being “that guy”, sorry. Just surprised.

You’re right. That’s how they’re essentially “mass produced” for the modern world.

Honestly dont understand the takes that a store bought turkey is better than a wild turkey. Ive had both and there is no comparison at all. Wild turkey 10 out of 10 times for me. I am not a huge fan of the legs however since they actually use them for walking around and much like pheasants they are full of tendons and such, but the breast meat is awesome.

Haha no offense intended to anyone, and figured that might get some people going, so my apologies. I’ve never eaten wild turkey, so was just posting based off Gimruis and a few others comments on their taste. With the turkey population what it is, I think they should be included in our small games license like grouse. And probably be able to take jake, tom or hen, which if that were the case I’d bet we’d see a similar or better success rate to deer (where the overwhelming majority harvested are young deer or females). Right now turkey hunting regs are like if we had a statewide buck only deer tag. I get the want to get out in nature after a long winter…that’s what a jig and minnow on a river is for! I may take the Turkey Challenge on next year for some I told you so, or humble pie.

Turkey hunting is nowhere near as easy as deer hunting and I am not good at either LOL.
I tell you what, if you have ever waterfowl hunted, its like a cross between that and deer hunting IMO. Its an absolute rush when they come charging in to the decoy, but it doesnt end there. We have had them grouped up so tight we had to wait quite a while to get a shot where 1 was in the clear. My two oldest boys had this happen. They were able to each get one but it was exciting and stressful and they circled the blind multiple times and attacked the decoys.

BigWerm wrote:

And probably be able to take jake, tom or hen, which if that were the case I’d bet we’d see a similar or better success rate to deer (where the overwhelming majority harvested are young deer or females).

I’ve never hunted turkeys in the fall, but I believe there is a short season and you can take a hen or a legal bearded male. I don’t know anyone who hunts them in the fall though, as there’s obviously the other hunting seasons open.

gimruis wrote:

I’ve never hunted turkeys in the fall, but I believe there is a short season and you can take a hen or a legal bearded male. I don’t know anyone who hunts them in the fall though, as there’s obviously the other hunting seasons open.

I would think they would be extremely difficult to hunt in the fall because I wouldnt expect them to react to calling. I have flushed turkeys pheasant hunting before that could have been dusted. You should have seen the look on the dog’s face when he pointed them and that big dang thing got up LOL

I started my Turkey hunting experience in SE Minnesota Near Houston Mn. This was back in the mid to late 80’s and this was the only area that had a decent population of them. It was actually fairly hard to draw a tag back then. There was some talk that the Bird Flu had taken a toll on the population in that area so that may be part of your problem. Turkeys hunting can very from really Difficult to down right easy. To me it mostly depends on what state of the breeding season it is. I tried every trick in the book to pull big toms away from a group of hens and to be honest at times its impossible. Other times I’ve spotted a tom a 1/2 mile across a field and hit a few notes on the call and watch the Tom flat out run all the way across the field and right up to the decoy. One tip I will give is to not over call. I think that is the #1 mistake new hunters make. I often call fairly aggressive early before the birds come off the roost. I want to be sure that a Tom has a idea where a lonely is. After that I call as little as possible. If a gobbler cuts you off as soon as you call you are looking good. As long as the gobbles keep getting closer you are good. Often the biggest and oldest Toms come in silent – especially in heavy pressured area. Keep after them. Its a fun and exciting sport when it works out. If your not successful this season keep trying. Its like everything else. The more you do it the better you get at it.