Hunting

[ktkheatsfan]

Hi all,

I am looking for some areas to hunt turkey I am new to hunting and would like to get out there and bring back a turkey for Thanksgiving for my family. I've heard to look up some areas but I can't get through to them on the phone. I hope you guys can help point me in the right direction thanks!

 

[AirRifleHunter]

Were are you located? In order to help point you in the right direction it would help to know where you would be coming from.

Turkey aren't really considered "Big Game", but here goes:

To be honest, finding places to turkey hunt isn't a problem down in the San Diego County area. The problem is finding areas that won't have hoards of hunters already there or the probability another hunter walking through an area you have set yourself up in since early before sunrise.

If you go out scouting, look for areas with trees nearby (turkeys like to roost (sleep) high up in trees away from most predators), areas with water (either streams, creeks, ponds, etc.) and open fields. Those three things together make for good turkey habitat. If you look on Google Earth using a Cleveland National Forest map you can spot areas that are legal to hunt that have those aspects to them. Then while you are out scouting and looking for birds, also look for their droppings under trees and on branches. Just like chickens, turkey will crap all over the place under the trees they roost in. Also look for scrapes on the ground from the turkey scratching at the dirt looking for bugs, worms, etc.

I always see turkeys in areas off of HWY 79. However, they like to hang out on private property. Oh, and never wear blue, red or white when you go out turkey hunting in areas with allot of hunters. Also, take a brightly colored sack (preferably bright orange) to put your turkey in (if you get one) so that some turkey crazed hunter doesn't shoot at you carrying your turkey back to your truck. And don't shoot at a turkey decoy either (no I haven't done that, but I have been told by friends that hunt that they have had other hunters not only shoot their decoy, but watch a hunter stalk 200 yards to get in shooting range of the decoy and not wonder why the turkey hasn't moved once the whole time they were approaching : ).

If you go out be safe.