EastWestHuntEverythingGuy
Button Buck
I am relatively new to turkey hunting. Started 4 or 5 years ago, initially going out to Ok to hunt with my cousin. Hunting here in NC really started about 3 years ago.
First let me say thank you for any responses or help. I AM NEITHER looking for freebies or drive by advice. I really want to become a great turkey hunter and I am willing to travel whatever road I must.
I primarily hunt public lands. To date mainly Uwharrie. I know I can go closer to the coast and its probably easier to find and kill one, but that would limit my hunting as I am in the piedmont area - and its about a 2 hour drive. I really want to learn how to kill one in the diverse topology and environment that a land like Uwharrie represents. I know if I can kill them there, I can go to anywhere and kill em.
I don't have any access to private lands.
I also know I can buy a turkey hunt - but to me that is no different than buying a turkey in the grocery store (or raising them myself).
Finding sign is not hard for me. Whatever species I hunt I generally can find signs. Preseason I had scouted and found Place 1 that had turkeys in it. I saw about 10 and a solid tom was in them. Place 2 I didn't see turkeys but saw a lot of sign.
Opening day, I sat up in Place 1 where I was sure they would be and didn't hear or see diddly. Nada, nothing. In fact its a mile plus rugged hike in so I packed in and tarp camped the night before.
Place 2 had been totally burned and 1/3 logged (huge parcel) in the 2-3 weeks since I scouted it. After half a day in Place 1 I went there to find Apocalypse now looking turkey hunting ville. The amount of logging has probably hurt my chances in the part that has been logged. Just too much activity and hens are not gonna nest there now. The burning I know affects them for a week or so, but I should still have a chance.
I also know in Uwharrie it seems you don't see gaggles of turkeys like you might in Ok, or the coast. If you see 10 turkeys you have seen a massive group. Mostly you see small (2-5) hens and toms mostly in solo to 3. You just don't see big groups.
Given the above, I also don't hear as much gobbling as I have in Ok and other places. Toms being spread out they seem to gobble when they want.
I also understand from studies on Southern turkeys toms seem to like old pine for roosting.
Thus to my questions and need...
Its a typical Uwharrie parcel. Some hills, some water (creeks and rivers), some old hardwood, some old pines, some new pines, some new overgrowth... A total mix. But there are not much big ag fields around.
1. What should I focus on in terms of the best places to find them and set up on them? Water? Transitions? Fields?
2. Not seeing big groups whats the best strategy for calling. Do you set up and hen call, gobble, what? And how long before you move on barring the sparse distributions?
These two questions aside any insight that may help me is also welcomed.
First let me say thank you for any responses or help. I AM NEITHER looking for freebies or drive by advice. I really want to become a great turkey hunter and I am willing to travel whatever road I must.
I primarily hunt public lands. To date mainly Uwharrie. I know I can go closer to the coast and its probably easier to find and kill one, but that would limit my hunting as I am in the piedmont area - and its about a 2 hour drive. I really want to learn how to kill one in the diverse topology and environment that a land like Uwharrie represents. I know if I can kill them there, I can go to anywhere and kill em.
I don't have any access to private lands.
I also know I can buy a turkey hunt - but to me that is no different than buying a turkey in the grocery store (or raising them myself).
Finding sign is not hard for me. Whatever species I hunt I generally can find signs. Preseason I had scouted and found Place 1 that had turkeys in it. I saw about 10 and a solid tom was in them. Place 2 I didn't see turkeys but saw a lot of sign.
Opening day, I sat up in Place 1 where I was sure they would be and didn't hear or see diddly. Nada, nothing. In fact its a mile plus rugged hike in so I packed in and tarp camped the night before.
Place 2 had been totally burned and 1/3 logged (huge parcel) in the 2-3 weeks since I scouted it. After half a day in Place 1 I went there to find Apocalypse now looking turkey hunting ville. The amount of logging has probably hurt my chances in the part that has been logged. Just too much activity and hens are not gonna nest there now. The burning I know affects them for a week or so, but I should still have a chance.
I also know in Uwharrie it seems you don't see gaggles of turkeys like you might in Ok, or the coast. If you see 10 turkeys you have seen a massive group. Mostly you see small (2-5) hens and toms mostly in solo to 3. You just don't see big groups.
Given the above, I also don't hear as much gobbling as I have in Ok and other places. Toms being spread out they seem to gobble when they want.
I also understand from studies on Southern turkeys toms seem to like old pine for roosting.
Thus to my questions and need...
Its a typical Uwharrie parcel. Some hills, some water (creeks and rivers), some old hardwood, some old pines, some new pines, some new overgrowth... A total mix. But there are not much big ag fields around.
1. What should I focus on in terms of the best places to find them and set up on them? Water? Transitions? Fields?
2. Not seeing big groups whats the best strategy for calling. Do you set up and hen call, gobble, what? And how long before you move on barring the sparse distributions?
These two questions aside any insight that may help me is also welcomed.