Maverick351 Report post Posted April 12, 2015 Do turkeys usually stay in one general area or do they move around a lot? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CRAZYBUCK Report post Posted April 12, 2015 They tend to take the same path or close to daily from the roost they pretty much make a big loop find them in the evening and you can pretty much figure out an area they are roosting in 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Swivelhead Report post Posted April 12, 2015 Unmolested birds will leave the roost, gather then begin feeding their way towards a water source. The drier it is, the sooner turkeys hit water. Once watered, they head out feeding. Usually turkeys will loaf for a few hours midday. Then they begin the feeding trek with a water stop back to the roosting area. Area meaning vicinity, I've seen birds use the same grove but often as not they may roost a 1/4 mile or more from last nights roost. If pressured, all bets are off. The turkey rut as it progresses changes the pattern due to hens depositing eggs in their clutches. Flocks tend to break up leaving lone or small gobbler groups to their own devices. I've found a number of gobblers loafing midday in wet drainages. If you can get a loafing gobbler to light up he'll usually check you out. Once the hens are incubating there are a lot of lonesome gobblers hanging out together. I'm no guru but this is what I've seen. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elkaholic Report post Posted April 12, 2015 turkeys can have numerous roosts and no way of knowing which one they will use- they can easily travel a mile or more in any given day but tend to stay in a general area as long as they have food and water 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Willyhunts2 Report post Posted April 12, 2015 Unmolested birds will leave the roost, gather then begin feeding their way towards a water source. The drier it is, the sooner turkeys hit water. Once watered, they head out feeding. Usually turkeys will loaf for a few hours midday. Then they begin the feeding trek with a water stop back to the roosting area. Area meaning vicinity, I've seen birds use the same grove but often as not they may roost a 1/4 mile or more from last nights roost. If pressured, all bets are off. The turkey rut as it progresses changes the pattern due to hens depositing eggs in their clutches. Flocks tend to break up leaving lone or small gobbler groups to their own devices. I've found a number of gobblers loafing midday in wet drainages. If you can get a loafing gobbler to light up he'll usually check you out. Once the hens are incubating there are a lot of lonesome gobblers hanging out together. I'm no guru but this is what I've seen. +1. Everyone else has good info also but this is what I have seen to a T over the years. I'm not a turkey guru either but could not have wrote that up any better. Good luck on your hunt and post pics. Also keep as many diff types of calls with you as you can, use them all until you get some action. They get smart as the season rolls on. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
5guyshunting Report post Posted April 12, 2015 As warm as this Spring has been, I would be looking at the tree lines along the meadows. The grasshoppers should be flurishing. I havnt been , but thats my thought. ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesWhitetail Report post Posted April 12, 2015 Some excellent info posted here! I think the key to hunting them is to find their roosts and set up nearby undetected in the predawn hours. Decoys are very helpful to convince a tom to come in close. You might want to attend a turkey hunting seminar if there are still any going on. I know several have already happened, but check Sporstmens warehouse and Cabela's for seminars. And of course it's very helpful to go hunting with someone who is experienced, you will learn a lot that way. Turkey hunting is addictive! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesWhitetail Report post Posted April 12, 2015 There is some info on turkey biology on the AGFD website: https://azgfdportal.az.gov/hunting/species/biggame/turkey Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zeke-BE Report post Posted April 12, 2015 I never hunt turkey, this was good information. Eventually I will Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MULEPACKHUNTER Report post Posted April 12, 2015 You should listen to the jay Scott podcasts on turkeys. I did last night and there's a lot of info for you. They talked a lot about ranch food plot type habitat but wild free range as well. Very good info. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
125coues Report post Posted April 12, 2015 You can also go to one of the turkey youth hunt camps and listen in there is a lot of info at one of these and talk and meet with the people who are mentoring.they all usually have a couple of speakers giving out info on hunting,plus a great way to meet people who enjoy turkey hunting. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Maverick351 Report post Posted April 12, 2015 Thanks for the great info. I didn't draw a tag but was looking at picking one up during the deer hunt. I was in 23 this week and found tracks and heard them in the morning in the same general area the 3 mornings I was there. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BUTCH Report post Posted April 13, 2015 Hey Maverick, wherabouts did you hear the turkeys in unit 23? So they were making noise? Thats good news!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mbiewer Report post Posted April 13, 2015 I too was in 23. seen one crossing the road. was playing with my box call and had a hen close in on me to about 20 ft. and then in a third spot was using the box again and had a tom gobble back at me. Because of the terrain though, he never showed himself. talked to a coworker in a different department. She said they were camping in 23 and heard them all over. Gonna be a long week and a half till we leave to set up camp Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Maverick351 Report post Posted April 13, 2015 I saw them right off the road by the spot with the tree with a curve to it. And yes they were making noise every morning. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
