I can tell you the answer to that.. I have hunted Tennessee since early 90's .. the pressure has grown a lot over the years down there but like all hunting if you put time in and learn you still can be consistent..as for deer,, I don't hunt Tennessee,no reason to...if you ever want to bow hunt Illinois drop me a line..
2022 spring turkey
- Thread starter Gellar
- Start date
I would like to let yuns all know it's not just about getting a turkey... I really want to see Montana.. see the terrain,talk with some folks, try some local food, see different wildlife.. I am very much for the whole experience turkey or no turkey.. I got to go to Oklahoma during COVID. It was one of the most memorable trips ever..I went from one end of the state to the other.. awesome trip .. I do get to go to Tennessee for turkeys pretty regular.its only 2 hours away.. it's the variety of country side that draws me there.. you can be in river bottoms ,drive 5 hours and be in mountains and scrub cedar in between.. pretty cool..
Do you want turkey gems or deer gems?? Almost all creek system that SUSTAIN water year round in the wooded hills in southern Illinois has birds.. turkey here have an average home range of five miles square.. they travel through this range year round. Where they happen to be at in that range when spring hits is where most all the action will be.. when the breeding hen drops her first egg she is done traveling with the flock.. she won't stray to far from that area..toms will keep working through her area looking for some action.. turkey hens are similar to chickens,, not all hens lay in there first year.. toms will follow these non breeders for a few days.. they eventually figure out to circle through breeder hen areas.. if he isn't here today,and you have seen lone hen around, don't give up on that spot.. he will circle back through.. hopefully you will be there when he does.
No such thing as" spot burn " with today's apps... If you think your public hunt area is secret you would be totally wrong
I have hunted Tennessee since early 90's . I have seen pressure grow over the years.. myself and many others have adapted to it.. one plus to Tennessee is the ability to move miles or county's.. utilize this.. it is not possible where I live.. you get a county permit, you got to stay in that county.. Tennessee you don't..
Rack Daniels
Well-known member
Come to Montana and get yourself in the middle of some NF and tell me that…
Unfortunately, the MRI was not good and end up having to have a scope done on the knee. I determined that it was not in my best interest to be walking around out there in the hills only a couple of weeks after the surgery so did not get to go chase any ridge roosters. Come next spring hopefully I will be whole
If your implying that I would be alone on NF , how would that be spot burn..? If I were to run into others, first I would attempt to talk with them.. if that fails, I would get on the apps and move.. like I said,, no public place is secret . Some are harder to get to which could reduce pressure but it doesn't mean they aren't known about
Gellar
Well-known member
I agree with you that public areas are no secret, but areas within areas, honeyholes, often take years of experience to learn how the birds use that area, when they use that area, why they use that area, etc.
You are absolutely correct.. that's exactly what I was implying to others about deer in my area.. it applies to turks to... With the time I have to spend and the knowledge of those areas in Montana I would say my chances are very slim.. that's why I am talking of it on these different chat forums..as I said before,,hunters knowledge far surpasses any gov. Study
np307
Well-known member
Why can't you figure it out with all the apps there are today? If anyone can find spots and there's no such thing as spot burning, why do you need to ask?
I suspect that there are several county's with zero.. I wouldn't want to start there right?
Gellar
Well-known member
I think a better way of going about it may be to build rapport within the hunttalk community by sharing some of your stories and introducing yourself. After you’ve gotten to know a few members ask “…I’ve called the bios, and studied the Onx and I really like the looks and sounds of XYZ public land parcel in Montana. Am I on the right track here?” And most likely through a dm a member would respond to you about that question. We’ve been burned by a lot of people every year who, just as you did, create an account and an hour later say they will contribute, ask about a specific hunt or area and than ghost us.
Rack Daniels
Well-known member
Look up the regs for Montana and it shows the shaded areas where birds are most prevalent..
Giving ya a late response..I work in a underground coal mine here in so.ill. I am on second shift and just got out.. I really don't know if anyone would be interested in hearing my stories but I might be able to put a few on.
Spring 2021,,, Tennessee,, hunting a piece of public that joins an old cattle operation.. the cow pastures are on the tops of the hills with the west side border being the property line of gov ground ..the west hillside is heavily wooded.. the old fence in rough shape.. cattle had crossed back and forth from private pasture to gov woods for years..we all know how Turks like those dang pastures!! The trick is to call them out of it into the gov woods on the side of the hill.. my cousin and I had tried distant birds at first light.. no luck .. at fly down a few gobbled then all was quiet.. we decided to take a circle back by the hill top pasture to see if birds were out.. I call,,,,, nothing,,,, move 75 yards along one of those old cow paths in the woods about 25 off the field.. I call again,,,,, nothing,,,, we move down the path getting ever closer to the corner... We are head to toe mossy oak ,,, face mask and all.. suddenly, I caught movement coming into, the woods.. cows????? No Turks !!!!! hold still I hissed...we froze but the first wasn't sure.. he did the wing fix and slid on down the hill... The second wasn't sure... He did a couple half circles on the old cow paths we were on at 65 in front of us..we were standing with no tree!!! So I did what any good turkey caller would do,,,,, maaaaa, moooooooo ,, not to loud ,just enough to be believable...that the movement he saw could have been a cow.... It worked !!!! He turned and came towards us.. I shot him at twenty-six steps..!!!
True story..
Bowildee
Member
- Joined
- Aug 9, 2021
- Messages
- 44
I am from the Southeast and have been turkey hunting pretty hard for a few years now. I am looking at trying to get on a Rio or a Merriam this year. I feel like this forum is majority western hunters but I would be interested to see the differences people have noticed between hunting Eastern turkeys and the Western subspecies. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
