Most turkey hunters know that scouting is important, but many hunters (even experienced ones) don’t really know how to scout for turkeys. Sure, most folks can find turkey tracks, spot longbeards strutting in a field, and hear gobbles from a distant ridge, but the key to effective turkey scouting is to use this intel to develop a plan that helps you go out and kill a turkey—not just figure out where they live.
I’ve been lucky enough to be able to chase turkeys all over the country alongside some of the best turkey hunters in the game. The one thing they all had in common was the ability to predict what the birds were going to do and then adapt quickly when things didn’t go according to plan. This comes from years of experience and seasons upon seasons of scouting. Here’s what I’ve learned about how to scout for turkeys and punch more tags this spring.
Scouting for wild turkey on public land can be a challenging yet rewarding experience. With a bit of knowledge, effort and preparation you can locate gobblers and set yourself up for an effective hunt. Here is a comprehensive guide on how to scout for turkey on public land and increase your odds of success.
Choose the Right Public Land
Not all public lands are created equal when it comes to hunting turkey. Look for large areas of national forest, wildlife management areas, and state lands that provide adequate habitat. Areas with a mix of woodlands, open fields, and riparian zones tend to hold the most birds. Lands bordered by private property on multiple sides are also promising since the turkeys can move between both.
Using online mapping tools and apps like HuntWise, you can scout potential public lands from home. Identify the most promising spots to explore further in person. Focus your efforts on overlooked sections many hunters pass up. With some extra legwork, these underutilized public parcels can be just as productive as private land.
Start Scouting Early
Beginning scouting and patterning weeks before opening day gives you a major advantage. The early birds will locate prime roosting spots, strut zones, and feeding areas.
Many successful hunters start scouting 20-30 days prior to the season. This allows time to identify bird locations and patterns before the woods fill up with hunting pressure.
Look for Sign
Turkeys leave behind plenty of sign that reveals their patterns. Look for feathers, tracks, droppings, dusting bowls, and strut marks scraped into the dirt. Pay attention to the size and shape of prints to help distinguish between hens, jakes, and adult gobblers. Roost sites marked by piles of droppings are especially key.
Trail cameras can provide invaluable scouting intel on the numbers, sex ratios, and movement patterns of birds in the area. Place cameras overlooking potential strut zones and feeding areas.
Pattern Roosting and Feeding Areas
Locating active roost sites is a top priority. Set up within 100-200 yards of a roost on opening morning before birds fly down. Also pattern daily routes between roosting and feeding areas. Set up blinds and ambushes along these travel corridors.
Turkeys tend to follow predictable daily circuits between fields and woodlots. Identify food sources like acorn woods, crop fields, and riparian areas. Mark multiple spots to hunt as birds move during the day.
Focus on Isolated Sections
The most accessible areas of public land receive the most pressure. Instead target remote sections requiring longer hikes to access. Listen for distant gobbles and scout backcountry ridges and hollows.
Even small isolated plots can hold great birds if you’re willing to put in the extra effort. These out-of-the-way areas can be goldmines since they get overlooked.
Ask the Experts
Discuss plans with public land managers to tap into their expertise. They know the property best and can share insight on habitat, access points, and more. Fellow public land hunters are also great resources to connect with online or in person.
Have a Backup Plan
With scouting and patterning, you can identify multiple setup options for opening day. Have a primary plan A but also backup spots in case hunters crowd your first choice. Stay flexible and don’t get locked into just one location.
Adjust Calling Strategies
Avoid overcalling on pressured public land. Instead, use subtle calling and be patient. Listen more than you call. Draw in lovesick gobblers with realistic sounding hen calls, but don’t overdo it.
Consider Decoy Use Carefully
Decoys can attract unwanted hunter attention on public land. Set up near decoys or place them in hard-to-access spots. Carry lightweight foldable decoys that are easy to sneak into remote areas. Or you may opt to not use decoys at all.
Follow Public Land Rules
Be respectful of boundaries, property rules, and other hunters. Avoid trespassing onto neighboring private land if chasing birds. Practice ethical shot selection and outdoor stewardship. Scouting with trail cameras rather than intrusive scouting drives is also advised.
Be Patient and Persistent
Scouting is key, but successful public land hunting still requires patience once the season opens. Hunt all day if needed, not just the early morning. Expect pressured birds and remain focused. With smart scouting and persistency, you can tag a public land gobbler.
How to Find Turkey Feeding Areas
Once you find a few roost locations, you’ll also want to locate major feeding areas. Sometimes this is very simple: turkeys like to feed in agricultural fields and in fields with new, green spring shoots. But turkeys will also feed in hardwoods (look for signs of heavy scratching) and in fallow fields where they’ll pick bugs out of the grass. A good way to identify feeding areas is to drive country roads mid-morning and look for turkeys in fields. Or, if you’re in open country, get to a high spot and glass the surrounding area. If it’s legal, set up a trail camera or two in likely feeding areas. Unpressured turkeys can be easy to pattern around agricultural fields. But turkeys that see a lot of hunting pressure will be much more challenging to pin down.
Read Next: How to Use Trail Cameras for Turkey Hunting
Scouting During the Turkey Season
But if that doesn’t work out, you’ll want to scout your way through the season. I see a lot of hunters sacrificing scouting time for hunting time. But that’s a mistake. It’s more useful to find birds and hunt productive areas than to keep hunting the same spot for days on end hoping a tom will show up.
3 TIPS to FIND TURKEYS!
FAQ
How to hunt public land for turkeys?
My main strategy for public land is to be mobile and hunt aggressively. That means getting in the woods well before first light and before they gobble so when they start up you can locate them and move in on top of them before he flies down, and more importantly, before they can see you.
How do I scout for turkeys?
“It’s kind of like deer hunting, you’ll want to look on game trails, look on dirt roads, etc.,” said Kent. “You want to see where the tracks are, where they are coming from, where they are going to. And all of this is easier after a rain.”
How to hunt pressured public land turkeys?
Skip the Roost Hunt and Set Up and Ambush
Once birds get pressured, then get doubly hard to kill off the roost. Instead, use your scouting to put yourself in a high-odd mid-morning or midday spot where the turkeys want to be. Take a ground blind, a comfy chair, food, and a good book.
Should you use turkey decoys on public land?
Lets start with hunters stalking decoys because this is the most serious and dangerous aspect of decoy usage. As I have often said, using turkey decoys on public land isn’t a very safe thing to do. If at all possible avoid using decoys on public or private lands were chances are that other hunters could be preset.