Fair chase spring turkey hunts lease land

Not For All

An aspect of these kind of articles on spring turkey hunts and others throughout the website is our recognition many of our non-resident turkey hunters have never experienced any type of central mid-west spring season turkey hunts. These basic articles help eliminate some of that mystery.

Taking away that mystery makes for more enjoyable trips as all will know where they will be turkey hunting long before they leave home and have an idea of the hunt conditions. The pictures in this article and elsewhere are the best means by which to illustrate the habitat so no hunter will be too quick to dismiss a good spot due to unfamiliarity was compared to home state habitat. Experienced mid-west turkey hunters may find these same articles needless reading. We walk that balance.

A value point to the Association staff being out on the lease land 12 months of the year is as the snow in this picture well illustrates. We track where we see any wildlife. In this case turkeys, all to make better for better spring hunts.

The birds above are what we saw from the distance and just a part of the larger flock stretched out tot he left and right. This flock was not under any pressure and was walking/feeding strung out along a trail from the roost area through the neighbor's farm, on to our lease and continued unseen across the road.

We found where they were feeding.

The flock were easily tracked back to the roost.

The roost from a distance.

Can spring wild turkey hunts get any better. Any more effort on our part would be to guide the hunter into a setup. We prefer the turkey hunter that would rather make his own spring hunts and just requires this level of jump start to make the most of his trip.

Crowding

What must be remembered when selecting a spring turkey season setup location is that regardless of how stealthy a turkey hunter hunts and occupies a setup the bird's sight and hearing is much greater than humans. What may seem quiet and dark to us may be far more noticeable to the birds, especially on moon lit mornings.

The principle of anti-disruption continues. Pick a setup that is within direct line of sight and sound of the roost and flydown area and not too close that the hunter’s presence causes the entire turkey flock to flydown away from the anticipated area. This typically means not setting up between the roost and flydown area but to its side, either left, right or opposite.

Pick a spot that allows decoys to be seen from where the flydown is anticipated and allows for easy, non-intrusive walk in access. Once that spot is picked move in during the night before and establish the blind. Doing so the night before eliminates the intrusive activity the morning of the hunt. Any disruption that may attract the flock’s attention the night before most likely will have no effect on the flock at that time and will be forgotten by morning.

Most will agree that spring turkey hunts are far more about preparation than the actual hunt itself. It is that preparation work that makes the hunt and not the actual turkey hunt itself. A small point seemingly overlooked more than it should be by many turkey hunters who seek to hunt without scouting. The second point is that those that believe scouting is just to locate the birds and not all the rest seem to have fewer successful turkey hunts and harvest the least number of mature toms. This is well illustrated by those that seek to hunt multiple states rather than seek a quality hunt in one state first and then expand to a second.

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Do It Yourself Spring Turkey Hunts page 3

Not For All

Crowding