# Turkeys and elevation



## maverick9465 (Nov 21, 2016)

What's everyone's thoughts on how high turkeys will go? I saw one last year at about 6,000 feet. I notice the new OnX Maps turkey layer is all at low elevations. What's your experience with how high up they'll go?


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

I've seen them at 9,000'. 

They go where the food is and as long as they have a place to roost and eat they are happy.


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## hamernhonkers (Sep 28, 2007)

11,200 feet is the highest I've seen them. Of course this is in July after nesting season. Killed Tom's at over 8500' a few times now. 

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


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## sheepassassin (Mar 23, 2018)

I can tell you this year they are well above what they normally are in central Utah. Places that I've hunted for years that are normally littered with birds are completely vacant this year. The highest places i usually see birds is just about where I'm starting to see fresh sign this year. Weird year for sure


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## Lone_Hunter (Oct 25, 2017)

sheepassassin said:


> I can tell you this year they are well above what they normally are in central Utah. Places that I've hunted for years that are normally littered with birds are completely vacant this year. The highest places i usually see birds is just about where I'm starting to see fresh sign this year. Weird year for sure


Some of those higher places are hard to get to too. One area i was looking at, i saw some fresh scat, but not a single track, scratching, feather, nothing. I'd swear they were flying over the canyon from one ridge-back to the next, dropping a load of fertilizer on the way over.


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## neverdrawn (Jan 3, 2009)

it's always been my experience they follow the snow line. On snowy years they will be lower and on years such as this (drier,at least down here in the south) they will be higher.


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

I know that in the "Central" area, I saw birds yesterday LOW! The storm pushed them lower I'm sure. (didn't have a tag) Two Toms with 8" beards strutting there stuff. If I'd of had a tag, I never would have seen a Turkey. LOL

I've seen flocks at 6000' one day, and snow came that night and the birds were at 4800'.


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## sawsman (Sep 13, 2007)

Yep. I've seen them very low the last few days in the central region and no to very little sign at >7,000'.

The highest I've ever seen them was around 9,500' in the summer months.



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## 2full (Apr 8, 2010)

As was said earlier: they follow the snow line. 
Have taken several that way.


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## PBH (Nov 7, 2007)

sawsman said:


> The highest I've ever seen them was around 9,500' in the summer months.
> .


We hunt them up around Navajo Lake in May. It's 10,000' on all those flats above the lake.

I think those birds pretty much just go wherever, elevation be damned!


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## goosefreak (Aug 20, 2009)

I’ve seen them close to 10’000 and 6,000 feet during the hunt in the same mountain in the same day..


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

Birds just spread out in the spring. I don't think elevation has anything at all to do with where turkeys are. They're just out there wanderin around looking for food, shelter and other things that make up "turkey habitat". In your quest for turkeys, elevation might be the very last thing you look at, either positively or negatively.


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

I've had my best luck at 4300' !!! Smiths has them cleaned, and ready to go.


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## sheepassassin (Mar 23, 2018)

I shot a big tom this morning at 8000' in central Utah. About 2000' higher than they normally are this time of year. He had lots of friends with him and were on fire


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