# Turkey Scouting



## Puddler (Apr 30, 2009)

I have a 100 acres up spanish fork canyon but I 'm not sure if there are any turkeys on my land. I am wondering what signs I should look for and if a trail cam is worth throwing out? Any guidance is greatly appreciated.


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## sharpshooter25 (Oct 2, 2007)

Well you can't mistake turkey tracks they are huge. Yeah a trail camera can work, I have had turkey's appear on mine from time to time, but that wasn't because I was trying to see Turkeys. Also, look for very tall trees for them to roost in. They especially like tall oak trees it seems. Anyway, you will see their scrapes, and tracks along the base of the trees that they roost in. I wouldn't know what to tell you to throw out for food to attract the turkeys so that you can get pictures on your camera, you would have to ask about that.


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

Turkeys are VERY transient birds, they rarely stay in one place for too long. Especially when the weather is changing and the snow levels change every day. They migrate up with the receding snow to eat the new chutes of green stuff coming up right after the melt off. Bearing this in mind has always kept me from doing any serious scouting until just a couple days before the hunt starts. I usually start scouting the first day I start hunting. Turkeys are like elk, first you gotta find them and then you hunt them. For now I would just go walk around a little and see if you see any tracks and or birds. Then just back out and hope like hell they're still there when you hunt.


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## proutdoors (Sep 24, 2007)

This time of year I look for roost trees that have turkey droppings that are fairly fresh.


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

This is a good time of year to do some general area scouting. The birds are still pretty well bunched in their winter bunches and easy to spot. They will be down low around the streams and particularly around farms with animals that are being fed. After you have spotted some large bunches, look at the country above and try and imagine how these bird will spread out when the bunches break up. Normally they will follow canyons and creeks up the mountains and settle into areas that provide feed and cover and some large trees for roosting. Turkeys love meadows both large and small so besure the area you chose has some open area. Next you will need now to do the leg work of locating pubic ground to hunt or obtaining permission from private land owners to hunt their property. With your permission slip in hand or your public area determined, you simply wait until a couple few days just before the hunt and try to actually spot/locate a real bird or small bunch of birds to pursue. Re-read Tex's reply again and keep in mind what he said about finding a bird and hunting it...it's that simple. Good luck, have fun and **** it, when they're coming in...DON'T MOVE!


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## Mojo1 (Sep 8, 2007)

Baiting them is easy, just use some yellow gold, corn for you westerners, it works the world over.


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## Puddler (Apr 30, 2009)

Thanks for all the info! I'm heading up there this weekend to see what I can find.


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

Mojo, for your information, that is not called "baiting" any more, now days we call that "food plot" management. See, it pays ta watch the hunting channel.


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

> Good luck, have fun and **** it, when they're coming in...DON'T MOVE!


Oh, it's OK to move a little... How else you gonna get his head up so you can shoot him without damaging the feathers! :wink: :mrgreen:


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## Mojo1 (Sep 8, 2007)

BPturkeys said:


> Mojo, for your information, that is not called "baiting" any more, now days we call that "food plot" management. See, it pays ta watch the hunting channel.


That may be what TV calls it now but the local warden's probally gonna see it my way! :lol:


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