# Turkeys



## rockymtn_views (Oct 5, 2007)

I have never been turkey hunting and really have no clue of where to start. I haven't had too much time to go scouting and would really appreciate some pointers on some areas that are not more than like 2 hours from salt lake city on where to look for some turkeys and some of the habitat that they like. Any constructive help or advice would be great.


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

Turkeys are like elk, they are where you find them. I know that's a vague statement, but that's that way it is. They move around a LOT they cover vast amounts of terrain, and they never stay in one place very long. I wouldn't even start scouting until the day before the hunt.

Turkeys are also like any other bird. They need food, cover, roosting trees, and water. They eat tender green chutes, bugs, and mass crops. In the spring they make noise by clucking and gobbling. They leave big bird tracks and big bird poop everywhere they've been.

There are turkeys EVERYWHERE in this state. Go hunting, you'll find em.

For more information on how to KILL a turkey, visit my web sight. www.birdfishtaxidermist.com 

Good luck!


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

This might sound like a smart a** answer but really, just get in your truck and start driving and pretend your going scouting for deer or elk. With the exception of desert habitat turkeys will/can be found in about the same habitat as the above mentioned critters and scouting techniques are about the same. You know, spot'em, pattern'em, get up early and hunt'em. No secrets, no magic. About the only pointers I might pass on at this early stage in your turkey hunting is to keep in mind that turkeys have great vision, are MUCH more weary than deer or elk, don't stop and turn to look at you after you spook them, very seldom let you sneak up on them and won't just stand there while you raise your gun to blast 'em. A couple of good methods of gettin'em and they both require the birds come to you...(1)determine their route and get out in front of them (ambush) (2) get in the general area of birds and call them in to you. Other methods that work but aren't so good but are widely used (1) drive around 'till ya see one, jump outta your truck and blast 'em (2) drive out to Roosevelt, party all night with the oil riggers and fat gals, buy and nice bird at Smiths on the way home and call it a trip. Just remember, the one you want to shoot has a really big red head with no feathers on it, has a bunch of stringy lookin things hangin from it's chest and makes really loud noises when in the immediate area of the plain looking ones...kind of like the way you were the night before out there in Roosevelt.


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## ridgetop (Sep 13, 2007)

You can find turkeys around the mouths of many of the canyons along the Wasatch Front but there are hundreds of guys watching them daily.


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## Gumbo (Sep 22, 2007)

TEX-O-BOB said:


> They need food, cover, roosting trees, and water.


What kind of trees to they like to roost in out west? Scrub oak??


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## InvaderZim (Sep 7, 2007)

Gumbo said:


> TEX-O-BOB said:
> 
> 
> > They need food, cover, roosting trees, and water.
> ...


Pines seem to be the tree of choice, ponderosa, fir, or otherwise.

I've seen them roost in cottonwoods of course, and even very tall Gambel Oak (read Scrub Oak) that are usually near a water source. Mostly, however, they use these as winter roosts.


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