# Locating Turkey



## Narient (Jan 9, 2011)

Let me start by saying that I'm not interested in having anybody tell me where to go to find turkey. I'm pretty green when it comes to many aspects of turkey hunting. The only aspect of it that I am having way too much trouble with is the locating aspect. I've hunted through the posts on here and other sites and have garnered some good information that I really appreciate. In any case, here are my questions:

- Is there a general elevation range I should be focusing on? 

- What is a preferred food source for these birds out here in Utah?

- Do they tend to stick around more level ground or are they just at home in the rocky areas of the mountains?


There are more, I'm sure, but my brain is not running at optimal rates right now.


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## ajwildcat (Mar 27, 2008)

Head to the snow line Sir, last year I shot a Tom in some of the steepest, nastiest terrain out there. It felt like some sort of a deer hunt on a steep rocky hillside from hell. And he wasn't alone I saw plenty of birds in that exact same stuff. Hope you have been hitting the treadmill at incline 15 all winter, I know i have had to just to get ready for that again.


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## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

If you are in any area where you can use a wheeler just rev it up and shut it down. It makes them gobble! Now that you have located them move in and shoot one. 

If not then do what AJ said. Turkeys hunting is often referred to an elk hunt. They aren't talking about the calling part. They are talking about the terrain the turkeys are hiding in. You will wear our a set of boots chasing them and then think your crazy after its all over to even want to do it again. Thank goodness you get a year or more to forget how hard they are to hunt.


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## 2full (Apr 8, 2010)

Snow line: +1


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

OK, here's the deal, turkeys live in areas that have water. Canyons with streams, small lakes, etc. They are not going to be too far, maybe a 1/2 mile or so, from that water source. They travel all around the areas surrounding the water supply feeding. They are not like elk!!! They are turkeys. They are all not trying to migrate to the top of the mountain. Sure, you'll find them at the infamous snow line...but you'll also find them a mile on down the canyon. They are not just bunched up in one layer on the mountain waiting for the flood gates to the top to open. Nobody can tell you were to find turkeys at any given moment but if you find a mountain range that has turkeys, work the canyons and meadows that have water. I am an old guy and I get birds every year and I have never worn out a pair of boots yet. Walking, walking,walking might just be the worst thing you can do turkey hunting. Your not going to just walk up over a ridge and there they are, just hardly never happens. If it does, chances are a million to one that they'll see you first, and once they do, game over. If you want to be a successful turkey hunter, it's going to take a couple years of learnin turkeys.


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

Is there a general elevation range I should be focusing on? From the snow line down.

What is a preferred food source for these birds out here in Utah? Greens.

Do they tend to stick around more level ground or are they just at home in the rocky areas of the mountains? Yes.


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## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

Last year I got into a big bunch of turkeys well above the snow line. The turkeys were walking right on top of two feet of snow. I, of course, was sinking in with every step once the sun came out. :roll: 

To locate turkeys just hike into a likely area in the dark. Use an owl hoot call and you'll get gobbled at. Don't be that guy who is hiking around hooting like an owl in the middle of the day.  

FWIW- I hunt turkeys in some of the same areas where I hunt deer and elk.


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

Another good locater call is a coyote howler call. I use this right at dark. Call to late after dark and they wont answer you. This is a great way to find birds on the roost. Then the next morning I slip in under em and set up.


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