Fall Forecast: Mild to Moderate
A Chat with Bob Eriksen, NWTF director of conservation operations
Locating Fall Turkeys
Q: For turkey scouting purposes prior to or during fall hunting season, what distances and under what conditions will turkey flocks travel in mountain, ridges and valley terrain to find available mast crop and other food sources?
— Don Heckman, Camp Hill, Pa.
A: Wild turkeys move along through the woods at an average of three to four miles per hour. If they find a good food source, they’ll likely slow that speed down considerably. Fall flocks have been known to move as far as 20 miles seeking a reliable food source, but such movements are the exception rather than the rule. The average is generally less than two miles.
Spend some time locating food sources so you can evaluate how far the birds are likely to move and where they will spend their time. If mast is in short supply, turkeys are more likely to spend time in fields searching for bugs or waste grain. In such a years, if you locate a food source in the woods with fresh sign you need to spend some time there.
Q: Fall turkey hunting is very difficult on my property in Virginia because we have very few turkeys. This year we planted wildlife food plots. As you know, turkeys very seldom gobble in the fall. What can I do to know where they are?
— Treva Layne Campbell, Eagle Rock, Va.
A: One of the best methods of locating fall turkey flocks is to monitor the available mast. Check stands of oaks, especially white oaks in September or early October to gauge the availability of hard mast. While you are scouting, remember where you see turkey flocks for future reference. Don’t forget to check flowering dogwoods, black cherry trees and grape vines for soft mast.
If you find a food source, check back for turkey sign in the form of scratching, moulted feathers and droppings as the season approaches. If there is a poor mast crop, turkeys will take to the fields foraging on insects, seeds and waste grain. When there is little mast, the birds are a bit easier to locate.
Q: I am having trouble locating turkeys in the fall. Will they respond to some kind of locator/shock call in the fall?
— Jim Spencer, Roosevelt, Utah
A: Turkeys will gobble in the fall, often in response to a crow, another gobbler or other harsh noise. However, gobbling is much less frequent at this time of year. Locator calls will work to a degree in the fall, but pre-season scouting and listening are better bets.
Fall flocks of hens and young birds can be quite vocal in the early morning and just before they fly up for the evening. Check roost sites the birds were using last spring. In open country, glass the edges of the woods; in dry areas, check water sources and listen for the birds getting ready to fly up or fly down.
Q: I’m a Women in the Outdoors member from Preble County, Ohio, and don’t believe we have a fall turkey season here; only a spring season. I am very interested in trying the spring season, but wonder if it will do me any good to do any scouting in the fall.
Will the knowledge I gather about movement and roosting habits still apply in the spring? Or do turkeys move and sleep in drastically different patterns in opposing seasons?
— Jorene Burgess, Camden, Ohio
A: Any time you spend in the woods scouting will help you as you plan to hunt next spring. In woodlots and agricultural field-type habitat like Preble County, the birds are likely to be in similar places in the spring as they are in the fall.
Scouting in the fall can sometimes allow you to hear some pretty intense turkey talk. Listening to the real thing will help you to improve your calling. If there is no fall season in your neck of the woods, it’s a great time to get some turkey experience and do some scouting for spring. As a word of warning though, don’t expect to find large flocks in the spring like you may see in the fall. In late winter those flocks will break up and scatter. Some birds will remain where you saw them in the fall.
Q: I have been quite an avid spring hunter, but I had a few question regarding fall scouting. Currently I have some unbelievable turkey woods including hardwood ridges (oaks, beech trees, etc), food plots and creek bottoms. These are perfect turkey woods! During the fall I do more still hunting and either I find them or I don’t. What do you recommend I do to find the birds prior to the season when I do not have the time to scout adequately?
— Chris Fallen, Richmond, Va.
A: My description of the difference between spring and fall hunting is this: In the spring the birds are easy to find and can be tough to call; in the fall they can be hard to find and easier to call. Check the woods and fields for food sources and the field edges for dusting sites. If they have produced well, white oak, beechnuts and wild grapes are magnets for turkeys.
Your limited time will be best spent evaluating food sources. If you locate frequently used dusting bowls, you have found a hot spot. Turkeys often use ant hills and other loose soil for dusting. Talk to mail carriers and school bus drivers about where they are seeing summer flocks and you’ll have an edge on the season.
