Turkey habitat

[kpkot]

Looking for some ideas to better help my property to hold turkey. I would love to hear land managment ideas specifically targeted at turkey. Anyone have any experience or ideas for me please share.

One thing I know the property lacks are full mature stands of timber for roosting. The previous owner logged the property like it was his job. Thats something that will take lots of time. I did plant 450 trees this year and for the last 5 or 6 years I have planted pines. I did get some oak trees this year as well as pines.

Food plots I typically do for deer. I have found two things I planted for deer they liked were oats and winter wheat.

Water is pretty plentiful on 2/3 of property with a nice creek and one small cattle pond. Back of property does lack h2o and that's typically where I encounter the birds.

Working with about 100 acres. 40% field 60% woods.

[Critter4321]

sounds like you have a great area just need the birds to find roosting areas closer are maybe they are coming through later 9:30-10:00 do you hear any gobbling or hens yelping. also they need water to help keep their eggs damp. what kind of crops are in the fields they like clover and other grasses specially any new seeding or new growth  

[turkeyfeathers]

Sent you a link via PM

[kpkot]

sounds like you have a great area just need the birds to find roosting areas closer are maybe they are coming through later 9:30-10:00 do you hear any gobbling or hens yelping. also they need water to help keep their eggs damp. what kind of crops are in the fields they like clover and other grasses specially any new seeding or new growth

6 birds have been taken since we have owned it. 5 were after 9am. Crops rotate on neighbors huge ag fields and then same with our 25acres we lease to farmer. This year our 25acres is hay. Big neighbors field is wheat this year. They rotate corn, soy beans, alfalfa, wheat, and oats. I am reclaiming a small overgrown 4 acre field on our parcel this summer maybe that new growth will help.

[G-Man]

That overgrown field can be great nesting cover.. leave your fields long on fall for nesting in spring. If you have timber growing on edge of field trim some lower limbs off them so birds have easier time to get into them for roosting 2 to 3 in limbs 20 ft in air are great roosting limbs if they have enough clear space above and below them for birds to get in. It's a lot of trimming but it does work and make a difference..