How high is too high?

[virgil]

I was up at my place for a very brief trip and hunted on Friday.  Hadn't been in the field since opening weekend.  For the opener, we hunted the edge of a large green field and saw birds every day.  This time, the green field had grown higher and I didn't see any birds- the weather was also lousy as it was opening weekend.  I did hear a few different gobblers in the woods in all directions.  I'm assuming there is a point at which a green field is too high for turkeys and that they then either relocate or spend their time in the woods.  If I'm able to get up to hunt again, I'll definitely concentrate my hunting in the woods instead of the field edge.  Was curious about others' experience with when to give up on a green field.

[turkeyfeathers]

Like this ? I used broken golf club shafts to get dekes higher.  My experience was once it gets to high it was all hardwoods gobbling and hunting.  I’d assume they can’t see predators through it and strutting isn’t going to be fun when the ladies can’t see the show.  

[virgil]

12 minutes ago, turkeyfeathers said:

Like this ? I used broken golf club shafts to get dekes higher.  My experience was once it gets to high it was all hardwoods gobbling and hunting.  I’d assume they can’t see predators through it and strutting isn’t going to be fun when the ladies can’t see the show.  

thanks.  I was thinking the same thing.  It seems like it would be unsafe and a whole lot of work for a bird to walk through all that.

[mowin]

Turkeys will frequent tall fields regularly.  Called many a bird out of tall fields.  

You can also use the grass to your advantage.  Toms will sometime hang up when they think they should be seeing the hen.  The tall grass forces him to come closer. 

[The_Real_TCIII]

In my experience they stopped using them, especially in the morning when they’re wet


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[turkeyfeathers]

7 minutes ago, The_Real_TCIII said:

In my experience they stopped using them, especially in the morning when they’re wet


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Forgot about the wetness. I’d be soaked from the boys on down walking through that high stuff. 

[mowin]

14 minutes ago, turkeyfeathers said:

Forgot about the wetness. I’d be soaked from the boys on down walking through that high stuff. 

Lol, lot of my hunting spots I need to walk through fields.  Sucks setting up soaked from the waste down.  

[Merlot]

1 hour ago, turkeyfeathers said:

Like this ? I used broken golf club shafts to get dekes higher.  My experience was once it gets to high it was all hardwoods gobbling and hunting.  I’d assume they can’t see predators through it and strutting isn’t going to be fun when the ladies can’t see the show.  

I can make use of my old  1973 Hogan Apex irons now...Have to spray the shafts dark...

[mpavlus]

I stuck them up on some old corn stalks. It worked. They saw them and came my way.

[Steuben Jerry]

1 hour ago, ODYSSEUS said:

When the grass is high the Turkeys often use the Edges. You are right about the Hardwoods. The Grass is like a cut Lawn in there right now. 

Hmm, maybe I should brush hog the perimeter of my fields before next weekend?

[G-Man]

1 hour ago, Steuben Jerry said:

Hmm, maybe I should brush hog the perimeter of my fields before next weekend?

Hens are nesting now in those fields.. .. I'd worry about losing a nest more than getting a bird... just find a plowed and planted field 

[Steuben Jerry]

27 minutes ago, G-Man said:

Hens are nesting now in those fields.. .. I'd worry about losing a nest more than getting a bird... just find a plowed and planted field 

Good point Greg!

[virgil]

It’s interesting that everyone seems to different opinions and experience. And all of the observations and opinions seem to make sense. 

[Lawdwaz]

10 hours ago, virgil said:

 If I'm able to get up to hunt again, I'll definitely concentrate my hunting in the woods instead of the field edge. 

Hunt the woods?

Oh my, what a novel idea!

[Uncle Nicky]

1 hour ago, virgil said:

It’s interesting that everyone seems to different opinions and experience. And all of the observations and opinions seem to make sense. 

That is because they (turkeys) really are not predictable.

My experience is that they will travel through just about any type of cover or terrain. I can't picture them fanning & strutting in a high field for obvious reasons, but they'll certainly travel through high grass or brush to get to food, mate, or get to their roost spot.

[virgil]

33 minutes ago, Lawdwaz said:

Hunt the woods?

Oh my, what a novel idea!

A useless comment in an online forum- also a novel idea. 

[Lawdwaz]

6 minutes ago, virgil said:

A useless comment in an online forum- also a novel idea. 

Sit tight, more to come.

[mowin]

1 hour ago, virgil said:

It’s interesting that everyone seems to different opinions and experience. And all of the observations and opinions seem to make sense. 

The only correct method is there isn't one.  

I've seen toms walk through 100 yrds of 5' tall reed grass, gobbling all the way. 

You would think it would be the last place you'd see one. No way to see a predator.  

[crappyice]

My buddy decide to make a “crop circle” to put his decoys. To no avail but worth the shot I guess or no? Not much of a turkey hunter here. He walked in late an after being in the blind heard them fly down and hightail
Out of the area. Prob can’t blame the crop circle but it’s better than him blaming himself for oversleeping


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[Cabin Fever]

7 hours ago, G-Man said:

Hens are nesting now in those fields.. .. I'd worry about losing a nest more than getting a bird... just find a plowed and planted field 

I watched 2 hens feeding in a ~12" tall wheat field yesterday morning. All of a sudden, they squatted and disappeared. I was only 35 yards away from them and on a knoll, but I could get a glimpse of them every now and then. I figured they were on a nest and safer there then in a hedgerow, where nest raiders would probably be patrolling. 

[mowin]

9 hours ago, crappyice said:

My buddy decide to make a “crop circle” to put his decoys. To no avail but worth the shot I guess or no? Not much of a turkey hunter here. He walked in late an after being in the blind heard them fly down and hightail
Out of the area. Prob can’t blame the crop circle but it’s better than him blaming himself for oversleeping


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It's possible they spotted him when he walked in late depending on how close he was to there roost.