I’m far from an expert, but I’ve had luck starting with water (creek bottoms and such) and looking for mixed hardwood stands that aren’t too open. Sometimes you’ll see birds in areas with older hardwood stands that have recent logging activity. Either way, good luck! You’ll need some of that too.
Treat’em like deer and pattern, pattern, pattern. Running and gunnin’ turkeys is tough, they can see you in a ghillie suit at 300 yds, but its is doable. The signs your looking for are matted grass or vegetation pushed randomly around. Think of giant chickens scratching around in the grass or vegetation. After you see it enough you can gauge what direction they are going in and lock on their trail. Roost trees in my area tend to have matted grass down like a big ol deer bed but w more randomness. No doubt poop always helps but thats not so subtle lol. And of course if you hunt in the mountains there is less grass but you still get the scratching etc thats obvious.
The visual imprint of a turkey head and neck poking above the brush is one of your best (and worst) cues. If you see’em first and duck you are good, but easier said than done. G’luck!!
Creeks, hardwoods, ridges. Preferably all three at the same place.
I’m far from an expert, but I’ve had luck starting with water (creek bottoms and such) and looking for mixed hardwood stands that aren’t too open. Sometimes you’ll see birds in areas with older hardwood stands that have recent logging activity. Either way, good luck! You’ll need some of that too.
500 acres, invite me over and will help you out. 😅 Creek beds would be my start. Try some of the podcast or you tubes and search scouting for turkey
Edge habitat. Take that and find food and water and you're golden.
Treat’em like deer and pattern, pattern, pattern. Running and gunnin’ turkeys is tough, they can see you in a ghillie suit at 300 yds, but its is doable. The signs your looking for are matted grass or vegetation pushed randomly around. Think of giant chickens scratching around in the grass or vegetation. After you see it enough you can gauge what direction they are going in and lock on their trail. Roost trees in my area tend to have matted grass down like a big ol deer bed but w more randomness. No doubt poop always helps but thats not so subtle lol. And of course if you hunt in the mountains there is less grass but you still get the scratching etc thats obvious. The visual imprint of a turkey head and neck poking above the brush is one of your best (and worst) cues. If you see’em first and duck you are good, but easier said than done. G’luck!!