Home Forums Birds & Dogs Turkey Hunting Turkey behavior question

The county that I grew up in hasn't had turkey hunting traditionally, but they've been doing pretty well there, and they've had a season for the last 7 years or so. This year my parents have had a flock of 13 in their yard. I can split wood within about 15 yards from them, run a chainsaw within 25 yards, and I was about 10 yards away from them when I shot a rabbit in their shelterbelt using a 12 ga. Do the turkeys get more wary around the seasons, or do the yard birds wander about in such a manner as to make themselves vulnerable to being taken with a shovel?

Wait for mating season and then try to hunt them and then you will see the difference.

So they'll act about the same for the fall season? Don't think that I'll hunt them. My parent's place is 3 hours away, and despite the rapidly increasing population and a lot being shot for depredation, the turkey tag still less than a 50% draw in that area.

The behavior will change when you begin hunting them. If turkey hunting is pretty new in the area, then they aren't accustomed to being hunted and shot at yet. Just wait until you begin shooting at them and they realize you aren't as harmless as you look.

That depends what kind of turkeys they are and if they were hunted before. The early introductions hereabouts were "yard birds" like the ones you see. Most died off or were shot by turkey farmers to avoid disease. Our DNR then introduced wild Marriams (sp) and those proved to be a 'bird of a different color.' Wild and weary, very huntable. But even these get habituated when they aren't hunted. You may get an easy kill or two at first, until they connect man with both food....and their demise. Hunting turkey with a call is an absolute hoot. I'm going to do it with a crossbow this year.