Minnesota Turkey Hunting Map - Hunting contest game (2023)

FAQs

How early should you be in the turkey woods? ›

Time of Day: Since Turkeys make their nest in trees and on the ground in wooded areas, one of the best times of day to hunt is first thing in the morning. Get out to your blind early and listen for the yelps, cackles, and gobbles of turkeys as they start in search for breakfast.

Today, wild turkeys are abundant in the oak and aspen forests that stretch across central and eastern Minnesota. These forested areas are ideal for turkeys because they are interspersed with farm fields and pastures. Turkeys are common too in the timbered river valleys and woodlands of the west and southwest.

The Merriam's Turkey is a class 1 species of Turkey introduced with the Silver Ridge Peaks, also dwells in Te Awaroa National Park and also it was backfilled in Layton Lake District during December 6, 2022 large update.

It's ideal to be in the woods a couple hours before daylight to sneak in under the cover of darkness and listen to toms on the roost. You'll also hear toms gobbling in the late afternoon as the sun starts to slip through the sky. Roosting areas are ideal places to focus your listening efforts.

On a warm, sunny day, reposition near shady areas in the trees where they go to escape the heat. In rainy and colder conditions, turkeys tend to bunch up in large open areas, like fields. Want to skip the early wakeup call altogether? Sneaking in quietly late morning or early afternoon can still be a successful option.

If possible, cover the turkey in a blaze orange garment or other material. Although not required, it is suggested that hunters wear blaze orange when moving between a vehicle and a hunting site.

Turkeys need open areas as well as woods. Turkeys love these high-protein and high-fat foods and will feed on the tender leaves and leftover grains in areas that aren't pressured too hard. Tip: Avoid tall, unharvested wheat fields.

Turkeys go uphill, downhill and sideways to find other turkeys, often by calling.

The City of Frazee, Minnesota is located in Becker County and is the second largest city in the county. As of the 2010 US Census the population was 1,350. The City is known for being the home of "Big Tom", the worlds largest turkey. The statue, named "Big Tom", was completed in 1986 and stands 22 feet tall.

For turkey hunting, shot sizes 4, 5 and 6 will all work.

Can you use LED shot for turkey in MN? ›

Lead shot can be used on DNR wildlife management areas when turkey hunting.

Hunting pressure will disappear as it builds up elsewhere in the reserve. It is illustrated by a colored (grayish violet to glaring pink) field on the map. Different intensities of pressure can be distinguished based on the shade of purple of a particular area.

The Auburn, also known as the Light Brown, is a breed of domestic turkey. A heritage turkey, the Auburn is one of the rarest varieties currently in existence. It has been referenced by name in written records since the 18th century, and is named after the light reddish-brown color of its plumage.

Turkeys prefer an open forest floor covered in leaf litter for easy forage. Creating openings: Turkeys like open, brushy space and grasslands rich in forage. Grass-rich areas also provide safer nesting sites. These can be created by clear-cutting one- to five-acre patches through the forest.

A locator call is one of the most overlooked turkey calls that hunters use each spring. A locator call is a call that mimics natural animal sounds that can create a shock gobble from a mature tom. The shock gobble occurs because of a tom being tense in the spring due to the breeding season.

Turkeys are creatures of habit. Although they may not use the precise locations and travel routes every day, the flock will stay in the same general areas. Food, water, fields, cover and roost trees typically dictate their travel routines, so be mindful of these factors when scouting.

Fields and other open areas often contain food sources as well, and since eating is often the first thing on a turkey's mind each morning, it makes sense that they'd roost nearby an easy meal. Shelter/cover – Look for protected areas that allow birds to travel without being exposed to the wind and other elements.

Turkeys tend to travel the same routes or circuits to the same areas every day, as long as those areas provide what turkeys need and want. Hunters can use this information to place themselves right in the path of the birds, or at least pretty close to where those birds typically travel on any given day.

Never wear bright colors, especially not red, white, blue or black because these are the colors of a wild turkey gobbler. Watch out for red, white or blue on your socks, t-shirts, hooded sweatshirts, hats, bandannas, etc. Wear dark undershirts and socks, and pants long enough to be tucked into boots.

CAMOUFLAGE PATTERNS

You've noticed by now that full camouflage is a necessity for turkey hunting. But having the wrong camouflage can be just as big of a problem as having no camouflage at all. So, scout the conditions of your hunting surroundings and note the colors present.

Do turkeys prefer pines or hardwoods? ›

Turkeys also prefer pine trees to any other types of trees. They offer cover year round and often a clean forest floor to take off and land on.

If I'm in a good spot, I discipline myself to sit for at least 30 minutes, more if I feel confident. That's not to say that if you'd given it one more minute, you'd have killed the bird that sneaked in on you, but staying longer is better than leaving too soon.

Blocking it off into early morning (before 7), mid morning (7 to 9), and late morning (9 to noon). To my surprise after years of assuming that early morning was the time, it turns out that mid morning made up the vast majority of my kills.

Pull it out as soon as the temperature hits 165, or even a little lower. The amount of resting time depends on the size of the bird, but at least 20 minutes is needed. A large bird can wait up to 40 minutes or longer, depending on the temperature of the room.

When hunting wild turkeys with a shotgun, greater success is achieved when hunters shoot at the head and neck area of the bird. The most effective firearm shot for a turkey is to the head and neck. The preferred shot angle for bowhunters is broadside, aiming for the heart or lungs.

Try to avoid shooting a gobbler in full-strut, particularly when the tom is broadside to your position. In strut, the tom pulls its head and neck down tight against its puffed out chest, which provides more protection and can block much of the shot intended for the target area.

“Turkeys will move in the rain,” Phillips mentions. “Look for them in open areas like edges of fields and pastures. Old gobblers will visit a food plot on a rainy day searching for a hen.” Phillips said during heavy rains or storms, the turkeys may remain on roost well after daylight.

Cold-Calling Is Often a Good Approach.

Or, I'll simply find a spot where turkeys can hear me for long distances. Either way, I get comfortable, take out several calls, listen for a few minutes and then begin calling. I'll start with soft, subtle stuff and then wait a few minutes before calling again.

On an aerial map, look for large canopy areas, especially when adjacent to some kind of opening or field – this offers the turkeys a clear flight path in and out of the tree. If there are plenty of large trees nearby other woodland cover and openings, it would be safe to assume there are some turkeys in this area.

Gobblers have tracks that are approximately 4 1/2-inches long from the base of the heel to the tip of the center toe, while hen tracks are an inch shorter. Poults leave smaller tracks than hens.

Will A spooked turkey come back the next day? ›

How fast a gobbler returns will vary, but he'll take chances then that he won't take if this isn't breeding season. Don't be surprised if you hear a gobble soon after calling.

If you shoot and miss a turkey, and if that gobbler starts running or flying away, sit still until you know for certain he's all the way out of sight. Then, sit still for another 30 minutes or an hour to see if that turkey will start gobbling again. The turkey doesn't know what's happened when that gun has gone off.

Never wear red, white, blue or black clothing while turkey hunting. Red is the color most hunters look for when distinguishing a gobbler's head from a hen's blue-colored head, but at times it may appear white or blue. Male turkey feathers covering most of the body are black in appearance.

In addition to chufa and clover, specialists with Clemson Extension Forestry and Natural Resources recommend field corn, oats, ryegrass and sorghum. Turkeys will forage on field corn from fall into winter; be sure to plant at least an acre to allow enough corn for other wildlife foragers, such as deer.

The most effective firearm shot for a turkey is to the head and neck. The preferred shot angle for bowhunters is broadside, aiming for the heart or lungs.

Push button call

But don't call too often – less is more. Calling every 15 minutes or so and starting off quieter and then getting more aggressive/louder as the day goes on are good rules of thumb.

In sand or mud, the wing tips leave narrow, parallel lines. Other signs to look for are droppings, tracks, scratching and dust bowls. An abundance of signs indicates that wild turkeys frequent the area. Droppings not only alert hunters to the presence of wild turkeys but also indicate the gender of the bird.