BEST PUBLIC TURKEY LANDS?

The southwest corner of the state has long been regarded as one of the best areas for turkeys, although hunters without either a lease or friends with land may find it hard to get permission to hunt there. The habitat, a robust mixture of hardwoods, open pastures and agricultural plots, gives turkeys a lot of choices as to where they stay and what they eat. And public hunting is an option there.

Adams, Wilkinson, Franklin and Amite counties all harbor huntable concentrations of birds. Homochitto NF has several promising areas in these counties in which turkeys are commonly seen and taken.

Also worth investigation in the region is the land between the levee and the Mississippi River — prime habitat that’s home to large old birds. If you can get permission to hunt the land in the large plantations, the rewards can be considerable.

Northwest Delta counties may represent a sleeper area with better-than-average birds this year, reports the MDWFP’s Austin. Despite the statewide downtrend in numbers, hunters and farmers up and down the river have reported a pretty good hatch in each of the last two years. After several slow years of turkey hunting, this may be the year to head to Tunica, Coahoma and Bolivar counties.

Unfortunately, this is another area whose public land options are almost nonexistent. Again, the area that is between the levee and the Mississippi is the place to start looking for birds. A reasonable second choice: open woodlands close to corn or soybean fields or near feeder cattle operations.

The south-central part of the state is another area that should produce some big gobblers this year. Drew Turner, co-owner of Turner Brothers Taxidermy, says that many of the birds brought in for him to mount come from the area around Camp Shelby and the Leaf River. For a change, public-land hunting is actually available here.

De Soto National Forest has huntable areas south of state Route 42 in the Chickasawhay WMA and off Highway 29 in Perry County and the Leaf River WMA.

The sections of De Soto NF in Wayne and Jones counties also have areas hosting nice birds. Check with the district MDWFP or national forest offices to get information about the easiest access points.

“The secret to getting older birds in the national forest is to go into the woods at 9 a.m. or 10 instead of starting at daybreak,” Turner offered. “This gives the idiots who come in whistling and riding four-wheelers at dawn a chance to clear out.”

The most promising places in which to find turkeys in the middle of the day, especially when it’s warm, are in the creek bottoms, as these cool areas provide shade. The best ones afford the birds access to open areas appropriate for an afternoon strut and gobble.

“Walk the logging roads and call,” Turner said. “When a turkey answers always be ready to set up quickly. Often these birds are afraid of getting beat up by the boss, so they come in running.”

Many of these afternoon birds are big gobblers that have always been subordinate to the boss tom. While the bronze baron is resting, these other toms try to make a sneak on any hens that may have wandered into the territory looking for love.

Northeast Mississippi was the last area of the state into which turkeys were restocked. For that reason, the flock is a bit behind the rest of the state. Holly Springs NF has a growing turkey population, and some hunters haven gotten creditable birds in the area around Gravestown or hunting out of Hurricane. State Routes 4, 5 and 349 are all likely roads to use when scouting for turkeys. Pay special attention to pastures that border on the national forest property.

Consider using an off-road bicycle to scout logging roads and trails in areas where a motor vehicle would spook wary birds. Remember to ride carefully, to stay alert and to be quiet, since dominant gobblers like to use these paths for strutting when fields and food plots are not available.

It’s possible to ride these bicycles with a backpack and a gun strapped on your back. If you use a bike, remember to respect the hunting space of those who got in before you did.

This year may sound like a mixed opportunity for turkey hunters, but if it were easy chasing gobblers would not be nearly as much fun. Use your imagination and try new ways of getting to the birds and attracting their attention. A group hunt involving bicycles or canoes may seem like a strange way to go after turkeys, but if it’s legal in your chosen hunting spot, and it’ll get you away from the crowds, it’s well worth trying.