Turkey Hunting in Florida

[Gadget]

What I saw a lot the rifle hunters would sit in chairs out on the grass prairies with a blind staked out around them. Most often they would never leave the blind to chase gobbling Turkey, would just sit in the blinds and try n wait them out. This was an advantage for me as I was always shotgun hunting and chasing birds. I killed several amongst the rifle guys.

Some the South Florida guys I know who started hunting them in the 70s were taught to roost Turkey in the evening then sneak in the next morning to shoot them off the roost with rifles. That was the traditional way to kill Turkey down there; They never heard of calling turkeys till years later.

 

[Swamprat]

They never heard of calling turkeys till years later.

Tom Gaskins might have influenced a lot of that as far as calling for a turkey.

 

[billy336]

Tom Gaskins might have influenced a lot of that as far as calling for a turkey.

Met him back in the early 90s, we were hunting on a private lease run by David Austin. Met Lovett Williams over there as well. Close to Palmdale.I Have a couple of calls that he made.

@Gadget
Yep, had some Folks tell us to roost em then sneak in with their 22 hornet. Never appealed to me

 

[saltysenior]

Met him back in the early 90s, we were hunting on a private lease run by David Austin. Met Lovett Williams over there as well. Close to Palmdale.I Have a couple of calls that he made.

@Gadget
Yep, had some Folks tell us to roost em then sneak in with their 22 hornet. Never appealed to me

Tom sr. and many other old timers agreed that shooting off the roost was the hardest way.....of course Tom was selling calls...One ranch by Immokalee would not allow spring gobbler hunting years ago...only fall turkey hunting...owner believed it was too ease in the spring..

Fisheating Creek Hunt Camp??

 

[FLGobstopper]

Turkeys population is not what it used to be on public land, but the birds are still there. Main problem is access, quotas, and the amount of out of state turkey hunters.

Even here in Tallahassee I’ve seen a bunch of turkey hunters from out of state just trying to kill a “Florida Turkey”.

The lack on non-quota WMAs within the state really makes it difficult to hunt public land. Definitely had more opportunities back in the late 80’s and 90’s.

I liked this but I really do NOT like this because you're absolutely correct. I was scouting on Friday morning the day before the opener for central zone at a WMA I've been hunting for the past 20 years or so. It is a quota area and I used to be able to get a tag every year even without preference. Now I'm lucky to get one every other to every 3rd year. This year I do have a quota but mine isn't for the first hunt but the following week.

Long story short I ran into 2 guys who were hunting 1 day early trying to beat the crowds and or quota system all together. When asked what the great balls of fire they were doing the reply was "scouting". I gave them a 5 second warning and head start as I was calling the FWC and reporting them.

Hopefully it makes a difference. This place has been getting hammered the past several years and every time I go there it really breaks my heart and it's really a wonder there are any game animals, especially turkeys left there at all.

 

[Swamprat]

Good luck, Gadget. That public ground you are hunting in/around is loaded with birds. Appalachicola NF, the surrounding WMAs and that entire Suwannee river area. One of the few areas in Florida that are thriving. It was a heck of a hatch last year. Try to lay off shooting the jakes.

Thanks for burning this area up, every internet scouter will now key in on these spots.

 

[kmckinnie]

I liked this but I really do NOT like this because you're absolutely correct. I was scouting on Friday morning the day before the opener for central zone at a WMA I've been hunting for the past 20 years or so. It is a quota area and I used to be able to get a tag every year even without preference. Now I'm lucky to get one every other to every 3rd year. This year I do have a quota but mine isn't for the first hunt but the following week.

Long story short I ran into 2 guys who were hunting 1 day early trying to beat the crowds and or quota system all together. When asked what the **** they were doing the reply was "scouting". I gave them a 5 second warning and head start as I was calling the FWC and reporting them.

Hopefully it makes a difference. This place has been getting hammered the past several years and every time I go there it really breaks my heart and it's really a wonder there are any game animals, especially turkeys left there at all.

They had shotguns ?

 

[Gadget]

Welp I can only remember this happening one time in the last 25yrs and it was with a winchester shell. This was one my handloads. Full strut drumming at 15yds and “click”. I’m still sitting here in the same spot….lol
Oh well it was a dang good show

 

[Gut_Pile]

Ouch

 

[Gadget]

Some friends showed up

 

[FLGobstopper]

They had shotguns ?

Yep! Turkey calls, full camo with vests on sitting in front of a tree with gun pointed in my direction as I same slipping quietly down the edge of a road looking for sign of a gobbler I had heard about an hour or so earlier that morning. Other guy was off into the woods about 100yds or so continuing to call while I gave his buddy an earful. As the one got up to leave a turkey busted off the side of the road that must of been sneaking in to the other guys calling.

I'd seen turkeys use this little road in the past and was really just curious about the number of turkeys and if there was more than one gobbler and how many hens with him. I got surprised for sure and wasn't expecting those dudes.

 

[turkeyhuntinfool]

Primer strike doesn’t seem to be a deep enough indenture . Weak firing pin spring ?

 

[kmckinnie]

Welp I can only remember this happening one time in the last 25yrs and it was with a winchester shell. This was one my handloads. Full strut drumming at 15yds and “click”. I’m still sitting here in the same spot….lol
Oh well it was a dang good show

Turn the shell to where u can look across the end where the primer is. See if it looks like this (. I’ve had a shell or 2 get convex and the firing pin had a time reaching the primer to strike hard enough.
Just another idea.

 

[flatsmaster]

Welp I can only remember this happening one time in the last 25yrs and it was with a winchester shell. This was one my handloads. Full strut drumming at 15yds and “click”. I’m still sitting here in the same spot….lol
Oh well it was a dang good show

That stinks but you still get to play the game
Good luck

 

[grouper throat]

I hunt SE of Tallahassee on private properties and a deer dog hunting lease (93k acres). Population is fine here and even the local WMAs are good hunting.

 

[Gadget]

looked at the shells closely to compare, looks like the primer pushed down into the primer pocket further than the others. Also I fired a different load to test the gun and it fired fine. I have two Savage 220s with me, ones a 12ga, this one I was hunting with was my 20. I can either swap barrels, they’re interchangeable, or just hunt with the 12 instead. But it looks to be shell problem and not the gun.

 

[Gadget]

I hunt SE of Tallahassee on private properties and a deer dog hunting lease (93k acres). Population is fine here and even the local WMAs are good hunting.

93,000 acre lease? Dang didn’t think there was any leases left that big.

This place I’m hunting now I’ve been coming here over 15yrs and I can tell you the population is down at least 50%, probably more. The other public lands around here are all down too. Then in South Florida on the public down there it’s down at least 50% in the last 10yrs too.

 

[turkeykirk]

93,000 acre lease? Dang didn’t think there was any leases left that big.

This place I’m hunting now I’ve been coming here over 15yrs and I can tell you the population is down at least 50%, probably more. The other public lands around here are all down too. Then in South Florida on the public down there it’s down at least 50% in the last 10yrs too.

Wonder if South Florida’s python population hurts the turkeys. From what I’ve seen on the news they are killing a lot of native animals.

 

[cracker4112]

Interesting Gadget. I wonder why. The two private properties I hunt in manatee and glades counties have populations as high as we’ve ever seen.

 

[kmckinnie]

I hunt SE of Tallahassee on private properties and a deer dog hunting lease (93k acres). Population is fine here and even the local WMAs are good hunting.

I hunted it in my youth. Lots of game in them woods. I just imagine all the old hunters I hunted with are long gone.