Turkeys in pine straw

[turkeykirk]

I went through southeast GA the other day and noticed a lot of areas where pine straw was being bailed. Do any of you fellas down there ever hunt in those pines. Looked real open but didn't see much green follage on the ground. Just curious if the turkeys used these areas much.

 

[sman]

Yes they do. I have no idea what they are eating but they will bounce around in and out all day.

 

[TurkeyDreamer]

I see them mostly in the pines when it is hot and I believe they like the shade. As long as folks aren't actively baling its a great place to hunt.

 

[chefrific]

Saw a strutter and lone hen walking around next to a parked skidder in a loading area where they were cutting timber outside of Soperton last spring.
Not sure a few fellows from south of the border picking straw would run them too far for long, if log trucks and skidders did not.

 

[T-N-T]

Turkey love these planted pines.
They can see a good distance usually.
But the fact is, there is SO much of these planted pines I dont know if the turkeys are liking the area, or simply that they a destined to walk through them as there is so many acres of trees?

On a side note, I see them roost in the big planted fields a lot...

 

[Wayne D Davis]

I seen where they roost in pine thickets many times....have found scratching in the straw also....they gotta be eating bugs.

 

[Mudfeather]

Especially if the land is bedded and wet...it will concentrate the bugs up on the humps....

 

[Nicodemus]

Every one I ever killed in planted pines had their craws packed slam full of Daddy Longlegs. For some reason, Daddy Longlegs favor those places and turkeys know it.

 

[Gaswamp]

nice avatar Nic

 

[Timberchicken]

They like to bug around in the piles of sticks that the guys pile up around the trees. The ground is normally moist under these piles and are home to bettles, grubs, spiders, crickets etc. When the turkeys move in they will usually scratch the piles apart and you can see the signs.

 

[Pneumothorax]

They like to bug around in the piles of sticks that the guys pile up around the trees. The ground is normally moist under these piles and are home to bettles, grubs, spiders, crickets etc. When the turkeys move in they will usually scratch the piles apart and you can see the signs.

That's the first I've heard that. Makes sense. Might have to try it just to see what happens...

 

[sman]

That's the first I've heard that. Makes sense. Might have to try it just to see what happens...

He has close to 300 acres that I have personally seen people raking pine straw on one side and turkeys strutting on the other. As many as are there, there has to be something attracting them. Gets raked regularly. Little bit of grass here and there.

I hunt a place with pines in between a swamp and a field. 9 out of 10 times they are either in the field or swamp. During the winter they stay in the pines.

 

[BeardsandSpurs]

That's all we ever hunt in is planted pines in Statesboro, GA. They are bailing the straw right now and in the next week or two...when they get done, we will burn off the woods. Then, all the turkeys will come flocking in there to get the burnt insects and such. They love it! I also planted some sorghum in an open spot in the pines that they have demolished.