Here are 7 states that offer the best turkey hunting opportunities for experienced hunters.
- Ohio. 2021 Harvest Data – 14,546 Turkeys.
- Pennsylvania. 2021 Harvest Data – 28,087 Turkeys.
- Virginia. 2021 Harvest Data – 20,541 Turkeys.
- Missouri. 2021 Harvest Data – 34,595 Turkeys.
- Kentucky.
- Arkansas.
- Tennessee.
What state is the hardest to turkey hunt?
Tyler Jordan | Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi
“Toughest three turkey hunting places to turkey hunt and why? Not hard to answer for me!” says Realtree’s Tyler Jordan. “Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. Easterns can be so tricky to hunt at times in general.
What state can you harvest the most turkeys?
Tennessee
Tennessee is at the top of many turkey hunters’ lists, mostly because it’s a beautiful state with liberal limits, lots of public land, and accessible to most anyone in the eastern half of the US. Hunters get up to three turkey tags per season and there’s about a quarter of a million Easterns to chase.
What state has the most turkeys?
Minnesota
Number of turkeys raised in the United States in 2018, by leading state (in 1,000 heads)*
| Characteristic | Number in thousand heads |
|---|---|
| Minnesota | 42,000 |
| North Carolina | 32,500 |
| Arkansas | 31,500 |
| Indiana | 20,000 |
Who is the best turkey hunter in the world?
Jeff Budz has taken 91 turkey grand slams—more than any hunter ever.
What is the only state that doesn’t have wild turkeys?
Thanks to this conservation, every state except Alaska has a spring hunting season for turkey. And that’s simply because the turkey range doesn’t extend into Alaska. After deer, turkey is the most common animal hunters choose to hunt. There are a few key things to know before heading out for your spring turkey season.
What is the hardest turkey to hunt?
1. Easterns: Hunter pressure in tight habitats make this subspecies the most difficult in the country. More turkey hunters roam Eastern states than any of the others. An Alabama Eastern three-year-old longbeard might be the most difficult turkey of all.
What states allow rifles for turkey hunting?
Some other states allow rifle hunting turkeys in the spring and fall, and some allow air rifles during some of their seasons (CA, GA). States that allow turkeys for rifle harvest include Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
Can you shoot turkey with a 22?
22 is illegal. There are only a few states where hunting turkeys with a rifle is allowed, and even then it is often only during the fall season. Aside from it being illegal in many areas, there are other reasons why it isn’t the best idea to hunt turkey with the rifle from your boyhood.
What state has the best hunting?
1. Alaska. If you’re already a hunter, this choice needs no explanation. It’s the Jurassic Park of big game hunting.
Where is the biggest turkey farm in the United States?
In 1939, turkey farmers formed the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association. Since then, Minnesota has consistently ranked No. 1 in U.S. turkey production. Every year, Minnesota turkey farmers raise between 40 million and 42 million birds.
What state raises the most Thanksgiving turkeys?
Minnesota
In 2021, U.S. total turkey production was tallied at 216.5 million birds raised, equaling to 5.558 billion pounds. According to USDA, the top turkey producing states are Minnesota, North Carolina, Arkansas, Indiana, Missouri, Virginia, Iowa and California.
Do turkeys prefer woods or fields?
Cover – Although turkeys use forests for cover and roosting in the tall hardwood trees at night, they also like open and brushy areas for feeding, mating, nesting and rearing their young. Turkeys actually depend on a mix of open fields, pasture and forested for their survival.
Is turkey hunting easy?
Turkeys are supposed to be tough. That’s why it’s the best hunting tradition for some of us – the difficulty adds to the pleasure. It’s all good – the scouting, locating, sitting on birds, calling to them and sometimes even tagging one.
Do turkeys like thick woods?
This gobbler is avoiding thick dense young tree growth to stay in a more open woods with older trees. Turkeys have keen vision, both long-range and peripheral. They use it daily to detect danger from predators. If tree growth is too thick, they feel insecure and won’t use the area.
What makes a good turkey hunter?
Successful turkey hunters are typically excellent woodsmen. They know the lay of the land in their hunting areas, and they’re skilled at using terrain and foliage to move silently and unseen. They’re sharp of eye and are always listening for any clues turkeys might provide.
What states have Merriam turkeys?
The Merriam’s Wild Turkey
They are: New Mexico, Arizona, California, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Texas and Nevada; British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.
Where is the best turkey hunting in Alabama?
Dream Lake is managed for some of the best Turkey Hunting in Alabama. You will have over 5,000 acres of prime turkey habitat to pursue your trophy gobbler. If you are looking for guided hunts in Alabama, we have experienced callers and land guides to assist you with your trophy quest!
What state has the least amount of turkeys?
With five different species native to the U.S., turkeys are a popular game bird. Wild turkeys are omnivores that eat a variety of foods from grasses to nuts to small reptiles. Almost all the states have at least some turkey populations, with the only main exception being Alaska.
Can you eat a wild turkey?
Just about every part of a wild turkey is edible. While the legs and thighs of a wild turkey aren’t as tender as the breast meat, they are even more flavorful. Use them in soups, stews, slow-cooked turkey barbecue, and, my favorite, turkey and dumplings.
What state do turkeys not live in?
Through conservation and reintroduction efforts, however, they recovered and today, although not quite as many as the ten million estimated during the 1600s, they number about six million and are resident in every state except Alaska.