I have some property in Bowie county that is not what I would call Premiere turkey habitat but it is fair. I would like to plant some trees, clover, or other plots that would enhance the turkey habitat. There are turkeys in the area and I know that they have at least gone through my place in the spring of last year. I have owned the place since late April and have not been out there at daylight in the spring. do you all know of any agency or person that would look at the property and make recommendations?

Turkey federation or/and your local TPWD biologist is were I would start.

What is your water situation like and what kind of trees are in the area? Water and a good roost location will be key. Along with native pasture type habitat for nesting.

Water and feed will help keep them moving through. They really seem to appreciate having a lot of natural cover / habitat on my place. I have some likely roost areas and I try to leave that area alone and not push them off the roost. I do mix some milo in with corn in spin feeders for turkey and quail.

Thank you guys for your responses. I have plenty of water, my place has red river frontage and has a drainage canal running through it. It is planted in hardwoods that are about 6 years old but it has several fingers and things with some mature timber. Im surrounded by corn fields and pine plantations.

Water usually isn't a big issue in east Texas, but the most important thing regarding eastern turkeys is habitat. Easterns are more of a forest dwelling bird that likes a good mix of more open mature woods and open areas such as fields/meadows. Are the mature hardwoods along the fingers/canals oaks? Good mast producing hardwoods is a good fall food source and also can provide good roost trees as easterns often roost along canals/creek beds. How old are the pine plantations? Turkeys need cover but will often avoid areas that are too thick as they can easily fall prey to predators, which is why burning and thinning is important.

Depending on the number of openings on your place you can perhaps plant a spring/summer chuffa plot, or maybe a fall plot of clover/winter wheat that they can feed on once the acorns are all gone. Either way you want to use more than a feeder to attract turkeys in east Texas because depending on the time of year and what's available the visits to a feeder may not be as consistent because of the diversity in east Texas. Plus in counties that have an eastern season you can't hunt over a feeder anyway if that's the only place you'll be able to draw them to.

On our small place I've started a long term plan because of recent turkey releases in our county. We have some spotty areas with both mature and young forest, but I've started letting some other areas surrounding those forest areas and field edges regenerate. I've also started planting various food sources like black cherry trees which is a favorite summer time food, and allegheny chinquapins which are a smaller shrub version of the American chestnut native to east Texas. I've planted American hazelnuts and various oaks all of which are an important food source to wild turkeys. When I start getting turkeys on trail cam or I start seeing more of them in the area, I'll start planting chuffa plots in some of the openings that we have.

Another good idea that I learned from another land manager is be to plant some good wildflower mixes if you don't already have a lot of them growing on your place. Good brood habitat is very important for turkeys and insect attracting flowers is good for growing poults. Also, start predator hunting and trapping which will work out in the favor of turkeys anywhere. Anyway, that's enough of my spill, but hopefully you can find something useful to help you out..

Thanks tjack, I'm going to work on getting some of the trees that you mentioned.

Here is a video with lots of info on managing your place for turkey...

Eastern Turkey Habitat Management video

Thanks for the link, good video.