We have 1200 acres near Coleman, with a nice creek bottom running through it from the north to the south. Most of our good bedding areas are along this bottom.

We also have about 200 or more turkeys that like to call this bottom home. They roost in the hardwoods and then fly down and clean out our feeders.

We're pretty sure the deer don't like the commotion that the turkeys cause, and the turkeys are very good at eating all the corn before the deer get there. The turkeys will even chase the deer out of the pens.

What can we do about this? We can't possibly kill enough to thin the population enough.

Invite some buddies to fill fall turkey tags? Pressure them and they'll be less likely to pound the feeders.

I have always heard shoot into them while they are roosting and they will leave. I guess the question would be do you want them all gone?

I don't enjoy killing them or eating them, so I couldn't care less if they all left.

I think dad likes to kill them with his bow, just to prove that he can.

Invite a charity youth hunting program out and let some kiddos kill a bunch of turkeys! They would be very grateful, the turkeys would get thinned out and the land use/hunt could be tax deductable! Everyone wins!

Thanksgiving?

charge for a turkey hunt....I'll be first in line

Would people really pay to kill a turkey or two?

like i said...first in line!

Count me in.

The turkey and deer at my place are friends

do you hunt by hoardes creek?

You could place a Tannerite exploding target under their roosting trees before they roost. Then the next morning shoot it, creating such a commotion that they abandon the roost and go elsewhere.

However, if I'm not mistaken, it may be illegal to harrass turkeys on their roost and illegal to shoot them on the roost.

I've always heard if you ambush them on or at the roost that they'll go elsewhere.

I might depending on the price. Bill when I was a kid my Dad had a Turkey lease near Gouldbusk out that way. They birds would roost on the creek until the neighbors got in the habit of coming across and shooting them off the roost at night. After that the turkeys would move down the creek.

So you might try slipping down there at night and popping off a few rounds to spook them.

JT

Edit: If you do that call your game warden just to let him know so he don't end up driving 50 miles or so to investigate a "Night Hunter" call.

Uh... u could have me and taylor come up there in the spring to fill our turkey tags... I'll call em in for u too.

Harass them while on roost, they will leave.

You could always be the first to have a day lease for turkey only.

Second in line...

A couple of things that have worked for us is to set your feeders earlier and later. In the morning, set your feeder to go off at least 20 minutes before first light. Of course you will have to be there well ahead of that, but it allows the deer to feed on the corn in the dark (the turkey won't come off the roost if it is well before light)- as it is getting light, the deer will usually still be hanging around the area (even if they finish the corn). Just keep adjusting the feed time and your arrival time earlier, until it works out for you. Our turkey will usually go to roost about 30 minutes before the end of legal light in the afternoon. We have had some success adjusting the feed time later and later until the turkey don't hang around for the corn before going to roost. Although it would be nice to have the feeder go off (for the deer) an hour or two before dark, what is the point if the turkey are going to get it all? We have found that even though the feeder may not go off until 15-30 minutes before dark, the deer will usually come around the area much sooner- giving you more time to hunt.
Another suggestion is to utilize free choice feeders. Rather than dispersing the corn on the ground for the turkey to eat, have the free choice feeder at least 40" off the ground where the deer can reach it but the turkey can't. Good luck!

I would love to help you out with that problem! Def would pay for a turkey hunt.

Third and fourth in line. Without a place to hunt at all I would
be glad to come down and shoot one.

It's definitely illegal to shoot them on the roost, but I'm not sure about harassing them.

Wrist rocket works if your bow hunting. Remote control to spin out some corn after they leave. We have the same problem. Require all guest hunters fill all turkey tags before they can shoot a deer.

Jeff Graham's youth hunt idea sounds great. How about a Wounded Warrior hunt? Your problem could be a blessing to someone else.