Not looking for locations, but has anyone taken a turkey on the LBJ Grasslands in Decatur? Thinking about trying this year out there but if there arejn't any turkeys, then I'm not gonna waste my time scouting.

3 or 4 years ago I saw several large groups in unit 3 on multiple occasions. I hear they get real smart in the spring time when everyone starts calling though.

About 12 years ago.... not recently. Too many idiots educate them too quickly.

I killed a couple longbeards there three years ago. Didn't hear or see a single turkey the past two. Only birds I see are on private property around the Grasslands. Your best shot is to call one off the private property, but it won't be easy to say the least. I'm not going back anytime soon.I have a good place to hunt in south Tex. and here in Louisiana on my property. If you need some help on areas to hunt, I can give you info on places I have seen or killed birds on in the past. Just send me a pm if you want. Just a little advice, do a lot of pre season scouting and at least try and locate a bird or two and if possible hunt on weekdays. You will have plenty of company on the first couple of weekends, especially if a bird is gobbling. Good luck and be careful. There are a lot of idiots hunting on public lands.

Years ago me and my buddy went there for our first time looking for turkeys and hit several spots without a sniff...
Then as we were leaving we see a flock of about 20 to 30 birds in a pasture. We pull out our trusty Grasslands map and look up our location.. sure enough those birds were on private property.

Well we went back down the road to the house close to that pasture and asked for permission, which the owner gave, adding that we not shoot his horses. So we went back and waited and got two TOMS !!!
Went and offered the owner one but he declined. was a nice day of huntin.

OK that's weird someone deleted my post? anyway the previous post pretty much sums it up, find private land to hunt! with the change in the rules on rifle hunting on the grasslands the predator population has sky rocketed thus the turkey population has dropped by 80%.....

Hard work there but possible. I was out there two weekends ago and I busted up a flock of about 25. Sat and listened to the call back together. It was fun. Hunting there is not like hunting a lease. The birds do get educated. Just my opinion

It's all what you make of it.

You are exactly right! For me I like spending the time out there and the extreme challenge of public land hunting

ditto - have been scouting there three times in last 2 weeks - NOTHING SEEN

predator tracks abundant, hikers everywhere, ... the place is getting way overcrowded.

also, overgrazing on some of the plats - not enough food or water for game and much of the open fields are cow crapped everywhere

All in all, the place is starting to look run down and poorly managed.

I will not waste my gas going up there again.

PS - camped there over MLK weekend - walked 7 different areas - saw only 1 sandhill crane entire time we were there, nothing else seen

Hunted many mornings out there last year and only saw 2 birds on private land. Tough hunting to say the least!

I've hunted the grasslands for the past 5 or so years. I have yet to kill a turkey out there. My buddy got one last year in a spot we have hunted the past 3 years together. I have access to some private land as well out there and on occasion they have birds. But since all the oil/gas boom most of the roosts I knew of got busted and birds patterns changed dramatically.

There are birds, you will work for them and spend the night in your spot if you want a good shot at them. GOOD LUCK!

-Matt