Utah Turkey?

[swoleymammoth]

Anyone in Utah getting ready for the spring general season turkey hunt? Any advice or suggestions on general areas where I might have success? I've only been once last year down in Scipio but didn't even hear a gobble. Hoping to check out American Fork canyon or Bountiful or possibly Scipio again. Any help for a rookie turkey hunter is appreciated and good luck to everyone on getting a bird!

 

[Dentrimental]

I've hunted east of bountiful a lot, the birds don't seem to respond very well to calling up there especially in the general season so it has mostly been spot and stalk for me. The limited entry permits are a better for calling and getting them to come in. Try doing things that will get them to shock gobble, coyote or crow call then once you locate them just sneak up on them. Last year I killed mine during a thunder storm and every time lightning would strike he would gobble and I was able to sneak up on him right at dusk. I have seen turkeys up American fork canyon just crossing the road but never hunted up there. Never hunted Scipio either but I have seen lots of turkeys while riding horses in different canyons on the sanpitch mountains east of Nephi/Levan.

 

[Dentrimental]

My dad killed this one east of Bountiful last year on the early limited entry.

 

[Dentrimental]

This was my general season bird last year, shot him up Diamond Fork canyon on the first day of the season.

 

[swoleymammoth]

I've hunted east of bountiful a lot, the birds don't seem to respond very well to calling up there especially in the general season so it has mostly been spot and stalk for me. The limited entry permits are a better for calling and getting them to come in. Try doing things that will get them to shock gobble, coyote or crow call then once you locate them just sneak up on them. Last year I killed mine during a thunder storm and every time lightning would strike he would gobble and I was able to sneak up on him right at dusk. I have seen turkeys up American fork canyon just crossing the road but never hunted up there. Never hunted Scipio either but I have seen lots of turkeys while riding horses in different canyons on the sanpitch mountains east of Nephi/Levan.

Thank you for the reply! I really appreciate it. Yeah I’m probably gonna check out bountiful area this week, just gonna drive up skyline drive if it’s not too bad. I have a crow call so I’ll try that out. Yeah I’ve heard there’s a lot of turkeys down in that area near Nephi I’ve never been though.

 

[swoleymammoth]

This was my general season bird last year, shot him up Diamond Fork canyon on the first day of the season.

Nice bird! Are you hunting general season again this year or did you get a limited entry tag?

 

[Dentrimental]

Nice bird! Are you hunting general season again this year or did you get a limited entry tag?

I'm just hunting the general season again this year, no luck on the draw.

 

[swoleymammoth]

I'm just hunting the general season again this year, no luck on the draw.

How many points does it normally take to draw a tag? Also, good luck on getting a bird!

 

[jeremy.b]

How many points does it normally take to draw a tag? Also, good luck on getting a bird!

I dug up the odds, and it depends on region. The norther region looks like it takes 3-4 points to consistently draw.

The central region is higher, looks to be 5-6 points.

I tagged out yesterday on the general season but followed some advice to hike for a ways and found some birds without any people. I have a thread up in the Live Hunts section for more details on how the hunt went down. And forgive me for not giving exact locations!

I've heard the Diamond creek has birds but is fairly popular (@Dentrimental obviously has been over there ), so not sure how much pressure is there. I also have heard there are birds outside of Ophir, but again, no idea on pressure and exact locations.

I also have found these UT birds don't respond well to calls. They do come in though, but they just don't make a big show of it.

 

[Dentrimental]

How many points does it normally take to draw a tag? Also, good luck on getting a bird!

My Dad drew for the northern region last year and I think he had 2 bonus points.

I hunted again up diamond fork Monday/ Tuesday and helsyeah is right, there are a lot of guys up there. I had put some trail cams a week ago a couple miles away from the road that everybody hunts up there and got some good pictures. After a couple close encounters Monday, made it happen first thing Tuesday morning right after he came off his roost at first light.

Good luck to you too!

 

[swoleymammoth]

I dug up the odds, and it depends on region. The norther region looks like it takes 3-4 points to consistently draw.

The central region is higher, looks to be 5-6 points.

I tagged out yesterday on the general season but followed some advice to hike for a ways and found some birds without any people. I have a thread up in the Live Hunts section for more details on how the hunt went down. And forgive me for not giving exact locations!

I've heard the Diamond creek has birds but is fairly popular (@Dentrimental obviously has been over there ), so not sure how much pressure is there. I also have heard there are birds outside of Ophir, but again, no idea on pressure and exact locations.

I also have found these UT birds don't respond well to calls. They do come in though, but they just don't make a big show of it.

I'll definitely have to start putting in for points. I'll have to check out your thread! I wouldn't ask anyone for exact locations, that would just be rude lol and that's good to know! Thank you for the advice. Watching all these hunting shows of places down south or back east it's crazy when a big gobbler just runs in full speed!

 

[swoleymammoth]

My Dad drew for the northern region last year and I think he had 2 bonus points.

I hunted again up diamond fork Monday/ Tuesday and helsyeah is right, there are a lot of guys up there. I had put some trail cams a week ago a couple miles away from the road that everybody hunts up there and got some good pictures. After a couple close encounters Monday, made it happen first thing Tuesday morning right after he came off his roost at first light.

Good luck to you too!

Congratulations! That's a nice looking bird! I'm hoping to go out today after work and again tomorrow.

 

[drum_smith]

This was my general season bird last year, shot him up Diamond Fork canyon on the first day of the season.

See many birds up there? I've hiked to the hot springs back there before but never thought of it as a turkey spot.

 

[drum_smith]

A friend and I have been trying down in the La Sal's, but the bear dogs have got those birds pretty on edge. Another buddy who drew the limited tag down there managed to seal the deal after a few days, but we've been stonewalled.

 

[AlaskaHunter]

I lived in Logan for 7 years in the 1980s...nice to see wild turkeys have expanded so much!
(Alaska is the only state that does not have wild turkeys)