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Turkey Trouble

D

DLB

New Member
I planted about three acres of corn for a food plot. The turkeys have destroyed almost the whole plot. Any suggestions on how to keep them from doing this again if I replant?
 
We had the same problem last year but with coon. They were going down the rows and digging out the kernels and eating them. My Dad didn't want to use any poisons due to cattle in the area and didn't want to hurt any of the other wildlife so this year we decided to get old seed corn from last year and the year before and sprinkle it around the outsides of our small corn plots. The coon are eating the old seed corn and haven't dug one hole to get at the new field corn. The field corn is up now and hopefully the next week or so the kernel rots so they'll leave it alone.
We cleared spots out in the timber for these smaller corn plots they work great. They don't really touch our big corn plots out in the open.
I'm not sure about turkeys though get a couple coyote decoys?
 
What about something like a snow goose windsock decoy or a few of them....they will flutter and move around constantly in the wind....or something of that nature to make them nervous from going out there....
 
Thanks for the replies. This plot is about 180 miles from home. Here is what I am trying. I put in eight posts and tied plastic grocery bags on with about six inches of free string so they could move in the wind. That is all I had or could think of at the time. I like your advice. Maybe I should just get a couple bushels of corn and feed them but that might attract more. Experience is a good teacher.
 
Thats what we thought to, that we would draw more I guess its a gamble for us. I even put a camera up just to see how many there are. So far theres around 6. My brother is big into trapping and even takes off a week just to trap in Nov. We don't even have to buy any of the old seed corn most farmers have a bag of old stuff laying around that they want to get rid of.
Good Luck
 
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Try putting a few of these signs around the plot :grin:


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Seriously though, I would imagine that you only need to keep them out a few weeks before the plants are no longer attractive to the turkeys and you will be in the clear. I like the coyote decoy idea.
 
We had the same problem with a bean plot. Last day of the season when we cleaned a tom he had about 200 green treated beans in him. Price you pay I guess until they grow up more, at least you know there are turkeys on your ground:eek:
 
My buddy just put up an electric fence with a solar powered charger around his plots. I would think that would keep them out. Unless they were smart enough to fly in it but I kind of doubt it.
 
Don't have any coyote decoys. Maybe I'll cut out some coyote sillouetts out of cardboard. Can't hurt. Good suggestions. I agree that the corn would be safe after a couple weeks.
 
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