Turkey Road Trip

Joined
Nov 30, 2020
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343
Thinking about headed to either Nebraska, Kansas, or South Dakota for some turkey hunting this spring. Is there one state better than the other when it comes to nonresident turkey hunting experience? Crossing a Rio or Merriam off the list would be nice. Thanks!
 
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RSather528
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Nov 30, 2020
Messages
343
Nebraska was closed to non residents last year, bird numbers should be great!
That’d be one positive outcome of it all! You think there will be an influx of people going there due to the same thought? In MN I had never seen so many turkey hunters out which could have been a combo of reg changes and COVID.
 

dtrkyman

WKR
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Oct 2, 2014
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2,932
Hopefully covid restrictions are lightened up by then and the turkey woods will not be so over loaded, though I hunted some public in multiple states and had no issues.

Ran into a couple guys but nothing major and had several of my best hunts on public in 3 states!

I have always been fortunate to hunt private in Nebraska but have heard it can get pretty busy, but I always hear that and manage to avoid others for the most part, typically hunting during the week goes a long way!
 
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RSather528
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Nov 30, 2020
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343
Hopefully covid restrictions are lightened up by then and the turkey woods will not be so over loaded, though I hunted some public in multiple states and had no issues.

Ran into a couple guys but nothing major and had several of my best hunts on public in 3 states!

I have always been fortunate to hunt private in Nebraska but have heard it can get pretty busy, but I always hear that and manage to avoid others for the most part, typically hunting during the week goes a long way!
100% agree on hunting during the weekdays. Just got back from SD pheasant hunting and had no other hunters around until Saturday morning.
 
Joined
Oct 10, 2018
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331
Check out OK also for plentiful Rio's. I used to go there a lot until they changed the evening hour cutoff to 7pm or whatever it is... Check regs. Good public land access info on their website: maps, camping, etc.
 
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RSather528
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Nov 30, 2020
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343
Check out OK also for plentiful Rio's. I used to go there a lot until they changed the evening hour cutoff to 7pm or whatever it is... Check regs. Good public land access info on their website: maps, camping, etc.
Oh nice I will check that out! In your experience was it a hardwoods type of hunt or set up on a field edge?
 
Joined
Oct 10, 2018
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They roost along river bottoms and disperse among the fields throughout the day. Not a lot of dense woods where I hunted. Some years it was easy, some years it was a bit harder. Fun except for the threat of tornados! Get good weather radio or whatever device for reliable updates.
 

Biggie

FNG
Joined
Dec 17, 2020
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90
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Kansas
Great hunts to be had in all of those states if you do your homework. I hunt them each year on public and have always filled my tags. That being said I have watched bird numbers steadily decline over the last 3 years in KS and NE. As well as an increase in pressure in NE.
 
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RSather528
Joined
Nov 30, 2020
Messages
343
They roost along river bottoms and disperse among the fields throughout the day. Not a lot of dense woods where I hunted. Some years it was easy, some years it was a bit harder. Fun except for the threat of tornados! Get good weather radio or whatever device for reliable
They roost along river bottoms and disperse among the fields throughout the day. Not a lot of dense woods where I hunted. Some years it was easy, some years it was a bit harder. Fun except for the threat of tornados! Get good weather radio or whatever device for reliable updates.
Very good point. Up here tornadoes are pretty rare.
 
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RSather528
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Nov 30, 2020
Messages
343
Great hunts to be had in all of those states if you do your homework. I hunt them each year on public and have always filled my tags. That being said I have watched bird numbers steadily decline over the last 3 years in KS and NE. As well as an increase in pressure in NE.
Thanks for the heads up about the numbers you have seen and the pressure. Staying in town most of the time or camping? It’d be fun just to get out of my home state and chase some birds.
 
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