# Unit ZC - Public Land



## fullstrut22 (Apr 20, 2020)

I scouted various public land parcels in the northwest corner of Oakland county and had limited sightings of turkeys. The scouting I did spanned a couple of weeks before the April 18th opener. During that span, only one parcel had turkey tracks which is the parcel I saw a very low number of turkeys. I went to more than a handful of other state land parcels in that general area and didn’t see any sign of turkeys. Heard some clucking and purring at one spot, but that was it. I’m having a hard time believing the turkey population is thriving on state land. Hunting on state land is tough enough with pressure from other hunters, others walking through for a casual stroll or searching for morels. Even driving around to get from the different public land parcels you would think you’d see turkeys out and about in agriculture fields, but didn’t see anything. Any thoughts on hunting turkeys on public land in Oakland county? Not looking for anyone to give me recon or intel, but do you think the turkey population numbers are low on state land in Oakland county? Or any tips for hunting public land?


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## d_rek (Nov 6, 2013)

fullstrut22 said:


> I scouted various public land parcels in the northwest corner of Oakland county and had limited sightings of turkeys. The scouting I did spanned a couple of weeks before the April 18th opener. During that span, only one parcel had turkey tracks which is the parcel I saw a very low number of turkeys. I went to more than a handful of other state land parcels in that general area and didn’t see any sign of turkeys. Heard some clucking and purring at one spot, but that was it. I’m having a hard time believing the turkey population is thriving on state land. Hunting on state land is tough enough with pressure from other hunters, others walking through for a casual stroll or searching for morels. Even driving around to get from the different public land parcels you would think you’d see turkeys out and about in agriculture fields, but didn’t see anything. Any thoughts on hunting turkeys on public land in Oakland county? Not looking for anyone to give me recon or intel, but do you think the turkey population numbers are low on state land in Oakland county? Or any tips for hunting public land?


The state land by me has been hammered with people just looking to get outside and do any sort of recreation at all. Every lot Ive been by in the 6000+ acre parcel has had at least one car in it on a given day. I think with everyone who’s off of work is pressuring public much more heavily than it normally would be. 


Sent from d_mobile


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## Rainman68 (Apr 29, 2011)

d_rek said:


> The state land by me has been hammered with people just looking to get outside and do any sort of recreation at all. Every lot Ive been by in the 6000+ acre parcel has had at least one car in it on a given day. I think with everyone who’s off of work is pressuring public much more heavily than it normally would be.
> 
> 
> Sent from d_mobile


 Not to mention the people that traded their northern license to local because they can't travel.

I hunt north for the late season. I do scout alot for friends and haven't seen a bird on huntable land since the end of March.


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## fullstrut22 (Apr 20, 2020)

I usually hunt turkey Up North (NE Lower Peninsula), too, for the late season, but due to the pandemic, I figured I wouldn’t be able to make it up that way so I purchased a left-over license for the first season in Unit ZC. I’m definitely a newbie to hunting public land as I don’t have access to any private land down this way.

I saw and read that hunters who drew tags for units further than their home-base could convert their tag to a Hunt 0234 license which I read is valid statewide for private and public land except for public land for Unit ZZ (Southern Lower Michigan). So even if they converted their license they wouldn’t legally be able to use that tag on public land in Oakland County because it falls into Unit ZZ (Southern Lower Michigan).


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## Mr. 16 gauge (Jan 26, 2000)

I'm sorry, but area ZC covers FIVE counties.......if you're not seeing birds in an area, then you go and scout another. It's STATE LAND in the heaviest populated area in the state.....of course your going to have competition! Of course, your going to have to deal with day hikers, bird watchers, mountain bikers, morel hunters, etc, etc, etc,.....and other turkey hunters. If you don't find birds in an area, then you need to scout another area. 



fullstrut22 said:


> Any thoughts on hunting turkeys on public land in Oakland county? Not looking for anyone to give me recon or intel, but do you think the turkey population numbers are low on state land in Oakland county? Or any tips for hunting public land?


Thoughts? Yes........do your own scouting; I'm sorry, but I feel you are looking for an easy hunt......you're not going to get it on state land in S.E. Michigan! You say you hunt 'up north".......if that is the case, then you know you need to put in your time and scout for your birds. 
.....and you say "Not looking for anyone to give me recon or intel".......then just what, exactly, are you looking for? You hunt turkeys in the southern part of the state the same way you hunt them in the northern part of the state. There is no "magic bullet".
In answer to your other question "are turkey numbers low"............again, the only way to know for sure is to scout. I didn't find much sign in the area that you mentioned (scouted it about 3-4 weeks ago), but that doesn't mean there aren't birds there. I did hear that there was a poor hatch last year, but that could just be internet drivel.
Good luck to you....................


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## fullstrut22 (Apr 20, 2020)

Bad hatch could explain low numbers. When I was scouting I saw lots of coyote scat, too. So high predator numbers could have something to do with low bird numbers...

I understand turkey hunting whether public land or not isn’t easy and am not looking for a “magic bullet” or that I’m not wiling to put in the work. Overall, was just inquiring if others thought bird numbers were low. And, being a newbie to public land hunting was wondering how others deal with the non-hunting pressures (hikers, morel hunters, bikers, bird watchers, etc.) that come with it.


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## skinl19 (Feb 15, 2012)

I have been fortunate on public land in Oakland county the last seven years, and quite often on opening day. I put in a lot of time scouting, and this year hung a few cameras. The birds were in the same places as usual and maybe a few less in some sections but more in others. I tried a different spot on opening day than I normally use and had three big toms come in but not close enough. In the afternoon I bumped a hen on a dust bowl and later in the day another came through but no toms, even though I had a lot on camera there.

On Sunday morning I went to my favorite spot and for the first time I could remember at this location I didn't hear a single gobble, even though I had been hearing them leading up to the opener. I also had nothing respond for the first four hours, again unusual for the spot I was at. But I knew the birds were somewhere and finally had two toms that had approached silently several times earlier commit to checking out the decoys where I dropped the lead one. Neither made a sound the entire time. Other hunters I have talked to on both days reported similar silence or lack of sightings.

I will say that there have been a lot more people in the woods, especially non hunters, and even a biker that wasn't anywhere near a trail ride up to my decoy on Saturday to check it out. All of this activity may be changing the birds behavior as this stay in place goes on. I was beginning to think that the birds had their own order to stay in place.


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## Rainman68 (Apr 29, 2011)

Bird numbers are not low, plenty around early March. Human pressure pushed them to private land and swamps.


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## Rainman68 (Apr 29, 2011)

Eat a tag and call it another fatality of Covid19.


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## fullstrut22 (Apr 20, 2020)

skinl19 said:


> I have been fortunate on public land in Oakland county the last seven years, and quite often on opening day. I put in a lot of time scouting, and this year hung a few cameras. The birds were in the same places as usual and maybe a few less in some sections but more in others. I tried a different spot on opening day than I normally use and had three big toms come in but not close enough. In the afternoon I bumped a hen on a dust bowl and later in the day another came through but no toms, even though I had a lot on camera there.
> 
> On Sunday morning I went to my favorite spot and for the first time I could remember at this location I didn't hear a single gobble, even though I had been hearing them leading up to the opener. I also had nothing respond for the first four hours, again unusual for the spot I was at. But I knew the birds were somewhere and finally had two toms that had approached silently several times earlier commit to checking out the decoys where I dropped the lead one. Neither made a sound the entire time. Other hunters I have talked to on both days reported similar silence or lack of sightings.
> 
> I will say that there have been a lot more people in the woods, especially non hunters, and even a biker that wasn't anywhere near a trail ride up to my decoy on Saturday to check it out. All of this activity may be changing the birds behavior as this stay in place goes on. I was beginning to think that the birds had their own order to stay in place.


Thanks for the post. Congrats on tagging out!


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## fullstrut22 (Apr 20, 2020)

Rainman68 said:


> Eat a tag and call it another fatality of Covid19.


For sure!


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## fullstrut22 (Apr 20, 2020)

Rainman68 said:


> Bird numbers are not low, plenty around early March. Human pressure pushed them to private land and swamps.


Good to know the birds are around. Thanks for posting!


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