# Trail Cams for turkeys, public land?



## Sam22 (Jan 22, 2003)

I am excited for turkey season, had a rough one last year but eventually killed a really good bird on private land. I want to try a little different method of scouting on public ground this year. I am wondering of anyone has been able to set trail cams out for turkeys and had some success? I am thinking of finding open areas that I suspect birds fly down into and strutt. Any advice? anyone else tried this? Is there anything you can use to legally lure turkeys to a camera? maybe something shiny that would make them curious?


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## BumpRacerX (Dec 31, 2009)

No clue as to luring them in to the camera.

I set mine on a couple different dust bowls last year. Called my Tom in opening morning somewhere else and never had a chance to actually hunt the bowls. Was fun to have the cellular camera pinging me pics of birds using the bowls on a regular basis.


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## skinl19 (Feb 15, 2012)

I put them out on public land in spots I have known turkeys to be in to check timing and make sure they are still using the same areas this year. I checked this one after three days at a spot I saw them strut last year. Looks like the same this year. Other pics had the hens coming through right before he got on camera. I will check my other cameras next weekend.


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## 22 Chuck (Feb 2, 2006)

Get a good locking device of some kind. I want to scout a place or two but wont risk the camera.


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## old graybeard (Jan 19, 2006)

Never done it on public ground just on my property but I've had good luck sitting up a couple cams on fly down zones. Also have caught them heading to strut areas 


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## old graybeard (Jan 19, 2006)

Here's one pic









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## TriggerDiscipline (Sep 25, 2017)

Find a sandy spot they like to strut down. I use them on public land, but be smart about placement. Don't put your camera within 100 yards of a trail, there are many more people in the woods these days.


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## TriggerDiscipline (Sep 25, 2017)

This picture was taken on public land today:









Four ladies making their way to a sandpit. Unfortunately this area got hammered last year from all the people hunting during COVID. Saw a couple jakes in the area, but no big toms yet. I know one of the big guys survived spring turkey last year, but haven't seen him since last June.


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## Martian (Apr 28, 2011)

whenever I out out cams today, I put them on a tree , flat on the ground, and pack stuff around them. or, I have found a downed log, hollow out the ground and set it there, They become so hard to find, that on occasion, I thought they were stolen, until I see them. pack leaves around them, and prop them up on a slight angle


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## Martian (Apr 28, 2011)

what i mean is on a vertical tree, but all the way down to the ground


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## BumpRacerX (Dec 31, 2009)

Hung my one camera this weekend. Scouted a ton of my usual spots...nothing to be found anywhere for sign. Didn't bother hanging any of the rest of them


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## skinl19 (Feb 15, 2012)

Pulled my cameras on state land this morning, here is a sample from each. Also lots of deer (never there during hunting season ) and coyotes.


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## BumpRacerX (Dec 31, 2009)

My one cam is unpleasantly quiet right now. Went to hang the other one last night in the middle of the rain storm. Figured it'd be a perfect time and nothing would be moving. Drove down the two track, made a turn to go back into the parking spot and a turkey goes walking through the woods. Ooops. Guess I'll just back out and call this spot "verified".


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## d_rek (Nov 6, 2013)

skinl19 said:


> Pulled my cameras on state land this morning, here is a sample from each. Also lots of deer (never there during hunting season ) and coyotes.
> View attachment 761963
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How cool is that picture of the yotes?


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## retired dundo (Jul 21, 2015)

skinl19 said:


> Pulled my cameras on state land this morning, here is a sample from each. Also lots of deer (never there during hunting season ) and coyotes.
> View attachment 761963
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skinl19 said:


> Pulled my cameras on state land this morning, here is a sample from each. Also lots of deer (never there during hunting season ) and coyotes.
> View attachment 761963
> View attachment 761964
> View attachment 761965
> ...


Great pics


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## Sam22 (Jan 22, 2003)

skinl19 said:


> Pulled my cameras on state land this morning, here is a sample from each. Also lots of deer (never there during hunting season ) and coyotes.
> View attachment 761963
> View attachment 761964
> View attachment 761965
> ...


WOW... those are really great!! I need to do better! I am having a hard time finding birds this year.


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## skinl19 (Feb 15, 2012)

The question is which spot do you target? The spot with the two Toms facing each other is where I have been successful six out of the last seven years, sometimes withing a half an hour of calling to later in the morning. The spot with the two jakes and a Tom is most consistent for morning patterning but have the two jakes to contend with. The other spots are more for the afternoon. Although I have been keeping an eye on another spot on state land that has birds on it every afternoon about the same time. The problem is that the spot is highly visible to everyone else as well that drives by.


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## Sam22 (Jan 22, 2003)

For me, I would opt for the spot away from people if possible. I had a heck of a time with running into people last year.

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## skinl19 (Feb 15, 2012)

Sam22 said:


> For me, I would opt for the spot away from people if possible. I had a heck of a time with running into people last year.
> 
> Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk


Yes, there seemed to be more people than usual last year on opening day, maybe because it was a Saturday and of course the Covid thing. I tried something different in the morning and wasn't successful and went somewhere else for the afternoon only to have some kid on a bike ride right past me, and I was way off of any trail. Went to my consistent spot on Sunday and got one that morning. This year I hardly had anyone on the cameras but that doesn't mean much come Saturday morning.


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## TJD (Jan 29, 2006)

not public land, but pulled a card today off a field that usually holds birds. I’m looking forward to the weekend.


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