# Nesting Already



## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

I took the dog for a walk on Saturday and flushed a turkey from a tree, I noticed two nest's in the tree where the turkey flew out of. I only saw one bird but two nests. I know in 2012 I was seeing nest like this all over very early but that was a very warm winter and early spring leading to them being bred out by season and un callable. Do they use the same nests year to year and she could be checking it out or is it fresh? Would this be a good place to start this spring? Thanks..


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## Liver and Onions (Nov 24, 2000)

??

L & o


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## Waif (Oct 27, 2013)

x2!l.o.l..


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## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

Waif said:


> Turkeys nest on the ground. You see squirrels nests in same area the birds are roosting. Spring rain and first green up time the hens start getting hennish about nesting.


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## Waif (Oct 27, 2013)

DEDGOOSE said:


> I took the dog for a walk on Saturday and flushed a turkey from a tree, I noticed two nest's in the tree where the turkey flew out of. I only saw one bird but two nests. I know in 2012 I was seeing nest like this all over very early but that was a very warm winter and early spring leading to them being bred out by season and un callable. Do they use the same nests year to year and she could be checking it out or is it fresh? Would this be a good place to start this spring? Thanks..


Squirrel nests.Thats a what you are a seein.


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## Birddogm33 (Nov 9, 2007)

Turkeys don't nest in trees....


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## JDR (Sep 10, 2012)

X 3, lol !!


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## Ack (Oct 3, 2004)

Hehe.....un callable :lol:


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)




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## srconnell22 (Aug 27, 2007)

I would put my pop-up out by those nests right now so they get used to it by late April. 

Then I'd apply for the first season, no leaves on the trees means the gobblers will be able to see hen nests like these from a long ways off and come running to check them out. I'll sit there daylight to dark the entire season while calling with a few light yelps and purrs every hour (so I don't overcall to them and make them call shy). 

Looks like you and Sal are in the chips, Tom. Awesome!


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## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

srconnell22 said:


> I would put my pop-up out by those nests right now so they get used to it by late April.
> 
> Then I'd apply for the first season, no leaves on the trees means the gobblers will be able to see hen nests like these from a long ways off and come running to check them out. I'll sit there daylight to dark the entire season while calling with a few light yelps and purrs every hour (so I don't overcall to them and make them call shy).
> 
> Looks like you and Sal are in the chips, Tom. Awesome!


Thank you for the advice.. Would you place a decoy in the nest


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## ForestvilleJack (Apr 25, 2007)

I really hope this is a joke!


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## Critter (Mar 3, 2006)

I would agree 100%that the turkeys that made those nests will be uncallable come season.


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## Critter (Mar 3, 2006)

DEDGOOSE said:


> Thank you for the advice.. Would you place a decoy in the nest


Absolutely! Maybe two.


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## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

Critter said:


> I would agree 100%that the turkeys that made those nests will be uncallable come season.


See and that is what I fear.. With this recent warm up I have a suspicion they have begun to breed and thus come season it will be over.


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## Critter (Mar 3, 2006)

I'm afraid that with the early warmup breeding will be over and the toms will all go into the nocturnal strutting phase.


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## Anish (Mar 6, 2009)

If you aren't kidding, I just want to apologize in advance for the ribbing you are going to get for this. :lol:


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## Mr. Botek (Mar 15, 2011)

Don't be fooled! Those hens are just false nesting right now to pull predators away from the real sites the plan to use starting next month. 

Sent from my SPH-M820-BST using Ohub Campfire mobile app


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## Waif (Oct 27, 2013)

Perhaps your dog would be willing to install trail cams at each turkey nest?


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## Mason87 (Oct 29, 2011)

Those are just the nest that the prude hens build because they don't want to have turkey sex anywhere other then bed. The dirty birds will be seen later on slutting around on the ground, lol.


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## Jager Pro (Nov 8, 2013)

DEDGOOSE said:


> If I were you I would stay in S Michigan.. Having hunted 9-10-11 states southern Michigan (say ZZ line down) is some of the easiest and best turkey hunting I have ever experienced.. Alot of folks in S Michigan do not realize how good they got it..
> 
> I know the big "green areas" on the map are highly attractive and those "hills gotta be loaded with gobblers" but coming off a hard winter and slowly regenerating flock of turkeys you could walk endless miles to no avail..
> 
> Google maps and Bing maps are your friend.. Scout the smaller public properties online, get out and listen before and during season.. Whether a veteran of the woods of or a complete newbie the more gobblers present ups your chances from the first day to the last..


I would stay down here if I could (especially with all the beards I saw while deer hunting) but I didn't want to spend money to hunt private land so I'm looking north of ZZ. Not sure if I can put any boots on the gound before the season but if I can I will.


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

Liver and Onions said:


> Thought this should be repeated. Maybe the NWTF has changed, but in the past they did not help northern birds get thru the winter.
> If they are not fed, they are dead.
> If you are going to a banquet or want to support wild turkeys in Michigan, please consider or ask about winter feeding programs.
> 
> ...


All moneys raised by the MWTHA goes to buy feed for the turkeys of northern Michigan. That is why that group split away from the NWTF. All money they had been raising as part of the NWTF had to be sent to the national and they spent it as they saw fit. 



brushbuster said:


> I know of at least 70 turkeys in my neighborhood getting fed. I have a regular flock of twenty that stay in the yard. My next door neighbor has a flock of 15. And a distant neighbor 1/2 a mile away has 40 roosting in their trees. Ive been feeding them oats and corn,with an occasional coffee can of oilers tossed in. They have been here since the snow fell. Poop everywhere.
> Sent from my SCH-S720C using Ohub Campfire mobile app


It is great that you and your neighbors are helping out these turkeys.



DEDGOOSE said:


> If I were you I would stay in S Michigan.. Having hunted 9-10-11 states southern Michigan (say ZZ line down) is some of the easiest and best turkey hunting I have ever experienced.. Alot of folks in S Michigan do not realize how good they got it..
> 
> I know the big "green areas" on the map are highly attractive and those "hills gotta be loaded with gobblers" but coming off a hard winter and slowly regenerating flock of turkeys you could walk endless miles to no avail..
> 
> Google maps and Bing maps are your friend.. Scout the smaller public properties online, get out and listen before and during season.. Whether a veteran of the woods of or a complete newbie the more gobblers present ups your chances from the first day to the last..


Ded Very true words. 

A long time ago there were very few to NO turkeys in Southern Michigan, Until there was a national turkey seminar held in Lansing. The biologists flying into Lansing saw all the woods mixed with the farm fields. 

When they got to the seminar they were shocked that the Mi DNR had not established any flocks in S. Michigan. These were biologists coming from the western prairie states with way less forests that S. Michigan that had great flocks of turkeys

Thanks to these visiting biologists the DNR stated planting birds in the south. You know the rest of the story.

Hunting turkeys in northern Michigan is a whole different situation. If you think that you can set up a blind and the turkeys that you saw a day ago will come walking by you have an other thing coming.

Northern birds do not pattern like the birds of the southern farm country. They do not roost in the same place ninght after night but change roosts all the time. It is more of a run and gun type of hunting where I hunt.


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## Jager Pro (Nov 8, 2013)

multibeard said:


> All moneys raised by the MWTHA goes to buy feed for the turkeys of northern Michigan. That is why that group split away from the NWTF. All money they had been raising as part of the NWTF had to be sent to the national and they spent it as they saw fit.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Does that mean going in blind up north produces better chances than going in blind in southern Michigan?


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## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

Jager Pro said:


> Does that mean going in blind up north produces better chances than going in blind in southern Michigan?


No it means you run the risk of going north where public land abounds and walking countless miles hearing little to nothing... If you know what you are looking at and what turkeys need you may find some real gems of sections in public property in the north but I gather you know very little to nothing about a turkeys needs.. Thus starting with 8 billion acres its a needle in a haystack.. Once you find turkeys its a matter of getting them killed.. How much time ya got.. 

Your time would be better spent in S MI where populations are exponentially higher dealing with more pressure on public lands but ultimately upping your odds through much higher turkey populations as a newbie taking a shot in the dark as to where to start..


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## Jager Pro (Nov 8, 2013)

DEDGOOSE said:


> No it means you run the risk of going north where public land abounds and walking countless miles hearing little to nothing... If you know what you are looking at and what turkeys need you may find some real gems of sections in public property in the north but I gather you know very little to nothing about a turkeys needs.. Thus starting with 8 billion acres its a needle in a haystack.. Once you find turkeys its a matter of getting them killed.. How much time ya got..
> 
> Your time would be better spent in S MI where populations are exponentially higher dealing with more pressure on public lands but ultimately upping your odds through much higher turkey populations as a newbie taking a shot in the dark as to where to start..


Yes but you can't hunt public land in southern Michigan correct? Or am I not reading your post correctly...


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## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

Jager Pro said:


> Yes but you can't hunt public land in southern Michigan correct? Or am I not reading your post correctly...


Not completely sure but NO under ZZ or 234 tags.. Otherwise Yes there are plenty of tag options for public land in S MI..


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## Critter (Mar 3, 2006)

You can hunt public land in Southern MI. You're in Oakland Co right? That's unit ZC, there are 4 hunts for that unit with 600 tags each.


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## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

DEDGOOSE said:


> Not completely sure but NO under ZZ or 234 tags.. Otherwise Yes there are plenty of tag options for public land in S MI..


 public land hunts available right there in Oakland county. T,T. just a few weeks left to put in for a hunt. I would put in for a zc hunt if you dont get drawn then buy a 234 tag and head north.


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## Jager Pro (Nov 8, 2013)

It appears that I might have different ideas on regional names than others. When I say southern Michigan I'm referring to everything below bay city/midland (so basically the ZZ line) and Northern Michigan to me would be everything above that: Crawford county, TC, Kalkaska and so on. And then the UP is the UP. With that clarified, hunting in southern Mi (unit ZZ) is private land hunt only, if I'm reading the guide correctly. The area that I was looking at is pretty much unit F at Huron National Forest. So does all of the above information appear correct to others?


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

Hunting in the north is mostly big woods hunting. The birds do not follow the same routine day after day. Birds that roost one place one night may roost a mile away the next. 

You better bring a book or something to occupy your time if you think you are going to just sit in a blind and call in a bird in the north. You may sit all season and never see or hear a bird. It may work for some but I never thought it was productive.

In the south the birds follow more of a daily routine so sitting in a blind does work if you pattern the birds.

10 years ago we would some times hunt 4 and 5 counties in a day running and gunning. Before season opened I would have probably close to 50 toms located, scattered over these counties. We would hit Oceana, Mason, Newaygo, Lake and Manistee

Slowly every year the number of birds kept declining. This happened even though the winters were not that bad. Why? I have no idea.

As far as what hunting can be done on public lands in southern Michigan I have no idea. Other than I know that 234 is totally private in zz land. If you can find private land to hunt and being a newbie I would reccomend the 234 hunt as it gives you almost a month to fill your tag. 

Go pick up a turkey booklet and study it to see where and when public land can be hunted.

Luckily the number of birds has increased a lot around my home base especially with the cost of gas. Most of pour hunting now is not faqrfrom home.


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## Jager Pro (Nov 8, 2013)

Ok I hope you guys can bare with me because the more I read the digest the more confused I get...

Living in Oakland county i would be in unit ZC. And the digest says "The general licenses listed below are valid on all public and private land within the unit." with ZC being one of those hunts. 

However it also says "Unit ZZ is a multi-county, private-land only unit which includes all those counties below the bold dotted-line or units starting with a "Z""

So now Im really confused, I assumed that because Oakland was below the ZZ line that it was private land only... or is ZZ its own unit that is private only while ZC differs in that it is both private and public (so confused). Thanks for trying to help me out guys, Im usually better at interpreting this stuff


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

brushbuster said:


> public land hunts available right there in Oakland county. T,T. just a few weeks left to put in for a hunt. I would put in for a zc hunt if you dont get drawn then buy a 234 tag and head north.


Or go scouting and knocking on doors in S. Michigan to get permissoion to hunt birds down there. I would think that it would be easier to get permission to hunt turkeys than deer.

Note!!!!! 234 will be sold over the counter untill the last day of turkey season. Turkey TAGS are not a stand alone tag any more. You have to purchasre a base licence before you can buy a 234 or any turkey tag for that matter.


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## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

Jager Pro said:


> It appears that I might have different ideas on regional names than others. When I say southern Michigan I'm referring to everything below bay city/midland (so basically the ZZ line) and Northern Michigan to me would be everything above that: Crawford county, TC, Kalkaska and so on. And then the UP is the UP. With that clarified, hunting in southern Mi (unit ZZ) is private land hunt only, if I'm reading the guide correctly. The area that I was looking at is pretty much unit F at Huron National Forest. So does all of the above information appear correct to others?


 Your reading it wrong. The zz tag (hunt 0301)is an over the counter tag only good for private land however in the slp there are several hunts that you can draw for that are good on public ground. like zc zb za zd ze and zf all of these make up Unit ZZ. ZC covers oakland,macomb lapeer,st clair and genesee counties. Since your in oakland county pick a hunt in ZC and apply for it. If you dont draw a hunt then you are eligible for a 234 tag. this tag is not good on public land in the slp but you can hunt public land in the nlp with it.
http://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/Spring_Turkey_Digest_443091_7.pdf


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## Liver and Onions (Nov 24, 2000)

Jager Pro said:


> ........... So does all of the above information appear correct to others?


You're not interested in hunting public land near your home in ZC ? 
You will find that it is much easier getting permission to hunt turkeys on private land than it is to get permission to hunt deer.
Plenty of people would be happy to have you knock off a tom turkey that's eating all the food on the ground below their bird feeder. Especially if you offer to clean their polebarn in exchange.

L & O


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## Jager Pro (Nov 8, 2013)

brushbuster said:


> Your reading it wrong. The zz tag is an over the counter tag only good for private land however in the slp there are several hunts that you can draw for that are good on public ground. like zc zb za zd ze and zf. ZC covers oakland,macomb lapeer,st clair and genesee counties. Since your in oakland county pick a hunt in ZC and apply for it. If you dont draw a hunt then you are eligible for a 234 tag. this tag is not good on public land in the slp but you can hunt public land in the nlp with it.
> http://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/Spring_Turkey_Digest_443091_7.pdf


Assuming you are right (I doubt I am) this helps so much. I just realized that ZZ was a hunt, I kept applying it as a line like the shotgun line for deer hunting. Now that I know I can hunt state land half a mile away I think I'll stay home save money on gas and allow the ability to scout. 

Thanks for everyone's help, guess the DNR's wording just doesn't follow my logic.


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## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

multibeard said:


> Or go scouting and knocking on doors in S. Michigan to get permissoion to hunt birds down there. I would think that it would be easier to get permission to hunt turkeys than deer.
> 
> Note!!!!! 234 will be sold over the counter untill the last day of turkey season. Turkey TAGS are not a stand alone tag any more. You have to purchasre a base licence before you can buy a 234 or any turkey tag for that matter.


I agree, when i use to hunt my cousins land in montcalm county. I had people telling me i could hunt their land if i wanted to, and i never asked.


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## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

multibeard said:


> Slowly every year the number of birds kept declining. This happened even though the winters were not that bad. Why? I have no idea.
> 
> .










This is something I have wondered as well.. I could look like Jesse Ventura with a constant parade of conspiracy theories..... But.......... I was really anxious to see what panned out with southern Michigan over a 20 year time frame, but the essentially unlimited fall tags throw a huge wrench in any assumptions.. 

I think winter can be a cruel cruel cruel time for turkeys but in some periods in decline as you mentioned I have saw mild winters or strings of mild winters with continued decline.. With that being said the hatches of 12 and 13 were some of the best I have ever seen in my life.. 

I have mentioned this before.. U go talk to alot of folks in alot of states with established populations and alot of folks are gonna say they do not have what they have 10-20 years ago... Arkansas, Missouri are two such states that come to the lime light.. Why?


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## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

Jager Pro said:


> Assuming you are right (I doubt I am) this helps so much. I just realized that ZZ was a hunt, I kept applying it as a line like the shotgun line for deer hunting. Now that I know I can hunt state land half a mile away I think I'll stay home save money on gas and allow the ability to scout.
> 
> Thanks for everyone's help, guess the DNR's wording just doesn't follow my logic.


 If you put in for ZC and dont get drawn there will still be time left to knock on doors, if you get permission you can buy a zz tag hunt 0301 and hunt on private land during that hunts time frame. Time will be of the essence. If no luck comes from knocking on doors then you can buy the 234 tag before teh time is up, and hunt the nlp public land, Like dedgoose said lots of options. read those regs and be familair with the time frames.


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## jem44357 (Jan 27, 2011)

FireDoc66 said:


> There are no turkeys in Southern Michigan.
> 
> Stay North.


I've heard that they migrate from their southern winter yards to their northern breeding/feeding grounds. There may be a few older feeble birds left in southern Mi but the best ones are up north!

Jim


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## starky (Jun 19, 2006)

I know that in southern Eaton and northern Calhoun County we do not have the # of birds that we had a few years ago.


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