Food Plots for Timber Country Turkeys

The southern Indiana turkey woods…limestone bluffs, rolling hills, somewhat mature timber, and bountiful morels make for an enjoyable hunt. Turkeys are thick as the ticks in these woods, and I luckily call it my home. It is sad Indiana gets the wrap of one giant corn and soybean field, because the southern quarter is a different story. Our property is smack in the middle of timber country, surrounded by state forest and the Hoosier national. One thing lacking in this wood is a sure-fire go-to spot for turkeys. Fortunately, we figured out that strategic food plots for turkeys made room for toms, and resulted in a go-to spot for the spring turkey hunt.

Without a lot of openings in the thick oak/hickory woods, timber turkeys are left with few options for strutting zones. Logging roads and open oak flats seem to be next in line, and that might work as a good bet on opening morning there’s just one little problem…there everywhere! Logging roads cover every ridge, slope, and valley of the timber, and oak flats are just as common. One benefit of this is prime roosting and prime feeding areas. This opens the door to us. The hunters that try to figure out anything and everything they can do to increase their success. Strategic placement of food plots next to these areas works as a sure-fire go-to spot!

I opened up a 40-acre property covered in timber to three small (around ½ acre plots) food plots for turkeys. I am a die-hard deer hunter as well so I planted the food plot with both in mine. Simply putting ladino clover, and a small grain as a cover crop worked great for both species. When the next spring came around we had stutters using the food plots every week. If you live in a timber country, you might need to install some food plots for turkeys and make room for toms.

To increase growth on your food plots for turkey or deer spray DeerGro. Successful food plots lead to successful hunts!