Turkey hunting Nebraska

Hey guys thinking of doing a turkey hunt in Nebraska next season possibly medicine creek state park any input on this area or any other good areas I could check out?

My wife and I just started looking into doing a hunt possibly in SE Nebraska. I see the archery season opens March 25th.

I was down there 5 years ago or so doing some public land shed hunting/scouting.

Do it

I’ve never hunted turkeys up there but have spent hundreds of hours chasing sharpies. I’ve ran into lots of turkeys at Valentine refuge. Good luck

Pretty much any spot in Nebraska should have plenty. Generous with numbers of tags too. Prices, not so much.

I never did understand the draw of turkey hunting although I guess it's different if they aren't prevalent in your area. It's not uncommon to see 20-50 birds coming out of their roosts along timbers here while checking traps. I'm in the southeast corner of the state.

Wade, I'm with you on the turkey hunting. Knox county draws hunters from all over the US. We camp in Verdigre a lot, have met some good people from all over. Turkeys often parade through the campground in the morning as they come off the roost. Can't imagine traveling hundreds of miles to hunt them, some areas there are so many that they are a nuisance.

Me either wade. More prevalent than deer or other game in some areas. My son got a little tired of them swarming in around his deer blind late season between cover and corn field. Noisy things, leave tons of sign, and get pretty used to people around here.
I see them everywhere, in town, edge of town, out in country, you name it. Nothing like a turkey to damage your car grill when they run up out of the ditch in front of you.
I see tv shows all the time about turkey hunting and how hard and challenging it is. Guess they aren't dealing with our birds or populations.
Don't be afraid to bang on doors a little either. Most farmers i know aren't huge fans of turkeys.
Jim

We stayed in a little motel in Pawnee City. If I remember correctly I think that was home of Larry the Cable Guy?

Big difference between wild birds and barnyard birds swatting a random bird out of a large flock is not hunting. LOL To sit and call a wary bird in is a challenge and if the bird wins that’s OK also.

You can tell those that don’t hunt turkeys, lol. Winter time turkeys ARE NOT the same turkeys come Spring time. I can sit in my stand here decked out in blaze orange and do jumping jacks and them pay me no attention whatsoever.
Come Spring time, these same birds can see you blink at 100 yards away while decked out in full camo from your head to your toes. The challenge of calling a gobblers in to 35-40 yards or less is strong!! But, he has to play the game MY way. He either has to come in gobbling or strutting. If he just comes walking through, he gets a pass. This is MY hunt and MY rules of how I want the game to be played. I work to be able to hunt turkeys and generally travel to do so. I’ve completed the Royal Slam and only have the Ocellated left to complete the World Slam, but have NO desire because it doesn’t gobble or the odds of it strutting in are slim to none. Not gonna pay money to shoot one outa the tree.

Wifrost that’s about 45 miles from me. I don’t know. I’m pretty sure all of them I see are wild. Lol. There’s just so many of them it’s not that exciting for me. I guess I’d turkey hunt like I trap. If he’s that wirey let him go and kill the one that’s ready to go. Cream of the crop and move on.

I had a guy that wouldn’t let up one time so I agreed to go. He showed up dressed to the nines. Full camo. War paint. Even had a little fluffer attached to his belt so his butt didn’t get sore. Had the decked out gun with camo. Full choke turkey loads etc. etc.

I took him to one of the pastures I’d trapped. Knew where they roosted. I was wearing jeans. No war paint. Had a basic 870 with trap loads. Set up at daylight on their roost. 15 minutes in 6 crested the hill. We shot two Tom’s and went home. That’s the last time I went turkey hunting. Lol.

The birds will disperse in the springtime you will see them just not all at the same time they spread out all over the countryside then.

Is there Merriam’s down in that part of the state?

NW corner is what I’ve been told.

I tried it two years. I saw birds in the same place several days in a row, so I bought a license thinking it'd be a slam dunk, knowing right where the birds were. Both years, after I bought a license and went out,I ever saw the birds again. I have up on it, I don't have time for that. I still see them all the time on public land, but I'm convinced.if I buy a license they'd disappear.

What species do y’all have in Nebraska ??

Think Nebraska has all 3 if I’m not mistaken.

Merriam and eastern for the most part. I feel like the majority of them are a hybrid of the two anymore. I think they reintroduced Rio grande as well at one time.

I need a merriam for my Grand Slam quest

Have you ever heard of The Big Blue Ranch in Burchard?

No but I know of Burchard. One of the only places around here that has the fun little rattlesnakes. The other locations are even closer to me. Nice country.

There’s some guides in Kansas/Nebraska area that offer all three species on one 3 day hunt. Think they just go by color and not actual species range. I’ve killed some seriously “white” Rios on the Kansas/Nebraska line. Then again I’ve killed some “buff” colored Merriam’s in New Mexico.

They've introduced so many varieties trying to see which one would take, that most of them are hybrids now.


Public land will be a 3 ring circus this year.


Look for access to private.

Yes sir lol. Thats where Im located. Quite a few birds down here, but the numbers are starting to decline. Definately dont see as many turkeys as I used to. Mostly easterns down here, but a few meriams. I have gotten two meriams, but it has been a few years. Also quite a few hybrids.