Which do you prefer?

Turkey hunting tips & tricks that have worked & can help others.
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ICDEDTURKES
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Which do you prefer?

Post by ICDEDTURKES »

Flat or Hilly terrain?
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ole5beards
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Re: Which do you prefer?

Post by ole5beards »

Grew up hunting hilly terrain and learned a lot!! Had more success on hilly places but it also presented many obstacles. A bird can and will stay on the peak of the ridge or hill and he can see you from a long way off. Makes you have to hunt smarter which I think made me a better hunter. I'd prefer to hunt flat land simp,y because it's a lot easier to maneuver through. But I think hilly places offered more protection for birds and therefore held more birds.
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timbrhuntr
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Re: Which do you prefer?

Post by timbrhuntr »

I don`t have a preference except that hills are getting harder to climb !
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Grumpy
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Re: Which do you prefer?

Post by Grumpy »

All down hill with a ride at the bottom to help me home.
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paboxcall
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Re: Which do you prefer?

Post by paboxcall »

Love to hunt big tracts of public ground from the ridge tops. You can hear a long, long way on a quiet, still morning.

Flat ground makes me think of field turkeys, and field turkeys drive me crazy.
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davisd9
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Re: Which do you prefer?

Post by davisd9 »

Where ever the birds are out. As pointed out they both have their advantages and disadvantages.
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Waddle Whacker
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Re: Which do you prefer?

Post by Waddle Whacker »

Not many big hills down here. Just some nice rolling hills that aren't too rough on the legs. The hills can be pretty rough on the public I hunt in MS though. I have to admit, I'm not a huge fan of the open flat country I hunt in the midwest....so I guess I prefer hills. I've never hunted any mountainous country or really big hills. If the birds are there, I'm game, I don't really care what the terrain looks like.
Feel, don't think. Trust your instincts.
turkey_slayer
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Re: Which do you prefer?

Post by turkey_slayer »

Hills/mountains. Grew up hunting the Appalachians and its just in my blood. Makes it more challenging as far as moving. Just cause you can hear him doesn't mean you can get to him
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Re: Which do you prefer?

Post by Bigspurs68 »

Having hunted hills and mountains all my life, flat land would be neat but I like the idea that, in hills, I can move 3 or 4 hundred yards and strike birds that never heard me earlier. Hunted the pine ridges in Nebraska a few years ago with my oldest girl and enjoyed the walking. I think the older I get, the more I like the middle ground. Rolling hills and a bunch of em.
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Hobie
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Re: Which do you prefer?

Post by Hobie »

I hunt mountains terrain so hills would be my preference. I just sent Waddle Whacker a picture text a few minutes ago of our mountains here in Central PA.. I don't think he ever saw mountains like that before
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HuntnMa
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Re: Which do you prefer?

Post by HuntnMa »

Flat :D
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pedro
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Re: Which do you prefer?

Post by pedro »

hilly terrain. It seems as though I find turkeys in the flattest areas amongst the ridge tops. They both have pros and cons,
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WV Ridge Reaper
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Which do you prefer?

Post by WV Ridge Reaper »

What's flat ground?

I like the mountains but have hunted hilly terrain in the northern part of the state with my buddy.

He refuses to come back home and hunt..He put it simple I hear a bird 1 mile away in hilly terrain,he's gone after it...Back home here in the mountains you hear one 1 mile away means you have one to play with the next day.
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Waddle Whacker
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Re: Which do you prefer?

Post by Waddle Whacker »

Hobie wrote:I just sent Waddle Whacker a picture text a few minutes ago of our mountains here in Central PA.. I don't think he ever saw mountains like that before
:lol: I mighta seen um...but I sho ain't never hunted em! I'd hafta get em to install a ski lift to get my big butt up to the top!
Feel, don't think. Trust your instincts.
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ICDEDTURKES
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Re: Which do you prefer?

Post by ICDEDTURKES »

I personally prefer flat land but that is what I grew up hunting.. We have some areas around here with rolling hills which provide an advantage but by no means mountanious or even what some would call hilly :lol:

I feel a new challenge every time I hunt rugged terrain.. Last year I hunted the most rugged terrain ever. With the late green up it was challenging.. I would strike a bird and always felt he had an optical advantage. Had to pull hills for 2 miles to go 400 yards and not be seen.
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Re: Which do you prefer?

Post by hobbes »

I really like the hills (and mountains). I started turkey hunting in Southern IL, northern Pope County and Hardin/Gallatin County to be exact. Wander around too far in the dark along an unknown ridge and you may find that your next step is a long way down. I went from there to southern Pope once the bird numbers expanded and they opened the season in the southern part of the county. The hills aren't quite as steep and rocky, but it's still the hills. (I'll be there 4th and 5th season this year) I would occasionally kill a bird in the riverbottoms near the Ohio, but still preferred the hills. The mosquitos will pack you off in the flat riverbottoms but aren't near as bad in the hills. I think moving on a bird is easier if I can put a ridge between myself and the bird.

I really liked the mountain birds in CO also but that is taking "hills" to the extreme. It's hard to call the broken up Pine Ridge in Nebraska "hills" but I wouldn't really call it flat either (I really like that country). It is similar to what I hunt most of the time in MT now.

However, if there are gobbling toms there, I'm good with either.
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ole5beards
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Re: Which do you prefer?

Post by ole5beards »

You guys that prefer hills, do you feel cheated when you kill a bird on flat ground??!!
Pass the biscuits!!
TRKYHTR
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Re: Which do you prefer?

Post by TRKYHTR »

Depends on where the turkey is. If they are in the flat I'll hunt them there. If they are on the hill I'll hunt them there. Just depends on where the turkeys are.
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Shooter
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Re: Which do you prefer?

Post by Shooter »

Pop and I started Turkey huntin in the mountains. Had a ball with them for years. You have got to be very mobile and in great shape though.
Once Pop got his knee problem, I started taking him here on the WMA, which is flat as a pancake.
Always heard about all the number of hunters there, so we stayed away for years. Now, it is pretty much the only place I go anymore.
Took a little while to adjust after hunting the steep MTs for so long. It is different. I love it either way!!!
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hawglips
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Re: Which do you prefer?

Post by hawglips »

My favorite place to hunt turkeys is between 8000 and 9000' altitude with lots of up and down. But I love hunting the flat country also. I imagine as I get older I'll enjoy the flat more and more.
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Waddle Whacker
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Re: Which do you prefer?

Post by Waddle Whacker »

ole5beards wrote:You guys that prefer hills, do you feel cheated when you kill a bird on flat ground??!!
:lol:
Feel, don't think. Trust your instincts.
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Stinky J Picklestein
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Re: Which do you prefer?

Post by Stinky J Picklestein »

ICDEDTURKES wrote:Flat or Hilly terrain?
Whichever is smoother, so I don't spill my beer.

Wait...are you talking about hunting? In that case, yes, I still stick to my beer spillage criteria.
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drum817
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Re: Which do you prefer?

Post by drum817 »

I like the foothills of NC. I like moving on birds when I can & the small hills and valleys here allow me to do just that.
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appalachianassassin
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Re: Which do you prefer?

Post by appalachianassassin »

well, ive never got to hunt flat terrain. but I think I would like it better. im 31 and need knee surgery. I blame turkey huntin.
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Re: Which do you prefer?

Post by hookspur »

Reminds me of a quote a buddy in college uttered when he was asked about girls. He said, "I prefer small-to-medium built women, but big-built women seem to prefer me."

I'll takes 'em wherever I can finds 'em!
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