# Many turkey on blackwater?



## outdooraddict (Jan 2, 2013)

Are there many turkey on blackwater state forest? I have seen lots of them on Eglin, but I'm taking the family camping at the end of the month and I would like to get in some turkey hunting as well, but doubt I will have much time for scouting. We will camp at one of the lakes. I've heard that people drive around in their trucks and call in the early morning to cover more ground?


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## jcoss15 (Oct 11, 2010)

Tons of turkeys and tons of pressure, but definately worth a shot...


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## hyco (Oct 24, 2008)

there are no turkeys on blackwater


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## jaster (Oct 7, 2007)

Seen more this year than ever before! Well seen two this year, 6-8" beards, out of season, have not seen any out there before


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## canepole (Jun 6, 2008)

hyco said:


> there are no turkeys on blackwater


I'll second that


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## MULLET HUNTER (Oct 3, 2007)

Black water has its fair share of turkeys... That being said "this is no exaggeration by any means" every bird has at least two hunters trying to call them. The birds are call shy because from the time the sun comes up to lunch and after the "expert" hunters are trying to call them..... Better off going to Winn Dixie..... Unless you hunt private land...


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## JoeZ (Sep 30, 2007)

^^^^ What he said. 

That and there really aren't that many turkey on Blackwater. 


Some spots hold more than others - and a lot more hunters than others - but not every acre has turkey on it. You could miles without being anywhere near a bird.


Where are you camping?


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## Blake R. (Mar 17, 2009)

Birds are few and far between.




Compared to the number of hunters, that is.


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## uscmas412 (Feb 15, 2014)

Any updates on Blackwater WMA from the 2013 season regarding hunting pressure? I just PCSd to Hurlburt with the AF and I'm looking for a place to turkey hunt locally. The FWC has a map showing moderate to high numbers of turkey in that area:
http://myfwc.com/media/460314/Turkey_Population.pdf

Would the opportunities be any better on the Eglin range? I hear it gets a fare amount of pressure as well.


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## Blake R. (Mar 17, 2009)

I would hunt Eglin. Plenty of birds at both, but less hunters on Eglin.


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## curdogman (Oct 12, 2007)

They are plentiful in blackwater, Eglin is too aggravating to hunt with all the closures they have


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## fairpoint (May 9, 2013)

There are many more places in Alabama that hold flocks of turkeys....


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## JoeZ (Sep 30, 2007)

^^And a lot more money involved to get a hunting license.


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## Bayou Country (Feb 28, 2010)

I agree with what most everyone else has said. There are birds there but they have gotten pretty wise. I heard several gobble at the start of the season, and then it was like a cemetary. Except of course the sound of a beater pick-up truck's door slamming followed by an owl hooter going off. You can count on hearing that a dozen or so times every morning..........


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## Fielro (Jun 4, 2012)

Eglin, hands down


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## Eglinhunter (Apr 1, 2012)

You can hunt Eglin for almost nothing being active duty. I don't turkey hunt but have seen turkey and turkey sign all over out there. You can camp on Eglin also just make sure you don't bring loaded gun in camping areas.


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## deadbatteries (Dec 6, 2011)

Good turkey hunting in both areas. If you are new to turkey hunting on BW a few things to think about: if a bird is gobbling and your not already sitting under him, someone else prolly is. Driving around and hooting every hundred yards is pointless, unless your driving a hovercraft. If u do hear a bird say around 730ish across two creeks from you and your gonna go to him, remember the poor guy that has been there since before daylight waiting. A locator call is just that, its not a turkey call. If you dont know the woods that well, dont drive past someones truck to get closer to a bird, they prolly almost blocked that dead end road for a reason. Dont be scared to walk a long way. Dont use a flashlight. Dont be afraid to back out and give the bird another day. To be a good turkey hunter you need an understanding supervisor, cuz ur gonna be late, alot.


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## uscmas412 (Feb 15, 2014)

How's the layout of Blackwater compared to Eglin? I've seen the Eglin range from the air a few times, seems like a lot of swamp/flood waters and pine thickets. I'm more used to hunting hardwood creek/river bottoms in SC, so the topography is a little new to me. On a side note...ya'll run into many alligators?


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## watertruck#12 (Oct 20, 2013)

Total observation here and that's it, a turkey hunter will tell a story quicker about where he sees and not sees birds and asking for any direction is hilarious if you ask me, haven't got serious in a few years on them, but when someone asked me where I hunt in Blackwater I was around 90 or field trial area, and I never seen HYCO old blue Dakota either hahaha


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## uscmas412 (Feb 15, 2014)

watertruck#12 said:


> Total observation here and that's it, a turkey hunter will tell a story quicker about where he sees and not sees birds and asking for any direction is hilarious if you ask me, haven't got serious in a few years on them, but when someone asked me where I hunt in Blackwater I was around 90 or field trial area, and I never seen HYCO old blue Dakota either hahaha


Yeah I completely understand...I'm not expecting GPS coordinates! I'm just trying to get a general "feel" for the area.


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## Blake R. (Mar 17, 2009)

Pm sent


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## hyco (Oct 24, 2008)

I heard 2 gobble about 50 times this morning around sandy landing and Bryant bridge and I got a different truck....


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## Team Stuck'em (Oct 12, 2010)

Hyco, heard 3 this morning, straight down the creek from Bryant Bridge.


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## jspooney (Oct 2, 2007)

Team Stuck'em said:


> Hyco, heard 3 this morning, straight down the creek from Bryant Bridge.


sweet. I have some new calls I want to try. I'm gonna go after these on opening day.


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## Team Stuck'em (Oct 12, 2010)

Get after 'em. Better sleep in your truck that night if your gonna beat me an Hyco there.


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## baldona523 (Mar 2, 2008)

Expect pressure, but that doesn't mean you can't have fun and can't have a good season. You just gotta hunt the birds knowing they will be pressured. Under call and be over patient. If you find a good area with good sign it is often better to just sit and call sparingly then move around. Know there are a ton of road hunters that over call and are under patient, the good thing is they are gone about 7:30 and usually really thin about mid season when they get tired of not hearing anything.

There are birds around in both blackwater and Eglin, but you have to know how to find them. In my 15 years in this area I have found that few areas have a few birds, most areas are either full of them or none at all. You gotta burn the boot rubber to find where those good areas are. Theres plenty of them though. 

Blackwater is nice because there is a lot of private ground interspersed with pastures and what guys around here call greenfields that the turkey's love. Won't find that on Eglin. Eglin is a little more of a pain with the closures and different types of hunting areas, so there is a give and take.


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## hyco (Oct 24, 2008)

Heard 1 and found 2 together crossing a road then stumbled up on another one in the road. Might could have heard it but traffic was bad this morning


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