Turkeys around Battle Lake

[ccarlson]

How wide spread is the turkey population around Battle Lake?

As I posted a few weeks ago, my folks are in the process of buying some land there and we are interested in the spring hunt.

I know around Brainerd where I live, there are turkey in a few select areas south of town and then you can go 10 miles away and never have a chance to see one. Is it that way around your area?

Since they haven't closed on the land yet, we can't get out to scout for turkey before the spring turkey apps need to be in and we are very curious how likely it is they will be there. They will be just a few miles west of Battle Lake.

ccarlson

[jerkin'm]

Saw one hen deer hunting, people do hunt them with some success in the area. I'm not sure about west of town, but i'm sure someone knows.

[Gissert]

Lots of them south of Battle Lake, and even more towards Vining and Henning.

I live between Battle Lake and Underwood, and we have had decent numbers there the last three years. Last spring, I have a group of about 15 roosting in my deer woods.

Added on edit: I see that the spring alottment numbers for area 410 next spring is 45 permits per hunt.

[MJCatfish]

The turkeys are around and are growing in abundance. It's a great time to be in the woods, spring is. I'd apply and give it a whirl to see what happens. Good Luck. It seems like it usually takes 2-3 years to build your preference if you are applying for one of the first 2-3 seasons.

If you're interested, come to our National Wild Turkey Federation banquet in March. It's usually the third Thursday and is at Jerry's in Ottertail. I never imagined that turkey hunting would be as fun as it has been for me. It's quite an experience.

MJ

[Mark Christianson]

Hey MJcatfish

Your name isnt John C is it???

[Scoot]

MJ married my cousin and is from the same town as me- nope, he's not John C. He's Mike J. If you ever see a goofy looking blonde dude with a beer in one hand and a fishing rod in the other in the Ottertail area, that's MJ! Another tipoff is that he's usually got a turd-eatin' grin on his face.

Hey MJ, ya miss me?!?!

[ccarlson]

Great info guys. Thank you.

45 is not a lot for each season. Sounds like we shouldn't expect to get drawn the first year. If a saw right, they retain 20% for landowners which doesn't necessarily increase our odds that much either after this year.

We will also look at attending the turkey banquet. Thanks for the heads up about that. If you can get me some kind of info about specifics of it as it is being planned, please do so. I think you can get it from my info on this board by clicking on my name?

thanks,

ccarlson

[MJCatfish]

BLB,

Scoot's right about some of the information he gave you. I'll let you sort it out. Actually John C. is a good buddy of mine. We usually spend a few nights together on Ottertail in the summer and on the hardwater also. Haven't been able to hook up with him lately though. Maybe this fall yet.

MJ

[Mark Christianson]

Alright, now I got it straight.

I've worked with the infamous John C with some Turkey habitat stuff that past couple years.

[MJCatfish]

John's a good guy and has a passion for those turkeys. We've enjoyed many scouting trips looking for turkeys together. He's the one who got me so tongue-tripped on turkey hunting. It's quite a rush having a conversation with a two-three foot bird in the spring!

MJ