Best turkey hunters are from

[Cut N Run]

It certainly appears to me that the southeastern states have many more dedicated turkey hunters than the rest of the country,...and dedication to any form of hunting breeds skill and success.  There are really good turkey hunters scattered all across the country, however. 

Put a dedicated turkey hunter from anywhere in the country in any location,...and give them time to familiarize themselves with the birds and habitat,...and they will adapt and be able to kill turkeys there.  Turkey hunting ain't rocket science.  Anybody that wants to put in the time and effort to learn can be a great turkey hunter.  With all the modern innovations and tools available for todays hunter, all it takes is dedication.

^Quoted for truth.

I think how good a turkey hunter is depends a lot on where he hunts too.  Those who have access to big pieces of private property with lots of lightly pressured birds, don't face near the challenges of others who hunt crowded public land or small properties with highly pressured birds.  It only takes a few know-nots who over-call, can't sit still, or take too long a shot to make gobblers more jumpy than they already are and increase their wariness up a few notches.

I have experience hunting both scenarios and I always get a greater sense of achievement by dropping a wary, tough bird than a 30 minute hunt on a gobbler who never guessed there were humans around.

Jim

[Shotgun]

I'd say AL and AR

[Gobble!]

Not flat land.

[StrutStopper_71]

South Alabama/North West Florida, there are some real turkey killers and the birds are just a different breed of eastern's!

[AndyH]

I've hunted and killed turkeys in several different states both south and north and both public and private. No matter where I have hunted, turkeys are turkeys. Some days it can be easy and other days it is tough to kill one. Of course the south has probably more tradition as far as turkey hunters go, but in my book that doesn't make them better hunters.

[GSLAM95]

It certainly appears to me that the southeastern states have many more dedicated turkey hunters than the rest of the country,...and dedication to any form of hunting breeds skill and success.  There are really good turkey hunters scattered all across the country, however. 

Put a dedicated turkey hunter from anywhere in the country in any location,...and give them time to familiarize themselves with the birds and habitat,...and they will adapt and be able to kill turkeys there.  Turkey hunting ain't rocket science. Anybody that wants to put in the time and effort to learn can be a great turkey hunter.  With all the modern innovations and tools available for todays hunter, all it takes is dedication.

Well said GobbleNut and I will add that their is high pressured public ground all across the country and I have seen it in many states.  Anyone that has turkey hunted for any length of time has seen it. 
I've had friends from the south draw a tag here in Southern IL and come up to hunt.  Draw a tag that is only good for 5-6 days and county specific and have only a couple of days to hunt. 
I know a lot that have said they wouldn't come back because of weather, low turkey numbers etc etc.  The bottom line is you get out of the hunt what you put into it no matter where you are.

The simple truth is that some people have hunt instincts, calling abilities, woodsmanship etc and some don't.  It seems there is more emphasis these days put on a competition format instead of the good times of camaraderie among friends and pure experience of hunting.
Hunters are a small number of the overall population and turkey hunters are an even smaller number so instead of worrying about who is better at what and where, how about we just all kick back enjoy the ride and throw another log on the campfire.

[tomstopper]

It certainly appears to me that the southeastern states have many more dedicated turkey hunters than the rest of the country,...and dedication to any form of hunting breeds skill and success.  There are really good turkey hunters scattered all across the country, however. 

Put a dedicated turkey hunter from anywhere in the country in any location,...and give them time to familiarize themselves with the birds and habitat,...and they will adapt and be able to kill turkeys there.  Turkey hunting ain't rocket science.  Anybody that wants to put in the time and effort to learn can be a great turkey hunter.  With all the modern innovations and tools available for todays hunter, all it takes is dedication.

I also think that the hunting of turkeys started in the south long before it caught on up north. This being said, naturally you will have bigger names and a lot more of them coming from the south.

[DirtNap647]

I duno whos are the toughest but pa game land birds are quite tricky

[chatterbox]

My opinion for what it is worth, would go to the southern turkey hunter.
Now I believe much like what has been said that there are good turkey hunters all over the country, but the south is steeped in strong traditions and a vast wealth of knowledge, that I still believe the best overall hunters come from the south.

[Ruger M77]

Pennsylvania.   I am surprised nobody knew!

X2

[Spitten and drummen]

The south. Mostly because generation after generation has been turkey hunting. It is a deep rooted tradition that had a several generation head start on the rest of the country. There are turkey slayer all over the U.S. , but if you look at the legends , they all mostly hailed from the Deep South.

[bghunter777]

If you are talking die hard hunters I say the northeast particularly Pa. If we are talking averages I would say Alabama or Missouri. States w the highest density one would think have the best turkey hunters but its the states where you may only have one or one group on the entire property that become the best and truly must learn how a turkey thinks and acts. States with dozen of gobblers although tend to have more success often it is hey lets sit in our blind in the corner of the food plot.

[zelmo1]

  I also agree with GobbleNut. But, I have to defend my brothers and sisters in New England. Any one of the top 5 states you mentioned have more turkeys than all of New England. The lower numbers and hunting pressure here make it difficult to be successful all the time. Good hunters who put in the work will be rewarded just like everywhere else. Just saying that up here in the Northeast we do not have the sheer numbers that are in the south and midwest. Anybody wants to come hunt up here in Maine, I will gladly help out with your trip. Good luck to all and God Bless

[clfergus]

I think location is irrelevant. The best turkey hunters are the ones who don't have access to prime hunting land that has ideal terrain, food, water, shelter.....are forced to hunt public lands with high pressure or sub-par private lands with minimal birds and yet hunt hard every day and take a bird each year.

Sure, some locations might have more hunters in this scenario...so lets say Alabama has 2,000 top notch hunters based on my above criteria but PA, SC, KY, TN have 500 based solely on available land. What if both states top 500 are equally as good...does that make Alabama any better?

My grandpa use to talk about the old days and I can recall him making comments about certain guys saying that old boy could flat out hunt. I don't think he meant just deer or turkey. I think he meant anything because that is what you did back then.

I think that same logic is applicable today....I think a hunter is a hunter. My dad at 74 years old decided to start turkey hunting around 8 years ago I think after being a life long deer, rabbit, squirrel hunter. He has killed a bird every year hunting in little old Indiana on a mix of private and public lands.

Unless you could drop him into a situation in Alabama where you had an old rascal of a tom who could not be called in to see if he could maneuver or call him in, how would you ever know if he was any better than that same guy in Alabama?

Instead of talking about location, I think an argument could be had for better turkey hunter (bow vs gun hunter).

Having been a long time bow hunter in the Midwest of Whitetails, I know first hand that bow hunting adds a level of skill in scouting, playing the wind, nerve control, etc...that you don't tend to need as much when using a rifle.

Getting a turkey into bow range, drawing and hitting the mark seems like the ultimate in skill.

Sorry, I hope I don't hijack the thread. Just my opinion.

[Blong]

 

Not flat land.

To me hills birds are much easier. You can get in position way easier. I think colonel Kelly said something to the affect of God bless the hills turkeys! We have a group of guys that do really well in the ozarks every year.