Seeking advice from turkey hunters in Mississippi and Alabama

[mossyoakx]

Hello everyone! This is my first post here after viewing for a long time and just reading posts. I have learned a lot of great info from this forum and it seems to have a very good community!

Anyway onto the reason for this post, I am a Illinois resident and college student. For a number of years I have wanted to take my spring break vacation and go south and hunt turkeys. Unfortunately I only get a set date when this would happen due to my college taking a very early break compared to turkey hunting. As a result, the only states that i will be able to hunt in is either Mississippi or Alabama during the first week of both seasons respectively. I was wanting to know which one would be the better choice or if there was any specific area that stood out to anyone that lives or hunts in either state, because I will be forced to hunt public ground.

I have done quite a bit of research already and discovered that Alabama has more birds statewide, but Mississippi has more public ground to hunt. So it would seem that its a pick your poison situation. What do you guys think? Im at a loss of where to go atm and would love feedback from you guys. Any and all information is accepted and appreciated. Thank you guys!

[silvestris]

I would stay out of the Homochitto National Forest.  The hunting used to be great there but has really fallen off in the last few years.  I still had four days left on my non-resident license last spring and hunted hard in areas that have traditionally held birds.  I didn't hear the first gobble and decided not to renew my license for the remainder of the season.  My experience may have just been due to a timing factor, but I didn't see any significant sign.

If you choose Mississippi, I would concentrate north of I-20.  The reports from that part of the state were better than the southern half of the state last spring.  However, it seems that turkeys are really having a tough time across the southern belt of the country.  I am about to get too old to travel and hunt hard and sure wish things were like they were in the 1980s.

[mossyoakx]

Wow, first of all thank you for your input silvestris. I was actually considering Homochitto due to its size but I'm glad I heard from you first. If you don't mind I have a few extra questions I'd like to ask because you say you have experience in Mississippi.

1. In 2014, I've read that Mississippi had a record number of poults born which would mean that this coming spring there will be a lot of 2 year old, legal birds. If you were me would this affect your decision on where to hunt?
2. Do you know of any public ground that is not hit all that hard by a sheer number of hunters? I learned that Homochitto can really get pounded by deer hunters and turkey hunters too.
3. Whats the biggest issue you have with turkeys from Mississippi?
4. What are the mosquitoes and snakes like at that time of the year? Are they something to look out for at the beginning of the season?

Thank you again for your answers and time. Really, really, really appreciate it friend.

[Tail Feathers]

I've never hunted MS or Alabama but welcome to the board!

I would do some internet research on public land and google the areas you find.  You may find forum posts about the number or birds of opportunities.
Narrow it down to two or three places and contact area biologists (NWTF lists them on their website) and ask some questions about bird numbers which WMA may be the best for you.

Contact the WMA manager, who may not be a biologist, and ask about which areas of the WMA has the best number or birds.  They will very often be pretty open with information.  You have plenty of time to research and plan.  Good luck.

[davisd9]

I have hunted both states but on private ground. The MS birds gobbled their heads off and it was a blast, southwest MS.

Alabama was tough as a cold front met us when we arrived. We both killed but birds did not gobble much. Weather really tested your skills. It was northwest Alabama.

I highly recommend hunting either state as they are both beautiful ground. Good ouck


Sent from the Strut Zone

[hunter22]

Last year was the 9th year for me to hunt public land in Mississippi. A hunting companion and I had both killed gobblers for the first 8 years. Last year we hunted an area that we had taken several gobblers and we got on one gobbling bird in 4 days of hunting. We saw very little sign. I was really disappointed and have no plans to go back anytime soon.

[Cove]

This what I took from my Mississippi experience:

Either I got really lucky or the guys in Mississippi are doing one heckuva job using reverse psychology on the out of staters. A friend visited the same area in MS last year and came back with the same conclusion. We found plenty of birds and no people. This is not saying the birds were a push over, but they were there and kept us busy which is all you can ask for on any trip. I'd say one of the better southeastern states to hunt without having to dodge people. 

[surehuntsalot]

the Bienville NF is a goo place to look over, but one thing you need to check on with the dates you can hunt is what public lands are having draw hunts, most of the state wma's have draw hunts the first couple of weeks of the season

[silvestris]

1.  I have heard nothing about the record number of poults.  I hope you are right.  I am more than satisfied with one gobbling turkey per day.  The Mississippi department publishes a book each year that gives information for the various areas of the state.

2.  The Homochitto is the only public ground that I have hunted in Mississippi.  Lots of pressure.

3.  The birds are tough as they are hunted by a lot of good a turkey hunters.

4.  Thermocell and watch where you walk.  Neither pest is much of a problem early in the season, but it depends on the weather cycle.  I have seen both early in certain years.

[Preacher]

I might be able to help you   give me a call   6017575030