Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk ALTurkey Talk -- Beards and Spurs Swamp Turkey Strategy? (need help)

So I have the opportunity to get in on some new land that includes some swamp areas. I hunt a property right next to this and have heard gobbles galore in the area, but I've never hunted in marsh/swamps before. Below is a breakdown of the property from my scouting in the last week or so. As a side note, there are hogs all over the place in the marsh which for the most part has 1'-5' of standing water at all times. Everything else has both older pines and occasional hardwood with tall brush (not allowed to do a burn). Where would you set up your turkey ambush?

With that small of swamp, I'd just hunt normally, sometimes in bigger swamps you have birds that spend their entire days in there. With just a bit of swamp, I would imagine they are spending most of their time on the dry ground around it. Although they may roost above the water. Go listen for the birds, and setup in some of those hardwoods

This isn't near Tuskegee is it? Looks like a place I know near the forest

It's a hair east of Seale, I'm going to head down there in the morning and get some time in. I was tossing around the idea of throwing a decoy or two around the road or near the clearing with grass area. The other spot I hunt is on the eastern border and has a decent food plot but I've only seen 2-3 birds in the plot at any point. I heard tons of gobbling yesterday coming from the general area I posted, or at least everything sounded like it was coming from the woods between where I was and the property shown.

Wear your snake boots... Try to find higher ground... Swamp turkeys will walk in some water and sometimes will tree hop in the mornings before flying down... Watch for the cottonmouths

Yessir, I ran across one and a diamond back yesterday before I left. Snake boots are definitely part of the game plan.

Biggest reason I'm interested is that this place has had little to no pressure for birds in the last 4ish years. I'd like to correctly apply some pressure

Hunt them just like every other bird. If they gobble, go to them.

If you want some help, I'll be very close to seale this weekend

Chances are really good that the turkeys here will roost over the water. If that road is a road that you can hunt then I would be standing on it at daybreak. That should give you the ability to move wherever you need to get around them when they fly down. I would just wait to see where they go. Unless you have a day to go scout, in that case you should be able to find some fresh tracks or scratching to indicate where they are spending there time. Other than that just get in there and "live"with them. Good luck!

This is exactly what I did this morning, heard gobbles at about 7:20 EST until 8:10 EST and then went completely silent. I had one talking to me, moved in, set up, didn't hear or see anything after that (that I was chasing on purpose). Left at 12:30.

On the way back to the truck I spotted a monster set of tracks within 30 steps of my truck...

I'd take any turkey mentoring I can get, I'll look into the guest regs as this is on Ft Benning (AL side).

It's kinda pricey, I wanna say like 20 or so a day for a guest permit, and you have to sign your guest in each day. Unless things have changed.

If I can find a guys number I used to hunt with a bit, he's located in Cusetta and hunts the base. He might be better suited to help.

That would be awesome, I've been here for 2+ years but have only been 'in town' for the last half of deer season this year. Never hunted anything but Merriams on the west coast and Rockies. This place is a whole different ball game. I've been skunked the last three days, but managed to call in 3 hunters to the field I was sitting on today.