[joestratton1]

Hey guys I have decided to hunt me a turkey when the season opens here in CA next week. I haven't ever hunted before, but I have my license, and an upland bird stamp. I camped at paradise campground in the los padres national forest for labor day and there was wild turkeys walking the campground morning and night so I was planning on going back to the campground and hiking up the trail the turkeys were coming down. My question is that I called the Santa Barbara ranger station and asked how far away from the campground I need to be to shoot. The ranger lady told me she thought I was supposed to be 1.5 miles from a campground. I looked at the DFG website and it looks to me like I should only need to be 150 yards away from dwellings or roads. What do you think? I don't want to get a fine, but I don't want to get jerked around by some ranger either.

[RangerGSP]

I do not want to get you in trouble but I have hunted in similar areas of California and I always followed the DFG regulations and had to go as far as to point them out to the park ranger. He was very kind and apologized for his mistake and wished me luck with a word to be mindful and courteous to the campers. We in the hunting community do not need to make any new enemies. Good luck on your turkey hunt.

[ArkansasHunter]

Down here in So. Arkansas we only have a spring turkey season. In out county we have have good numbers of turkeys though where I hunt they seems to pass through or disappear LOL.
I have yet to harvest one. It honestly...Is my prayer and goal to get one in 2010 !!!
A.H

[joestratton1]

Well I came up with donut. I saw a bunch of tracks and poop, but couldn't get those buggers far enough away from campgrounds and houses. Went across the road to the river bottom, but didn't see anything there. Grouchy old farmer came out and told me I was on private property, I was ready to leave so I didn't argue, but I wondered if he bought some of the ocean at the same time he bought that river bottom. He should also tell the rangers to quit putting no campfire signs on "HIS" property.

[strongarm]

Well, 1.5 miles from the campground is NOT far for those Gobblers. Try calling them to you with a Primos Turkey call, or other hand activated call. You may have a waiting period, but at least your doing something with you hands, while you are waiting, and listening......lol. Gobblers can be closer than you might think, they are just not vocal. A "Hawk Screamer Call" will make those ol' Tom's get vocal, and you may locate them by squaking on that call a time or two. Make sure you are well cammo'd up, and in a concealed spot. Be quiet for about 10 minutes before you call. Try the Hawk first, and if you get a reply, then use the turkey call to bring them in....

[strongarm]

You did do the right thing when asking, before you hunt. I always try to make it a habit to "Look" before I "Leap" so to speak....Good luck!

[Tack Driver]

If you've never hunted before and you bag a turkey your first time out, then it will be a miracle. Turkey hunting is much harder than deer hunting, and turkey hunting in the Fall season is even more difficult.