Pre-scouting always pays off, in Chafa’s view. As conditions change, the birds will take advantage of different areas.

The Sny Magill-North Cedar complex is six miles south of McGregor on X56 and three miles northwest on Keystone Road in Clayton County. For more information, contact the Sweet Marsh Unit at (563) 425-4257.

STEPHENS SF
This state forest in southern Iowa is ideal turkey country, reported Gosselink. Over 14,000 acres of rough country divided over several tracts provide excellent fall turkey prospects. “This is one of the first wild turkey reintroduction areas in the state,” he said, “and is the most popular spot for turkey hunters.”

Wildlife technician Jim Coffey also gives the forest a thumbs-up. “Turkeys in the fall will be in transition,” he observed. “They’ll be moving from eating insects in the fields and going back into the deep timber to eat mast crops like acorns. Stephens has big tracts of forest without a lot of fields, so hunters can really key in on those edge areas between the available fields and woods.”

Any of the forest’s several tracts will offer tremendous possibilities for killing a fall gobbler, Coffey believes. Autumn’s hunting differs enough from spring’s for gobbler chasers to have to adjust their tactics. Males aren’t in the mood to respond to calls in the fall, but calling in a scattered family flock works wonders.

Coffey sees a lot of bowhunters carrying a turkey tag while deer hunting, and if a turkey wanders within range, they’ll take a shot. He also sees more guys bowhunting specifically for turkeys than he’s noticed in the past, and the sport seems to be increasing in popularity.

At Stephens, a map will serve those moving in off the beaten path well. Ridges, hills and flatter sections are all heavily timbered, and getting turned around is a definite possibility.

Stephens SF lies primarily in Lucas, Clark and Monroe counties. The large tracts of land are northwest of Unionville. For more information, contact the Mt. Ayer Wildlife Management Unit at (641) 464-2220 or the Rathbun Unit at (641) 774-4918.

SHIMEK SF
“Hunters wanting a true big forest experience will find that Shimek is the place,” said wildlife biologist Bill Ohde. “Large tracts of oak-hickory forest with big ridges divided by small drainages, open forest, thick brushy areas and old pine plantations are all here. There are campgrounds on the area that allow you to walk right from the campsite and be onto the turkeys.”

Shimek, which is also one of Gosselink’s top turkey picks, is the type of area that hunters bring up when the conversation turns to turkeys. “The large tracts of forest allow hunters to spread out and look for gobblers deep in the woods,” said Gosselink. “The forest covers over 9,000 acres in Lee and Van Buren counties, and is the largest single tract of contiguous forest in Iowa.”

If a hunter is the least bit noisy, he can walk for miles and, owing to the terrain, easily miss a flock. Setting up on a ridge giving a bird’s-eye view of the surrounding forest can enable you to spot an unsuspecting flock before it knows you’re there.

Veteran longbeard hunter Steve Purviance does some late-season calling for birds he scatters. “During the fall, hunters will typically ambush birds,” he explained, “because calling has little effect on them. However, fall hunters can have some limited success using the ‘kee-kee run’ call, which imitates the boss hen as she tries to gather scattered birds back into one flock. Hunters should spook and scatter the birds, sit down, wait about 30 minutes and then start the call. It can be very effective.”

Sections of the forest are northeast of Farmington on Road J56, five miles west of Donnellson on Highway 2 and three miles east of Farmington on Highway 2. For additional information, contact the Odessa Unit at (319) 523-8319.