[BSJ1008]

I am a little over an hour from Ashtabula and I cannot pass up the number that the county harvest each year. Does anyone have any connections or ideas of places to go? Last year was my first year hunting turkeys and it wasn't successful at the places closer to me. I can either drive to ashtabula or 2 hours to coshocton but ashtabula is so much closer and it has double the harvests. Any help would be great, I really want to bag a gobbler this year!

 

[AirForceGuy85]

New Lyme. It's public land but there's a lot of it. I've hunted small game several times there. I don't know how crowded it gets during gobbler season. I know that when I was hunting small game I never so much as seen another vehicle there. I'm sure that won't be the case during turkey season but you should at least have elbow room.

 

[DanT]

I wouldn't just focus on the numbers. I bet you have 5X the number of guys hunting up in Ashtabula county per huntable acre than you have in counties like Coshocton, Harrison, Guernsey, etc. If you're hunting public land, there is no doubt your best shot is heading south to a public area down there; I personally think new Lyme will be a hornets nest of hunters.......

 

[Turkey Bandit]

Man, wish I had to choose between the two most productive counties in the state. That would be a nice problem to have!

 

[bluedog]

Yes there are a lot of birds up here but remember that Ashtabula County is the biggest county as far as number of square miles. More land = more birds harvested total. Most of the top 10 counties for turkey harvest are in the top 20 biggest counties (number of square miles) in the state. Except for Harrison County. Its size ranks 74 of 88 counties and it's turkey harvest is always right up there toward the top. Maybe we should all be heading there.

I've always wanted to try some of the public land up here but the hunting up here doesn't really get good until the last week of the season and by then I am too burnt out to try some place new. LOL! I'll bet the hunting pressure is lower though.

Sent from my Ally

 

[BSJ1008]

Thanks for the direction. It is appreciated. I am just trying to get my first harvest this year. I hunt whitetail on private land so I am more familiar with it and I can watch it all year round. Turkeys are something I am not as experienced with

 

[Turkey Bandit]

I like the analisys Bluedog. Very well thought out.

BSJ, you are in for quite a treat. Just remember, based on numbers from last year, we only have about a 25% success ratio across all the the tag holders, including some of the grizzled old veterans that post here. I, however, am proof that even a blind squirel can find a nut. Outta 23 birds shot in my county, I connected with one of them. Put your time in and do some preseason morning scouting and you can make it happen.

Best of luck to you this year!

 

[beaston]

New Lyme wildlife area is 1/2 mile from me and I do a lot of driving and spotting fields and the birds aren't even close to the numbers 10-15 years ago. Several years ago I read an article in outdoor Life or Field and Stream that labeled New Lyme as the Top spot in the State. Theres no way I would spend anytime in there and I use to see Flocks of sixty birds this time of year but now your lucky to see 10 in a flock. Bluedog is hundred percent right on the counties like Harrison. Harrison has the highest deer success rate in the state and the Turkey numbers show pretty good odds also.

Good Luck

 

[scott trout]

i would knock on some doors in both countys. you would be surprised how many people will let you turkey hunt there land. not as many as years past but its alot easier then obtaining deer permission. public land birds are tough to hunt for even the best caller. i had a dream season last year just by asking permission.