The green, palmetto-choked landscape of central and southern Florida is home to the Osceola wild turkey. But like in any turkey hunt, success begins with lots of planning.
According to Hunter’s Specialties Pro Staffer Alex Rutledge, scouting is key. It is especially important for the Osceola.
“You can never scout too much for Osceolas,” Rutledge said. “Place a big emphasis on strut zones. Once you locate a good strut zone, you will have half the battle won.”
Rutledge said open terrain and swampland are the two basic types of habitat where the Osceola will be found. He recommends taking two very different scouting tactics for each.
“For swamp ground, spend a considerable amount of time scouting on foot. Knowing the terrain will better your success rate,” Rutledge said. “Look for areas with lots of tracks and feathers to indicate travel routes.”
Due to the dense swamps and pine woods, thick with palmettos and other growth, turkeys and other wildlife frequently funnel through the same routes day in and day out. Continue reading more…. Article source NWTF