Eastern Wild Turkey

Food plots can serve to attract turkeys during hunting seasons if natural vegetation is scarce. During fall hunting seasons turkey may visit warm-season plots that provide an abundance of seeds and insects. During spring hunting seasons turkey may also frequent food plots for the insects they attract, which provide hens with protein and calcium needed for reproduction. Plots are commonly used by gobblers as strutting zones. 

Principle food plantings for eastern wild turkey.

The ability of supplemental forage to increase populations of turkey is unknown. Increasing populations with food plots requires substantial labor and financial investments and should only be preformed after proper habitat management has been implemented. An attempt to increase turkey numbers should focus on late-winter to early spring when natural foods of turkey are scarce. Food plot design is similar to that of deer with plots ranging from 0.5-3 acres in size and irregular or long and narrow in shape. Plots should border mature timber at least 20 acres in size and provide adequate escape cover. One food plot for every 160 acres is generally recommended.