Patterning fall turkeys

In the spring, hunters try to take advantage of a tom’s predicted behavior during breeding season to bag a bird. In the fall, hunters fill their turkey tags by studying food sources and the daily routine of birds. 

Turkeys follow food sources

As fall progresses, food sources for turkeys change. In late summer and early fall, turkeys largely feed on high-protein insects. Grasshoppers are a primary food source throughout Oregon this time of year. Silk worms, caterpillars, spiders and other bugs make up a good part of a turkey’s fall diet.

As fall leads to winter, earthworms and a variety of dried grass and weed seeds dominate a turkey’s diet. They’ll also focus on rose hips and fruit trees like wild apple, plum and pear.

As food sources change, turkeys may move to a different area or alter their previous daily route.

Turkeys’ daily routine

When food is regularly available, turkeys establish a regular travel route from their roost to a food source. They’ll use this same route over and over for days, weeks and sometimes months. Look for this route to change as food sources change.

Study the birds in the area you want to hunt and try to figure out their routine. What time do they usually leave the roost? Where are they going to feed? The more you can predict the birds’ behavior, the better your chances of finding a good place to set up and hunt.

Once you’ve patterned a flock, you can set up along their predicted path of travel and wait for feeding birds to work within shooting range.

Don't get caught looking

The key to patterning turkey behavior is to watch them from a distance, unseen. Binoculars or a spotting scope will let you observe their behavior without having to get much closer than 400 yards.

Turkey’s are easily spooked. If you spook a large flock while it's feeding, the turkeys may discover food elsewhere, and it can be quite a while before they come back to the spot you found them.

If you don’t have hours to scout and determine a flock’s routine, setting up a trail camera(s) at known a food source can reveal a lot. A well-positioned camera(s) will document precisely when birds arrive, how long they stick around, how often they return during the course of the day, and how many birds are using an area.