Turkey hunting in marshes and swamps

[Dewey]

Anybody have success doing this? Seems like most hunt farmland or hardwoods.

I'm not talking about on the fringes but actually deep in marshes and swamps. One thing I have been surprised by while scouting and hunting over recent years is how many turkeys live in this stuff. I bust turkeys off remote islands quite often where they seem to have spent a lot of time. Usually many roost trees with plenty of feathers covering the ground.

Many times I have come across birds that hunker down in cattails and don't flush until you almost step right on them! I think they actually roost right in cattails at night because this happens quite often when walking in the morning dark to stand.

I don't hunt turkey much anymore but doing it in this type of environment interests me.

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[Uncle Lou]

I have a neighbor that said he found an island in a swamp that had birds on public land not far from here, and said it was very hard to get to (he is in his 70s) when it was froze up and said it would be nearly impossible to get to when not froze. Thanks for the reminder, I might have him point that out for me, I wouldn't mind a shot at that. Plus I got a BEAST coming over from WI for turkey, maybe we can do a little MI baptism.

[hunter_mike]

The main thing that would keep me from doing that is that it is easy enough to get on turkeys on dry ground around here at least! However that is some very interesting info, and I have a feeling it could come in very handy to know where a few of those kind of isolated spots are.

[headgear]

Not turkeys but a lot of the islands I hunt are overrun with grouse, don't see half as many on the mainland as I do out in the swamps.

[Dewey]

I have watched turkeys fly out to these islands from the mainland many times. Makes sense because everything they need is there and they rarely get hassled by humans plus predators are probably less likely as well.

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[MattyG]

I have seen what your talking about in a marsh i have kicked up turkeys that scare the crap out of me.

you have to pritty much step on them befor you even know they are thare. its like they are tucked into the grass/cattails.