Where To Hunt Osceolas
The Osceola wild turkey only lives in Florida. They have the longest spurs of all wild turkeys and are the most aggressive. Although they look similar to eastern turkeys (and likely interbreed with them), they are smaller and have darker colors.
Florida
Florida’s season opens up earlier than any other place in the nation. The public land gets pounded with hunters. Killing a turkey there is not entirely impossible, but it’s close. Your best bet for a gobbler in the public woods is applying to some of their limited draw areas.
Private land turkey hunting is a different story entirely. Unless you have a long-lost relative that owns ground down there, you better be prepared to pay an outfitter a couple of grand and to sit on a waiting list for at least a year.
Local Intel: The Hunting Public’s Zach Ferenbaugh
“We hunted public land that was not part of a limited quota hunt. Due to the fact that the areas that are open to everyone are so limited, it definitely forces a lot of people into the same areas. There was a ton of pressure early, especially during the first week of the season. But as the season went on, the pressure decreased and the action picked up. I believe we hunted there for two full weeks and only shot one turkey on the ninth day. This also may be something to keep in mind if you plan to hunt Florida. Like other southern states with early openers, we tend to see an extreme amount of pressure on public land early in the season but as other seasons open across the country pressure drops back off to a normal level.
“In southern Florida, the climate is unlike anything we have ever experienced. High humidity and temperatures that consistently made it into the mid-80s to 90s every day made for some uncomfortable hikes and camping conditions. Also, hunters planning to take on Florida should plan to spend a lot of time in standing water, and along with the water expect a lot of snakes, alligators, and other critters you don’t see in very many parts of the country.”
