Attract Indiana Wild Turkeys with Corn
If you’re looking to attract wild turkeys to your Indiana property during this spring hunting season, it’s important to know what types of food sources they’re seeking. As we discussed in our last blog post, wild turkeys are opportunistic feeders and will eat almost anything. They especially love eating nuts and grains such as corn cobs and wheat, making it easy to set food out for them.
Wild Turkey Food Plots
The simplest way to attract turkeys to your property is by scattering corn around. However, you may be interested in creating a permanent food plot. According to Indiana Government DNR website, “Food plots are small strips or blocks of a grain crop like corn and sorghum or legumes that are planted in the spring and harvested in the fall.” It’s relatively easy to set up a wild turkey feeding area, but they have some preferences you should pay attention to when setting up an area on your property.
According to BigGameLogic.com, wild turkeys “prefer foraging on the edge of small clearings in wooded areas. SO, when choosing a location for a food plot for turkeys, you want to be near a wooded area. Turkeys require water every day and a water source should be no more than a mile away…you can always construct a water hole.” You also want to refrain from using pesticides in an area to allow turkeys to forage on the insects. The hunting plot provides a food source for the turkeys while giving you an opportunity to increase your game sightings.
Create a Water Hole to Attract Wild Turkeys
Another important factor to consider when setting out food for wild turkeys is making sure they have enough water. They often feed at sites that are close to a water source. If you don’t have a water source such as a stream or pond on your property, you can create a water hole for them. RealTree.com has some great instructions for building your own water hole, and it will be a good investment for attracting wild turkeys and other wildlife. You can choose from several different sizes of water holes to create, from big to small, to help attract the wild turkeys to your property.
Planting Corn in Your Wild Turkey Food Plot
BigGameLogic.com recommends planting corn because “crops like corn and soybeans are great because if you don’t harvest them, they provide food for the game during winter.” They also give ratios for how much corn you should plant and recommend 2-4 pounds of corn per 1/4 acre. Early to mid-Spring is the best time to plant a food plot, making this time of year the perfect time to start this project.
Setting Out Corn for Wild Turkeys
If you don’t have the time or area to create a food plot, you can still attract wild turkeys to your property by scattering feed corn or ear corn for them. Simply scatter ear corn around suitable places on your property where wild turkeys are likely to come for water or rest. This will increase your game sightings and help you bag a turkey for your dinner table during the open spring season.
At Daily Family Farm, we package all our corn fresh and ship it straight to you. We sell ear corn in several sizes of bags so you can get the right amount for your property. You can purchase ear corn for $6.50 a pound, and our biggest size is a 40-pound case. Call us at (812) 371-5644 if you have any questions or would like to place an order. Help get your property ready for the wild turkey spring season in Indiana and increase your game sightings by setting out ear corn for the turkeys.