Most Non-Resident Turkey Friendly State?

[cornfedkiller]

Since I cant seem to draw a tag in MN (and just for more hunting opportunities), I was looking into a couple different states to hunt turkeys in during the next few years, and Im wondering what you guys think are some of the most non-resident friendly?

Here are a few things Im looking for, and some of the stuff Ive come up with so far..

1) Ease of draw/over the counter

2) Available land to hunt - Public and accessibility of private land

3) Number of birds

4) Price of a license

5) Distance to travel

Iowa is obviously close, but at $228 for a bird, it doesnt seem very wallet-friendly.

Kansas has a good amount of public land (I think?), and tags are cheap..I believe you can shoot 2 birds for like $90.

South Dakota has a ton of birds and a ton of public land (something like 1.5 million acres in the black hill area), and tags are like $85. At about a 10 hour drive, it seems like South Dakota might not be a bad choice.

What can you guys tell me about Wisconsin?

Nebraska is great, but I already go there, so Im looking for something else..

[Grasshopper]

Great question!

My votes (since I can't pick NE):

Kansas: Choked with turkeys, tags about $100, two-bird limit (with a little extra $) in eastern half.

MO: Surprisingly good access in the 2nd and 3rd weeks, two-bird tag. Tons of birds.

WI: Draw state, but turkeys everywhere, excellent hunting, $75 tag.

I have hunted them all and go wherever and whenever I can!

[cornfedkiller]

Thanks grasshopper!

In regards to wisconsin, does it matter where you go? Im assuming there arent turkeys in the northern part, but is western wisconsin full of birds, or do I have to travel to central/eastern wisconsin to get into good birds?

Whats the public land situation like in WI? Or how easy is it go get onto private land..Id guess not that easy??

[Grasshopper]

CF: I have hunted western WI (LaX, Sparta area, Buffalo Co. and others) and its all good. Better access late season on private land.

Some good-to-great public land hunting in the central part of the state (Black River state forest, county land, etc.)

More and more turkeys in northern WI....They have them in ALL counties now. Tons of public land in the north. Lighter turkey population, but its growing. Don't tell anyone

In my experience, lands you could never access for deer in WI you can get on for turkeys, especially in the later seasons. Their draw is in December, but definitely put it on your hit list for next year.

[cornfedkiller]

Their draw is in December, but definitely put it on your hit list for next year.

Thanks for the info! They were on my hit list for this coming spring, but with their draw ending so soon, I missed the deadline. I might go do a little calling and filming for a friend with some land there this spring though!

Anyone else have any info?

[cornfedkiller]

Seriously looking into a South Dakota trip this spring..Gonna try to do it cheap, so we might end up tenting it (depending on the weather)..

Anyways, can anyone give me any info on this? Anyone have any tips?

[marshgrass]

wi is a draw as grasshopper said but they have left over tags. tags go on sale sometime in march and you can buy one a day. not sure if it applies to nonresidents though. getting on land like grasshopper said is fairly easy. if you spent a day driving around asking you could get on quite a few farms

[cornfedkiller]

Thanks for the info..WI is definitely on my hit-list, but my problem with buying left over tags is that I have to go back to school early may, and I dont have any time to hunt after that..Usually the left over tags (for MN anyways) are for times that do not work with my schedule.

I will look into it though and see if there is anything that will work for me..

[Mojo]

you can buy OTC archery tags for the last 2 weeks in MN

stay away from ND!!!!...very non-friendly to non-res!! unless you want to hunt them in the fall & after the res. picked through the leftover tags then you can get one.