Need help...new to hunting

[Northener]

Happy Easter everyone....as the title states, I'm new to hunting....bought me a excal axiom and am dying to hunt with it....but I'm new to the area and don't know where to go...I've been looking at the copeland forest or tiny marsh to hunt some gobbler. ..and advice would be greatly appreciated

[way123hockey]

I have never hunted either of those but I do hunt the Simcoe County Forests. You can find all the locations online and just need to do some pre-season scouting. We have had pretty good luck over the years.

[Northener]

Thank for the advice I really appreciate it.....was getting a little discouraged
I got a map from travel Ontario in barrie guess that would lay out all the forests

[Hunt it]

That map will most likely not mark county forests - Provincial and National parks yes but that's not what your seeking. Township office will have county forest maps and perhaps your local MNR office. Then the rest is up to you, scouting - driving miles and miles early am looking for turkeys. Once you find birds work on landowners in area. No one is going to do all that for you unless you pay a guide. Back pages of Ontario Out of Doors lists some good Ontario guides for turkey. I averaged 2-3 thousand km's every spring for first fifteen years I hunted birds just finding, watching and patterning birds along with getting permission.

[Minnow]

the interactive map works well on PC but not on mobile. It'll give you more info if you check it out. My parents live just south of a couple of these and I only realized recently that they can be hunted. Good luck to u guys!

http://maps.simcoe.ca/help/Forest_and_Recreation.htm

[Northener]

Thanx minnow...plugged it into my pc and came up with alot...plan
to scout some areas this weekend

[Timbrhuntr]

Maybe things have changed but didn't they make membership in the OFAH a condition to hunting in the Simcoe county forest or has that changed . Its one of the reason I would never be able to hunt there not a member and never will be ! Maybe this is no longer required hope so !

[Minnow]

Maybe things have changed but didn't they make membership in the OFAH a condition to hunting in the Simcoe county forest or has that changed . Its one of the reason I would never be able to hunt there not a member and never will be ! Maybe this is no longer required hope so !

I have heard the same thing. Apparently most county forests require this because of the liability insurance policy you get with a membership. I'll be joining within the next few weeks and it's well worth the money when you see the packages they are offering

[Timbrhuntr]

I was a member for many years but then began to lose interest and when they want to make it a requirement to be a member and follow their rules etc so I can hunt a public forest I lose even more respect for them ! I can just a imagine my buddies in the states if they were told they couldn't hunt on some public ground unless they were members of the NWTF or some other organization what a joke !