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Aside from a clear view of the bird(-s) or hearing their calls, there are several ways that you can tell if turkeys are present in a particular area.

Tracks: Turkey tracks are an obvious indicator of the birds' presence. In winter, when snow blankets the landscape, examination of the tracks can tell you how many turkeys are present, perhaps what sex they are, where they have been and where they are going, and what their behavior and feeding habits are. At other times of the year, tracks may be found in muddy or sandy areas. Tracks normally show the 3 toes, with the "heel" print less obvious. In general, the middle toe of an eastern tom is about 21/2 inches and that of the hen about 2 inches. The distance from the tip of the middle toe to the back of the heel pad is generally less than 41/4 inches in hens and greater than that in toms.

Feathers: Loose feathers are an obvious clue and can help in aging or sexing the birds.

Scratchings: Turkeys generally feed in flocks, with the birds scratching and digging in the duff on the forest floor for acorns, seeds, and other food items (especially fall and winter). This scratching turns up the leaves and other debris, looking like the area has been hard-raked or roto-tilled. Scratchings may sometimes be confused with those left by deer or squirrels; however, those animals often dig small holes and penetrate the earth. Turkeys rarely actually dig, although the scratching may scarify the surface of the ground. Deer tracks may also indicate the presence of that animal.

Dusting: Turkeys (and grouse and other game birds) often "dust" by wallowing in soft loose soil. The function of dusting has not been definitively established, but probably relates to grooming and cleaning of the feathers. Dusting has also been speculated to rid the bird of lice and other parasites, and, during molting, to relieve the body of itching relating to feather-shedding. Dust beds are usually body-sized, bowl-shaped depressions in loose soil, old ant hills, or sawdust piles. Tracks and loose feathers may be found in the dust bed or nearby.

Droppings: A mass of droppings or splashes of dung at the base of a tree indicate that the turkeys have roosted there. Birds may not always use the same roost tree but may roost in the same general area over a period of time. From fall  to spring, the sex of turkeys may be distinguished (along the trail and in feeding areas) from the shape of the dropping. Those of adult males, or gobblers, are often "J" or "L" shaped, with a curlicue on the end. Those of hens are more globular or lumpy, and shorter and less straight than those of the males. Both sexes may also pass excrement from their caecum, which shows up as soft blackish or brownish flattened splashes.

Strut Marks: In the spring, the gobbler's "strut marks" may be found in glades and openings where the tom is displaying. If there is bare ground in these areas, the male's dragging wings may leave parallel scratches about 1 foot apart, as if someone has scratched lines with a stick. These strutting areas may be preferred and used repeatedly by the gobbler.