i DON'T KNOW HOW THEY KNOW, BUT TURKEYS know where they are safe and where they are not.  I see turkeys along the roads right up until opening day of turkey season on a regular basis. But a day after the season opens - they are GONE and they stay GONE for a month until turkey season closes.  A week after he season closes and they reappear.  I don't know HOW they know but they KNOW!

Hey Brando, that about sums it up for turkey in San Diego.  I cannot tell you the amount of times I have gone out for some birds on Palomar during the season, only to drive down the hill near Henshaw and see 3 or 4 big gobblers chasing hens ont he front lawns of those houses there.  As Mike said, the birds are not stupid.

Check out Eagle Peak and Boulder Creek Rds just before julian on the 78.  Again, you will have to close your eyes driving through the private area, as you will continue to be frustrated by the birds you see.  However, there are birds on public land there, just find some away from the hunters and go to work.  I usually head out for a scouting trip the first week or so of March, when it all starts to heat up.

As for the fall season, your guess is as good as mine.  We have only had a fall season here in San Diego for 2 seasons, and I haven't tried for them yet.