While not to discount acorns or food patches, wild turkeys are opportunistic feeders. They will eat whatever is available from soft mast to wild annual grass seeds to insects. It is not unusual to see a turkey feeding on buds in trees or in shrubs, eating berries. The best management technique is to provide the widest variety of foods for the wild flock. Acorns and other hard-shelled seeds are referred to as hard mast.
Soft mast consists of fleshy seed such as cherries, crabappples and hawthorns.
When managing a forest, soft mast should be highly favored because it is a more consistent annual product. Trees that benefit turkeys include a mixture of oaks, hickories, maples, ashes, gums and fruit-bearing shrubs. Wild grapes are also favored by turkeys and can provide food in early to mid winter. For the mast trees to be productive, they musty be at least 14 to 16 inches in diameter at breast height. Diameter and size relative to maximum production varies, but the above size is a good measure to use.