This past weekend i saw 3 longbeards running together and ignoring the hens. I saw these 3 longbeards running together back in early November and this past weekend they were still together..
But i can tell the flocks are busted up to a certain point.. I've seen several hens ones / two's pretty much the last couple weeks just mingling and feeding.
Has anyone else noticed anything unusual with the gobblers this year? I do know they have been less vocal and after flying down it's been pretty much a hush mouth.
Our season has been pushed back 15 days into April and everything is already green up.
We have also had to deal with some pretty cool / cold weather and fronts ...
Yes Greg, so far scouting they have been vocal on roost, quiet after fly down. Of course I am not calling to any of them, we start on Monday. I think they have some ladies waiting for them when they land.......
Sounds like you have a real dominant gobbler around somewhere keeping the flock in check
Quote from: Sixes on April 17, 2024, 06:16:13 PM
Sounds like you have a real dominant gobbler around somewhere keeping the flock in check
Yea, he's gonna be a tough one to get..... :fud: :OGani:
You haven't asked the important question on this day and age. What do said "gobblers" identify as?
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In my tiny part of WV this is typical of human behavior. Most of these people have transplanted themselves from Northern Virginia, Maryland and DC.
Have you received any turkey transplants from these areas? Only a couple can infect the whole flock!
Quote from: Greg Massey on April 17, 2024, 05:16:30 PM
This past weekend i saw 3 longbeards running together and ignoring the hens. I saw these 3 longbeards running together back in early November and this past weekend they were still together..
But i can tell the flocks are busted up to a certain point.. I've seen several hens ones / two's pretty much the last couple weeks just mingling and feeding.
Has anyone else noticed anything unusual with the gobblers this year? I do know they have been less vocal and after flying down it's been pretty much a hush mouth.
Our season has been pushed back 15 days into April and everything is already green up.
We have also had to deal with some pretty cool / cold weather and fronts ...
Early part of this week, spent 3 days hunting this same situation. 3 gobblers hanging out. I called a hen away from the roost from them. They didn't care less about her leaving or me calling!! This is on a private farm we hunt and I also have permission on 2 adjoining pieces. S pressure is minimal. Odd behavior for sure. They prefer their company it seems....
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We didn't see as many turkeys before the season opened and on opening weekend. I told someone they were there, we just weren't seeing or hearing them. I blame that on the continuous high winds we've had this year. Fishermen have complained they can't get a day to go out due to winds being so high everyday. Within the past 2-3 days the winds have died down and fields are full of turkeys again. Our turkeys are the same as always vocally.
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WVFlopper, That is all too obvious here in my part of WV after being invaded by the same people from the same areas! Hunted a farm near me the last few days and as has been said early gobbling and nothing else. Four were strung out maybe two to three hundred yds apart. After full light they went silent and maybe 45 mins or so later I see 4 or 5 walking along like monks. No hens, maybe later they'll respond.
Quote from: Happy on April 17, 2024, 06:34:27 PM
You haven't asked the important question on this day and age. What do said "gobblers" identify as?
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LMBO ... Happy while thinking about it, they do share the same bathroom and wood locker room as the hens .... :TooFunny:
Last spring here at my place, there were three 2 year olds that ran together. Perhaps they were brothers? Anyway, they stayed together throughout spring, summer and fall, joined on a regular basis by a nice double beard.
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I called up 3 longbeards with no hens on Saturday and they came in calking. Can't speak for the other two, but the one that went home with me appeared older than 2.
Quote from: Greg Massey on April 18, 2024, 10:20:05 AM
Quote from: Happy on April 17, 2024, 06:34:27 PM
You haven't asked the important question on this day and age. What do said "gobblers" identify as?
Good-looking and Platinum level member of the Elitist club
LMBO ... Happy while thinking about it, they do share the same bathroom and wood locker room as the hens .... :TooFunny:
So.....you're thinking it's a decoys issue? Maybe try just a Jake instead of a hen? :funnyturkey:
Quote from: Paulmyr on April 18, 2024, 05:45:15 PM
Quote from: Greg Massey on April 18, 2024, 10:20:05 AM
Quote from: Happy on April 17, 2024, 06:34:27 PM
You haven't asked the important question on this day and age. What do said "gobblers" identify as?
Good-looking and Platinum level member of the Elitist club
LMBO ... Happy while thinking about it, they do share the same bathroom and wood locker room as the hens .... :TooFunny:
So.....you're thinking it's a decoys issue? Maybe try just a Jake instead of a hen? :funnyturkey:
May need to break out the secret weapon - Funky Chicken with a black tie around it's neck... :TooFunny:
Quote from: Greg Massey on April 18, 2024, 05:55:08 PM
Quote from: Paulmyr on April 18, 2024, 05:45:15 PM
Quote from: Greg Massey on April 18, 2024, 10:20:05 AM
Quote from: Happy on April 17, 2024, 06:34:27 PM
You haven't asked the important question on this day and age. What do said "gobblers" identify as?
Good-looking and Platinum level member of the Elitist club
LMBO ... Happy while thinking about it, they do share the same bathroom and wood locker room as the hens .... :TooFunny:
So.....you're thinking it's a decoys issue? Maybe try just a Jake instead of a hen? :funnyturkey:
May need to break out the secret weapon - Funky Chicken with a black tie around it's neck... :TooFunny:
What the heck!!! Just throw em all out there and let's have a PAR-TAY!!!!! :jackson:
Quote from: RutnNStrutn on April 18, 2024, 04:09:10 PM
Last spring here at my place, there were three 2 year olds that ran together. Perhaps they were brothers? Anyway, they stayed together throughout spring, summer and fall, joined on a regular basis by a nice double beard.
Brothers running together is what I'd bet. I often see a pair hang together all season. Think about how big jake gangs can be, it's not outrageous for 3 to hang as older birds, especially if there's a boss willing to put them in their place.
Jim
Quote from: Cut N Run on April 18, 2024, 07:55:27 PM
Quote from: RutnNStrutn on April 18, 2024, 04:09:10 PM
Last spring here at my place, there were three 2 year olds that ran together. Perhaps they were brothers? Anyway, they stayed together throughout spring, summer and fall, joined on a regular basis by a nice double beard.
Brothers running together is what I'd bet. I often see a pair hang together all season. Think about how big jake gangs can be, it's not outrageous for 3 to hang as older birds, especially if there's a boss willing to put them in their place.
Jim
I'd venture to guess there's a strong likelyhood 3 sibling 3yr olds are ruling the roost.
Turkeys just being turkeys. They know what they're doing.
We also hunt in West TN. Access to 2 farms approximately 34 miles apart. Not much gobbling on either farm but turkeys are there. Here is what I have noticed.
1.) Gobblers still together in groups of 2 or 3
2.) Gobblers don't seemed to be with hens
3.) Gobblers have no interest in hen calls unless they are with hens and you are in their strut zone.
4.) Gobblers that are usually strutting in fields are still in the woods
We have killed 2 birds. One came in silent. Not a single gobble. He was with another gobbler. Not really strutting. Just looking. The second bird was with a hen. Would not gobble until we called within 150 yards of him. He continued to gobble and came in gobbling like a "normal" bird. I know he heard our prior calls but would not respond until we were in his zone.
On the silent bird's farm, we do have some coyotes and a band of 5 bully jakes. They may explain the paucity of gobbling but not the lack of interest in hens or calling.
Well yesterday, I killed a longbeard at 1215pm. His running buddies were 2 other longbeards. No hens. Seemed very content with the company he had. No gobbling, no strutting or drumming. Matter of fact, the only thing the were doing was feeding and scratching in the leaves. The would get color in their heads and stop and stare into my thicket but mostly they were very passive. Really odd behavior for a group of 2 year olds for this time of the year...
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Quote from: Greg Massey on April 18, 2024, 05:55:08 PMQuote from: Paulmyr on April 18, 2024, 05:45:15 PMQuote from: Greg Massey on April 18, 2024, 10:20:05 AMQuote from: Happy on April 17, 2024, 06:34:27 PMYou haven't asked the important question on this day and age. What do said "gobblers" identify as?
Good-looking and Platinum level member of the Elitist club
LMBO ... Happy while thinking about it, they do share the same bathroom and wood locker room as the hens .... :TooFunny:
So.....you're thinking it's a decoys issue? Maybe try just a Jake instead of a hen? :funnyturkey:
May need to break out the secret weapon - Funky Chicken with a black tie around it's neck... :TooFunny:
I think that Long Black Velcro Tie will do the TRICK!
It is a dif year. I've watched birds for weeks. Have them gobbling crazy only to fly down with hens and the hens just walk away. Most hens are solo or moving off into brush. They seem to want nothing to do w gobblers.