I've recently been granted access to a new piece of ground. The landowner says that he sees turkeys regularly. I hunted this property yesterday morning, and did not hear a single gobble on roost. I am used to hunting large river bottoms, where gobbling on the limb is just about guaranteed. My question is, does this lack of gobbling mean that the property is largely void of birds, or just that they do not use this or the surrounding farms as regular roosting?
More than likely the land owner was seeing these turkeys in groups before the coming together of the flocks and the breakup then taking place. After the pairing of the flocks, they will then go off in all directions. Also turkeys have a wintering place and a spring breeding place. So if you're seeing hens on this new piece of ground more than likely you will have a gobbler or gobblers in the area. No they don't necessarily have to gobble on the limb every morning. Hunting Silent gobblers can be pretty frustrating but it's all part of the cycle they go through for survival. Also gobblers can communicate with each other by gobbling. It's like who's left of the gobblers and a way for them to eventually come back together after breeding season and grouping back up... Hen's will be off nesting and trying to take care/protect the new born poults... I would also say one morning isn't a good overall observation of what you heard or was expecting to hear on the new ground. I would think you will need to spend more time scouting for signs, tracks, scratching, dusting places and glassing fields to make a good assessment of the property. IMO...
Could be they're only on the place during the day certain times of year, none of which are turkey season. What does the sign say? I would bet they roost off property or relocate to nest, but that's just a guess.
Turkey nearly always gobble. Sometimes they do it only once and quietly. You have to know where they are and be close to hear it.
I'd be scouring your woods for sign ....
One day is not a good indicator. I didn't hear a bird at daylight yesterday in a location I have seen 5 different toms in in the last few days. They where there just not gobbling.
Quote from: Greg Massey on May 01, 2023, 02:03:32 AM
More than likely the land owner was seeing these turkeys in groups before the coming together of the flocks and the breakup then taking place. After the pairing of the flocks, they will then go off in all directions. Also turkeys have a wintering place and a spring breeding place. So if you're seeing hens on this new piece of ground more than likely you will have a gobbler or gobblers in the area. No they don't necessarily have to gobble on the limb every morning. Hunting Silent gobblers can be pretty frustrating but it's all part of the cycle they go through for survival. Also gobblers can communicate with each other by gobbling. It's like who's left of the gobblers and a way for them to eventually come back together after breeding season and grouping back up... Hen's will be off nesting and trying to take care/protect the new born poults... I would also say one morning isn't a good overall observation of what you heard or was expecting to hear on the new ground. I would think you will need to spend more time scouting for signs, tracks, scratching, dusting places and glassing fields to make a good assessment of the property. IMO...
Well said Greg.