On my way home from work today, I was alert when I was headed through an area where I've seen turkeys before. I usually only see them on the left side of the road, but today they had come up to and then crossed the road. They were in the field on the right side of the road. There were 10 turkeys and one of them, a gobbler, was a smokey grey bird!!!! :o I've been hunting turks for nearly 20 years and that's the first time I've seen a smokey grey bird, much less an Osceola!! Unfortunately I was in traffic, and by the time I got turned around and in position with my camera, they were on the far side of the field, too far away for a good pic.
I'd like to say I have a shot at this bird but this is one of the places I film birds at but can't hunt. I do know that from now on, I'll be looking for that smokey grey.
Very cool Rut.
We had a smoke phase hen at our local golf course for a couple of years. I've heard that smoke phase gobblers are MUCH more rare than hens. Thanks for sharing!
Ive seen several smoke phase hens and only 2 smoke phase gobblers. I've also seen 2 red phase gobblers and 1 black phase gobblers. These color characteristic turkeys are awesome and a sure trophy. I have a buddy that told me he has a smoke phase gobbler on his place and is on his hit list this year. Hope he gets it so I can see it.
TRKYHTR
I have two smoky grey eastern hens at the farm I hunt but have yet to see a grey gobbler. :icon_thumright:
I have saw a few gray hens when hunting in Missouri but never a tom. A friend of mine has a boy who killed a bearded hen a few years back that was gray. It made a nice trophy.
I've seen a red phased hen before,but not grey
I have got a smoky grey & buff colored hen on my property for the last few years. have her on video at 15 yards . It is great to see birds like this now and again. It gets others involved in the outdoor lifestyle , when they are out trying to get a glimpse of such rare birds. my wife and daughters nicknamed her Hazel.
Thats pretty cool i have only seen one smoke gray hen. :icon_thumright:
I saw about half the flock again this morning in the same field, and could just barely make out some more birds on the other side of the treeline separating that field and the next one. Smokey grey wasn't in the field next to the road, so he must have been one of the ones that already made it through the treeline into the next field. I sure hope I get to get a pic of him before someone shoots him. Season starts here on the 17th.