Something Unusual And Interesting Gobblers

[Cut N Run]

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

[Paulmyr]

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.

[Ihuntoldschool]

Turkeys just being turkeys. They know what they're doing.

[Notsoyoungturk]

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.

[Cowboy]

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...

Sent from my SM-G990U2 using Tapatalk

[bbcoach]

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 ....

So.....you're thinking it's a decoys issue? Maybe try just a Jake instead of a hen?

May need to break out the secret weapon - Funky Chicken with a black tie around it's neck...

I think that Long Black Velcro Tie will do the TRICK! 

[Bowguy]

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.