Did they spook or just move off?

[ThunderChickenGetter]

Went in to check a camera I have on a big oak flat near where the turkeys have been roosting lately. It was around 4:00 this evening and there was two longbeards and a wad of hens feeding in that flat. I didn't notice them until it was too late and they had already seen me. I expected them to rush out of there but they just slowly turned and made their way up and over the ridge out of sight. I don't think I spooked them too bad, just believe they didn't like my presence and moved out of sight.

[Greg Massey]

I don't think you hurt them at all. It might have been a lot different if you have run right in the middle of them trying to scare them..If they just move off slowly you are fine...

[fallhnt]

They get bumped more than we know during the day. I'm sure they are fine.

[beakbuster10]

There's one farm that I have fishing rights to, but no one can hunt. There is a gang of turkeys in the hay field almost every time I go over there and fish. I bust them up driving to the pond, listen to them talk to each other to get back together, and almost every time I go back to fish, they are in the field. Moral to the story, they were there for a reason. They didn't go that far, they aren't like elk that will run for miles.

[tomstopper]

They get bumped more than we know during the day. I'm sure they are fine.

They are fine. About 10 years ago I was hunting on the edge of a field and had decoys in front of me when a gobbler began to make his way towards them. On his way in, a coyote came out in the field at about 60 yards and the gobbler got out of there. After about 10min after the coyote left the field, the gobbler was back on his way and I was able to kill him at 23 yards. Point being that the gobbler had seen a predator that he knows for sure would eat him and even after that animal left, he still came back to the area. As long as your not running through the woods screaming like a  wild man, you will be fine. 

[TauntoHawk]

they probably still roosted in the same trees they did the day before, turkeys tolerate pressure wayyyy better than deer

[stinkpickle]

If they casually walked off, they weren't spooked.

[BowBendr]

If they didn't fly you should be ok. Spooking them bad enough to fly is a whole 'nother story.


2015 Old Gobbler contest Champions

[ThunderChickenGetter]

Went back this morning to listen and there was actually more birds roosted in there than there has been in the past week or so. Only been hearing two but there was four there this morning. Didn't bother them one bit.

[stinkpickle]

Went back this morning to listen and there was actually more birds roosted in there than there has been in the past week or so. Only been hearing two but there was four there this morning. Didn't bother them one bit.

Ya see?  They brought some more friends to help keep an eye out for you. 

[ThunderChickenGetter]

That's how it seems haha. I won't mind having to sit a little bit extra still if that's going to be the case