Jakes With hens I am puzzled?

[ElkTurkMan]

Guys after getting rained on and humbled by the turkeys this morning I checked my cam on the way out.  What I founf has me puzzled.  I have a band of Jakes that is hanging with abunch of hens.  My fear is that maybe my mature birds ahve gone elsewhere.  During the fall at this very spot I was getting 9 different toms consistently.  One group of 6, a seperate 2 toms tha always hung together, and one lone tom.  Then last month when I checked the cam I had four jakes and one lone tom.  I guess the other toms have spread out.  I am just wondering why a few of them didn't hang out in this area and claim this area and these hens.  Years ago I saw a large group of Jakes chase off one Tom, and I am wondering if something similar didn't happen here.   I know that once the hens start dropping the gobblers will be more on the roam and I am hoping some of the group from this fall will come back on the lease.  ANyway guys your thoughts on this?   

[gob09]

hey shane from what i seen last year we had a big gaggle of jakes there were 9 i think and they kept the toms r-u-n-n-o-f-t i know you only have a few in the pic im interested what everyone else thinks

[harvester]

Its still early, I wouldn't worry about them jakes a whole lot. All those longbeards aint too far off.

[unclerick]

From what happened to us last year, I'd say you need to figure out how to run them jakes off, every body I've talked to says they'll keep the toms run off.

[mfd1027]

Jakes will run gobblers off on occasion but for the most part breeding is handled by mature toms.  Jakes can breed and fertilize an egg once they reach 10-11 months of age so the jakes born early last year can and do breed.   Personally I think that Dustin hit the nail on the head in this situation Shane.  Maybe the cold winter/spring we've had this year has set them back a wk or so.   In a normal year I won't see a hen without a gobbler this time of year.  They're always henned up bad by the end of March but this year is different.   No strutters in fields,  jakes with hens,  hens alone (I've called up 8 so far) and gobblers still grouped up.  We saw 7 mature gobblers in a field today.  I think if we get a few nice days things will get hot in a hurry.   Another thing has happened on our Ga. lease.   With all the rain our swamp is flooded and it's 1/2 mile wide in spots-most spots.   On a normal rainfall or dry yr. we share birds with the other side of the creek.   They travel back and forth.  I think this year will be different because of the water and we won't share as many birds as we have in the past.   It's supposed to be in the 30's all week which doesn't have me as concerned as this dang wind.   It's howled for 2 days now.   I HATE WIND!!!! lol   Tomorrow is another day. 

[ElkTurkMan]

Thanks guys for all of the input.  Dan, I think this should be the alst of the crappy weather.  This weekend is going to be gorgous.

[mfd1027]

I'm liking my chances in the morning.  It's midnight.  I need to get my turkey huntin' butt to bed!!!lol