Turkeys stand their ground

[Beardedbird]

Had seven turkeys and a coyote in the back yard this morning. They weren't very far apart maybe 20ft and the coyote just stood there with it's ears back a little and eyes squinting. That hen took a couple jumps at it with her wings flapping but it just stood there. I holler for my wife to come look while I'm heading for the shotgun. She looks and starts using words that I can't repeat. With snow on the ground up to my knees these turkeys are under our bird feeder every day. The one hen has blonde wing feathers so we refer to her as Blondie. So I grab the shotgun and the only shells real handy were 2oz No.9 tss that just came in the mail. Being in a hurry I thought well that will have to work. So as my wife jerks the door open I say, YOUR NOT EATING BLONDIE Today and I let him have it. He went down and I watched him for a little bit then I finished breakfast. My wife says, you gunna go grab that dog before I go to work? Yep I'll go grab it now. While I was eating he got back up and made it under a old building so unfortunately I don't have any pictures for you guys. But by the looks of things the end result is going to be the same. He eats no more.

[runngun]

That's what I am screaming!!!! Broke up that business for sho!!

Have a good one, Bo

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[Muzzy61]

Good job

[deathfoot]

Good job.

Im Florida, I watched a flock one spring charge a yote. It looked like he was looking for his buddies. He was too far to shoot. Eventually he realized he wasn't going to win and ran off. The turkeys went back to feeding.

I think turkeys in a flock can manage a yote as long as they see them. But I have no doubt many turkeys die from yotes sneaking up on them for a meal.

[Beardedbird]

Yeah they didn't act like they were real scared of it. They all just stool real tall and didn't really move except that one that jumped at it. I'm home with COVID so yesterday I put new sights on the shotgun and patterned it. 330 in the ten at 40 and he was 32 (ranged after the shot) so he took a good hit even though it was only 9 shot.

[Zobo]

Awesome, as I started reading what you wrote I hoped you were able to hit him. Too bad you had to use the $16 shell, one shot only I hope, lol!

[Beardedbird]

Yeah one shot only. Ya know I never thought I would buy tss shells for my 12 gauge but my boy and I are going on a hunt a couple states away. So I figured if I'm spending the money to go on this hunt I may as well spend the money on the shells. But then as if the shells weren't expensive enough. What's with the $20 shipping fee on five shells?

[Gooserbat]

Well done

[Turkeybutt]

Good deal! Blonde is safe and the wife is happy.

[GobbleNut]

I have observed coyote vs turkey interactions on a few occasions over the years and, quite honestly, have never witnessed either side acting terribly concerned about the other.  The turkeys have always kept a wary eye on the coyote(s),...and the coyote(s) have always seemed to act like they thought it was a lost cause to try to catch one of the turkeys.  At times, I have seen them close enough together that I thought for sure the coyote would make an attempt to catch one, but I have never even seen one try to do so.

I'm sure that, under certain circumstances, a coyote will readily go after (and possible catch) an adult turkey once in a while.  In some places that may well happen pretty regularly.  I just have not seen it in my neck of the woods. 

If coyotes do real damage to wild turkey numbers, I would suspect that comes in the form of them running onto a hen with flightless poults, or possibly raiding a nest with eggs.  I think the jury is still out on how often coyotes raid nests, however.  Nonetheless  reducing either of those possibilities is more of a concern to me than coyotes catching adult turkeys.

[Tom Threetoes]

I have had them come to a turkey call before, so they will try to take one if they get the chance. My friend had one run off with his decoy.

[Archivist13]

I have had them come to a turkey call before, so they will try to take one if they get the chance. My friend had one run off with his decoy.

Yep, I've called in coyotes twice while calling turkeys.

[tal]

 GobbleNut said it best I think. I watched a small flock of birds once leave the woods and start feeding in a pasture. A coyote topped a small rise in the field not 60 yards away from them and froze. The turkeys started putting softly but continued feeding. The coyote moved on into the woods and the turkeys continued feeding over the rise. As soon as they were out of sight the coyote came out of the woods at a dead sprint hoping to tackle one just over the hill. He did not succeed. It was still a smart move, shows intelligence for an animal. The times I've seen, the coyotes don't even break stride and continue on their way when spotted.
I don't think coyotes catch many. Nest or pre-flight predation is most likely as mentioned. A bobcat is a different story.

[Greg Massey]

GobbleNut said it best I think. I watched a small flock of birds once leave the woods and start feeding in a pasture. A coyote topped a small rise in the field not 60 yards away from them and froze. The turkeys started putting softly but continued feeding. The coyote moved on into the woods and the turkeys continued feeding over the rise. As soon as they were out of sight the coyote came out of the woods at a dead sprint hoping to tackle one just over the hill. He did not succeed. It was still a smart move, shows intelligence for an animal. The times I've seen, the coyotes don't even break stride and continue on their way when spotted.
I don't think coyotes catch many. Nest or pre-flight predation is most likely as mentioned. A bobcat is a different story.

I agree with you and GobbleNut, Ive seen them pretty much do the same ... stand their ground and not be too concerned.