When do your turkeys show up?

[zelmo1]

Every year the birds in my area show up around the 3rd week of March to the beginning of April. They are around all spring then disappear again when it gets really hot in July. Then the cycle repeats itself. How about your areas? Not asking for specifics, just gereralities. Z

[Greg Massey]

I think it all depends on what food sources you have available along with good roosting spots.  Clover / water / creek bottoms..

But around July / Aug seeing them is a lot less in my area...  The amount of farming activity could also play a part. 

But like you said the cycle repeats itself as long as the habitat hasn't been removed. Timber cutting etc..

After the spring season and as the flocks come back together to see who is left, this will cause you to see less numbers .. Because of them flocking back up... and hens protecting the young.

[Tom007]

End of Feb, Beginning of March Z. That when I see the scratching start, and early gobbling if the weather is not terrible... 

[g8rvet]

At my house:  Usually show up after a good frost and I have a nice green field with millet on one side and oats on the other.  Gone by late January.

Where I hunt, start acting like spring birds mid to late February depending on the weather.

[Brinkcalls]

End of March beginning of April. Usually see them everywhere.


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[bbcoach]

As Greg said, the turkeys are after food.  In the spring, they break up into their breeding groups, around 3 to 4 weeks before our opener and the hens lead the gobblers around to food sources that they know about, and breeding begins.  When breeding is over and hens are nesting and raising poults, the gobblers regroup.  During the summer months, with plenty of green up and abundant food, we don't normally see them as much as they are staying in the wooded areas with plenty of shade and raising their young.  In the fall, as the temps cool and the leaves fall they move out into more open areas again to feed on crops as harvest begins and utilize the woods for bugs and acorns (plenty of fall scratching).  As winter arrives and food is scarce, many people will see them around their houses looking for scraps and bird feeder seed and corn.  And the cycle continues.  This is what I see on our deer lease in Eastern NC.

[Parrot Head]

Leave at end of October and show back up by end of March.

[MK M GOBL]

On the farm 24/7, everything they need to live/survive/prosper is there!



MK M GOBL

[Sungrazer]

I was pleasantly surprised to see three longbeards searching for food at a public access I was getting reacquainted with earlier this week. Haven't seen any birds for a couple weeks and was wondering if the winter flock had broken up yet.

[Greg Massey]

I was pleasantly surprised to see three longbeards searching for food at a public access I was getting reacquainted with earlier this week. Haven't seen any birds for a couple weeks and was wondering if the winter flock had broken up yet.

That may be the only ones left of that flock...

[762hunter]

I leased 1000 acres in W Tn this year and have not seen any turkey or any turkey sign. Telling myself not to be concerned but waiting for them to show up on camera at any moment.
A buddy of mine sent me this picture this morning.



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[Cut N Run]

I started feeding the deer at my house every day just over 30 years ago.  I fugured that since I took from somewhere, I needed to give back somewhere too.  I don't hunt here and don't let anybody else hunt here either.  Turkeys showed up a couple years later to take advantage of what the deer missed. I started setting out feed for turkeys in the woods across the creek to make them more comfortable and give them something to scratch in.  Every year, the turkeys leave for their winter range in late October about the time the leaves are falling the heaviest.  They show up again in late February or early March.  Happens the same way every year, without fail.  I checked the trail camera across the creek 4 days ago and there was no sign of turkeys.  Four hens showed up on the 28th and they've stopped by every day since.  Looking forward to having them around for the next 8 months or so.

Jim

[WV Flopper]

 My local 20-25 turkeys never leave. In November the flock grows, keeps growing all winter. In March is starts thinning down as they disperse. Last year they busted up but never really dispersed much. I had gobblers in every direction of my house, multiple.

In another area I hunt they flock up and are non-existent to some areas until they disperse in March. I once seen when I was 18-19 years old, a flock of gobblers so large it was unbelievable, it still is today, more so actually.

[Mossberg90MN]

Sounds about right


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[zelmo1]

The times and duration are all similar and the patterns are almost identical. It is helpful to know about when and where they should be. Z