Backyard Flock

[JeffC]

Had record rain for March yesterday, the flock showed up around 11:00am when rain was starting to lighten up. They spent the next 6hrs just hanging around yard. When rain finally stopped got to watch all the turkeys preen and dry out, Toms and a few of the jakes started strutting around, some of the pictures are shot thru screened windows, so not as good. We are doggy sitting and was out this morning walking her at 6:30 when I got to hear 1st gobble of season, they are roosted about 400yds away. I put out 2 more cameras to see if I can get some good shots of them strutting. Some of these shots are only 10yds from them. Really awesome to be that close to a beautiful strutter. Phone is loaded with pictures, will share a few of the better ones, will pull cards from the cameras that were already out this afternoon, will share any that are good. 

[JeffC]

Screen window shots.

[GobbleNut]

Great pictures, Jeff.  That's got to get you excited! 

[lacire]

Nice Jeff, hope you have your new Franchi all ready to go.

[JeffC]

Happy Easter. Heard at least 7 Toms this morning, some in usual roost, then 4 different locations, they were fired up!. Have 2 cameras out, 1 took 13 pictures, mostly me setting up. The other took close to 7000, of curse mostly squirrels. Yesterday heard the flock closest to me on limb then he continued to gobble after fly down. They showed up here a few hours later, the 5 Jakes were fighting with each other quite a bit, getting the dominate Tom fired up and got to hear him gobble a few times right here in backyard.

[JeffC]

Only heard the closest flock this morning, has been nonstop rain seems forever. Did get to watch them preen and dry feathers the other day in-between showers.

[GobbleNut]

Them's some soggy lookin' turkeys!   
...Do you actually hunt those birds?...or are they just for "wildlife viewing" entertainment?...

[JeffC]

Dont hunt them. Drive 1 1/2 hours to Jersey. When I moved here 20 years ago, no birds around. Started seeing them 10yrs ago, now seeing a few flocks, they get hunted hard, know of 5 Toms being taken last year.

[JeffC]

1st sign of nesting Hen, got up late, only heard 1 gobble this morning, already on the ground. Had a single hen come thru, guess she has a nest near by.

[GobbleNut]

...Do you actually hunt those birds?...or are they just for "wildlife viewing" entertainment?...

Dont hunt them. Drive 1 1/2 hours to Jersey. When I moved here 20 years ago, no birds around. Started seeing them 10yrs ago, now seeing a few flocks, they get hunted hard, know of 5 Toms being taken last year.

Have the same situation on our mountain property here.  Turkey flock roosts 150 yards from our doorstep every night with anywhere from a couple of mature gobblers to several of them (plus hens and jakes).  Never hunt them. It would just be too easy.  It's really neat to have them around.  Occasionally, they will wander off far enough onto the forest that someone will kill one of them, which is fine.  I/we just don't do it ourselves. 

[JeffC]

So flock is down to 3 Toms, 4 Jakes and 4 Hens.

[JeffC]

The Toms followed 1 hen, the strutter blew up right in the face of 2nd Tom, too slow on camera, hopefully 1 of the 2 trail cams got it.

[JeffC]

The flock has thinned down , been a wet week, think some hens are nesting.

[JeffC]

So yesterday we were smoking meat for a few hours, of course the flock comes thru just when we needed to pull food off smoker.

[JeffC]

My wife almost made it to the smoker. They walked off pretty fast but not freaking out, never heard any putting.