Leg Banded Wild Turkeys

[Zobo]

I managed to find 3 in two seasons in 2 different states. First one had been banded a few months before. Killed within a mile of trap site. Then killed another a few days later. He'd been banded 2 years, and was at least 4 years old at time of death. They both had GPS transmitters as well. The older bird was one of the first banded/GPS'd for the project. Unfortunately his GPS malfunctioned a few months after being put on him so they missed out on 2 years of movement. But I did kill him in a spot he frequented 2 years prior. He was trapped/banded about 1.5 miles away. Then the very next season I killed a 2 year old that was banded as a jake. Trapped about a mile away. Got his feet bronzed.

WOW!!! I'm gonna go out on a limb and say there aren't too many hunters who have shot three banded turkeys. Thanks for sharing that 👍

[Treerooster]

EDIT.......Oh well...I tried ti add pics but have no idea how on this new format. One made it I guess. They were all resized and would have worked before.


I have got some banded turkeys. The first was a Merriams from South Dakota. A 2 year old that was 4 miles from where he was banded as a jake.

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I helped a friend in an area that was having a 3 year study done on turkeys where they banded hens and gobblers. Not really my banded turkey but a fun/cool the way in unfolded hunt and we both were excited. A 3 year old banded as a jake in 2010 and killed in 2012 about a mile from the trapping/banding.

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In hunted the study area a lot (it's where I cut my teeth turkey hunting) but never was able to get a banded turkey. It was 2015 and the study had been over since 2010. I figured I would never get a banded turkey since the youngest turkey banded would be 6 years old now. What were the odds of a turkey living that long AND me getting it. I had 2 tags for the area that spring and the first tom I got was banded!! Called it in and he was 6 years old. I got the tom not 100 yards from where I helped my friend get his banded bird. The really special thing was he was banded at the very same trapping as my friends bird, I just got him 3 years later.

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A couple of weeks later my 2nd tag for that area kicked in and I hunted a very cold, wet rainy period. Birds weren't gobbling on the roost at all but I had spotted a hen in a tree the evening before and decided to set up about 100 yards near her. Went in under the cover of darkness as the area was very open. but at least it had finally stopped raining. Ended up setting very close to a gobbler. He was only 50 yards from me in his tree. All I and to do was call him down to my side of his roost tree and he would be in range. That's what did and when I went up to him he was BANDED!!!!!. This one was 7 years old. After 7 years of trying to get a banded bird and coming up empty...I get 2 very old toms in one season.

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