I went out Tuesday (3/22/16) morning and sat in a blind looking over a river bottom field with a north facing wooded ridge. Birds have used that ridge to roost all fall and winter. The majority of the birds flew down and flocked up. Lots of gobbling and strutting. Heard several lone toms gobble from a ways off at all the racket. Even had one finally make his way to the flock around 9:00am. He was met by the dominant strutter of the group and received a good flogging before he ran back the other way.
7:04 - first gobble prompted by an owl hoot
7:20 - first birds on the ground
10:45 - last gobble
Birds in this large flock (50+ birds, 5 toms) were still grouped up and mostly focused on feeding. Three toms seemed to never come out of strut and chased every jake that came close. Hens pretty much ignored toms advances, except for two that called to gobblers sounding of in the distance. Saw one fight sequence that lasted maybe 15 seconds
Conclusion: toms are ready to go but majority of hens are not. Pecking order battles are in full swing but some fall/winter flocks are still together.
NOTES: I made no calls of any sort all morning. The flock flew down into a soybean field that has a good stand of winter wheat that's just now 4" high. Some birds where still in the field when I slipped out of the blind at 11:00.
Central Kentucky
