How long does it take to establish a new pecking order?

[101st501]

I killed a bird Saturday morning that was a group of two longbeards, and two jakes.  He was the only bird that would ever strut or gobble, but when they were out in a group in the fields, the strutter acted like he was not leading the group.  If he was the dominant bird and is now gone, how long would it take the other longbeard to start gobbling and asserting himself?

[Ozarks Hillbilly]

Pecking order is constantly being challenged among them every turkey from a hook spurred gobbler to the old boss hen to the youngest of pullets fits in the order somewhere. I think this order is constant state of change there is always a turkey standing in line to move one more rung up the ladder for the most part. I would say there was a new leader of that little group shortly after the bird you shot stopped flopping.

[ccleroy]

Yep

[g8rvet]

Sometimes they are moving up the ladder in their mind while he is still flopping.  Got a good video on my iphone of just that happening, jumping all over his fallen brother.  Or so I thought.  I hit the record button when I opened the camera, hit it again to film (stopping it) and then hit it again as he was walking away.  Dee dee dee.  Turned the phone on later to realize what a dummy I was. 

[mikejd]

30 seconds. That why when you shoot a gobbler that is with others sometimes they beat the crap out of the down bird as if he did the damage.

[mgm1955]

Before the first knows he is dead

[R AJ]

Good serious answers. Years ago My brother shot the old man roosted over a beaver pond. Turkeys flew everywhere down the slough. In 30 minutes they were gobbling back at each other and for two weeks before you only heard that one gobbler. Must have been over a dozen gobblers in that group.

To me the answer is just as soon as the next bird thinks he is boss. Nature shows little respect when it comes to mating season. Just ask a hen mallard.

[Marc]

He was the only bird that would ever strut or gobble, but when they were out in a group in the fields, the strutter acted like he was not leading the group.

It seems to me that the dominant bird is often not the first to arrive...  Kinda like the king with his entourage.  Probably saves a few dominant birds from being shot...

[tomstopper]

30 seconds. That why when you shoot a gobbler that is with others sometimes they beat the crap out of the down bird as if he did the damage.

^^^This. I have seen this happen before. Also in the past I have killed a bird that had a group of hens with him and then his buddy takes over and is the new king and the hens seem to know it as well (same day and very next day he will be leading them around and acting as if he is the man...lol)

[Spitten and drummen]

all these replies are spot on.