Turkey Lull?

[Izzy]

Ive been watching several flocks of birds here in the ghetto and surrounding lands for about 2 months.Over the last week they have all disappeared, different flocks 10 miles or more apart so I dont think its feeding patterns.This morning I saw 50 or so in one flock with 5 gobblers in full strut following after them. This is not the first yaer I have noticed birds disappearing like this.Question is are they actively breeding now up here or is it a pre-rut type phase?

[Whip]

Still early for the actual breeding.  I'm not a turkey expert, but they do disperse from the winter flocks and spread out.  I suppose the hens are looking for nesting sites, but won't actually start laying eggs for another month or so, at least here in WI.

Dispersal is good for hunting.  Trying to get a bird out of a large flock would be a real excercise in frustration.  Hard enough to fool one set of turkey eyes.

[Gaff]

funny you say this izz. i have a flock on the way to work ive been watching all winter. prob 50-75 birds.  in the last week, thy havent been out at all.. my buddy says the birds hes been seein strttin for the last 2 or 3 weeks also diappeard..

they may have started to break up, and establish the peckin order.. not sure really, but its funny how birds 65 miles away are doing the same things..

gaff

[MJB]

Originally posted by Gaff:

they may have started to break up, and establish the peckin order..
gaff

[Don Stokes]

That's normal. This time of year the big flocks break up and the gobblers choose their territory to work. In my area, during the first couple of weeks of the season they are in a state of flux, but a little later they get more predictable. Our season opened yesterday, but I didn't bother yet. Next weekend I'll start getting serious.

[Sean B]

Yup, the Jakes are going off away from the hens, and learning their place.The next few weeks you should start seeing smaller groups of hens with a few long beards chasing them, with the Jakes lagging behind.  Its a LONG month in a half!

[Izzy]

Hmmmmm, I wondered what was going on.It happens every year and the majority of them return to the same spots but the ones Im talking about were already split up from their winter feeding areas.It just seems like they take a mini vacation.

[Stone Knife]

Doing the spring shuffle to spread out a little

[adkmountainken]

got a flock of around 60-75 by my house, been strutting and gobbling for the past few weeks. see them EVERY day, funny thing is i do not like to hunt here on the flat land. come May i'll head for the hills! anybody that wants to hunt here in the Adirondacks with me is of course welcome. i will half a open face lean to set up by then to hunt out of.

[hedgetree]

Yep splitting up for the spring breeding, one of my best spring hunting spots is about 6 miles from where they winter.

[Dan Joynt]

I have been seeing the same thing up here in Ontario.  Everything is early grass is starting to come up.  Hopefully this means the toms won't be with the hens when the season opens April 26.

[gobbler10ga]

They will start bustin up soon

[Guru]

I have spots where I don't see any all winter. But in a couple weeks...look out!!

Once I start seeing them, I'll see them around those spots till late fall. Then they dissappear again.

Been that way every year....

[ksbowman]

As Guru said for NY is the same here in Kansas. From Dec. to the end of March I don't have turkeys on our home farm, but come April 1st they return and stay here the rest of the year.It happens this way every year. Can't wait to start hunting, it starts here April 1st coincidentally!  Ben

[Don Stokes]

Went out and listened this morning, but nothing talked. I saw a big flock still together yesterday, so I don't think they've busted up here yet.