Wish I had a camera - where are the jakes?

[tschaef]

We don't have a fall season here in Ontario, they are still re-introducing wild turkeys so there are all kinds of restrictions on us.

Saturday I was bow hunting deer and watched a flock of 12 turkeys feed towards me in cut corn, when they got close enough I couldn't believe it - all toms with good beards. That evening I bumped into another flock, this one twice as big - all toms, not even a jake with them, they were all shooters!
Sunday morning another flock came near,14 hens.
Its obvious that they split up this time of year, but one question, where are the jakes? Of the 40+ turkeys that I saw this weekend I don't think any were jakes.

Oh well, I can't wait for the spring now, these birds should hang around because the neighbours farms are hay, one neighbour has soybeans but no cover so they come to me when not feeding

[mlo3135127]

The jakes would still be inthe bigger flocks with the hens. Without a trained eye it may be hard to tell the jakes from the hens.

[OntElk]

tschaef,

re-introduction has been done for years. Even trap and transfer within the province has ceased with the birds well spread out over the suitable habitat. Population growth is expanding rapidly. I'd probably like to see a bit more trap and transfer to speed some areas up but all in all we have an established population.

Our restrictions or hunting regs, are quite in line with the most of the individual states. I believe there has been discusion on fall hunts in some WMU's but yet to hear anything other than rumours.

As far as jakes go I had 18 of them all gobble in unison for me couple weeks ago. You would of thought for sure they were hens but a couple yelps and all 18 of them sounded off. Quite awesome.

I believe dominant hens will run off the jakes out of thier family flocks early after the hatch. Young jakes are very vocal and this doesn't servethe hens very well when trying to avoid predators. As a result I believe you find them in groups like I found.

They have just the slightest hint of colour to thier heads. After these 18 "hens" gobbled I did realize this on a closer look. No discernable beards on any I could see at 50 yds with my eyes.