I've been scouting the fields and watching the birds in my area for a while, now, intently (actually....I never STOP!). I've noticed the flock dwindle from 50 birds or so......to a relative few......to now single birds and pairs here ant there. My wife saw 3 strutting toms and a lone hen, yesterday.
In the scheme of things......I guess this is a good thing. What's your thoughts?
This is normal, Toms are staking out their area. It's like during the rut the bucks split up. It's time to get out before light, setup high and listen for gobbles.
They're still roosting in practically the same area they have been.....I just "THINK" the hens are nesting during the days.....and the toms are more on the prowl looking for a receptive hen.
Wouldn't this fact lend itself to the toms being MORE susceptible to calling during the day? It's not going to change where I set up for opening day......but it would SEEM that they might be easier to call in.....as the season progresses (ESPECIALLY in the early part of the season).
No your thinking on this topic is NOT flawed. I am praying to God that the flock of 40-50 birds that I will be hunting will split up and the toms will start beating the hell out of each other, as this will lead to toms being very suseptable to calling. Sounds like things are unfolding nicley for you.
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The flocks breaking up is a normal thing for this time of year. It is also a good thing. There is nothing harder than calling a tom away from 20 hens. With them broke up you are much more apt to find a tom by himself or maybe just a couple hens or so. What state you hunting, when is the opener?
thats what your looking for. ive never seen that NOT happen come spring. sure ill still occassionally see small groups..but generally the females will choose males and hang around them. males stake out territories and set up dominance. the dominat bird will generally have the most hens. hens choose their mate...we try to reverse nature by calling like a hen to bring in a male. nature hens go with the males they choose. thats why alot of birds that come in will be jakes and 2yo birds generally speaking. come a little later in the day hens go off to sit on the nest and leave the males alone and more easily to be called in. alot of times hunting them off the roost is difficult because the gobblers roost with hens or know where the hens are roosted nearby. and calling in a bird with hens is pretty much impossible unless you call in the hens(usually by upsetting them...ive gotten some hens prettttty fired up to where i was scared i was gunna get beat up!) or if your set up where they are heading anyways...
its all about finding the right bird that wants to cooperate...or knowing where the birds go and being there before they are and waiting on them.
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>>----Give 'em the shaft!--->
same here in KY, im sooooo stoked. Your right in your thoughts tho, turkey that are broken up are MUCH easier to call in. ill even go to say that huge flocks such as the one you described, are practically impossible to call in. 60 turkey wont come to a lone hen call, they expect that lone hen to come to them. a lonely gobbler on the other hand, might just come beggin for a faceful of hevishot.
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You tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is 'never try'
it is very good i have a hen that stays here and brings in two gobblers every year so i am waiting on them to get here and once they so they will bring more with them hahah i love this sport
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Great advice here and remember, it's easier to call a wanting gobbler than it is to call him and his gang and gals.....he wants to be with others, if he's alone, that's much easier to arrange than if he's content on being with the ones he's with.
Birds have broken up......GOOD thing?
