red to white heads

pheasantHUNTER121 · 05-21-2007, 08:04 PM

Last saturday around 5:00, I started calling and 3 mature toms started runnin in. I guess I wasn't in the best setup and didn't have any dekes out so they hung up at about 70-80 yds. After a few minutes two hens that were also out in the field went to the toms, but they only stayed out for another 5 minutes or so. Their heads were red just like all of the other toms I have seen in the area. The following morning I woke up a little to late, so when I got to the spot I could see the birds out from the road. I snuck in there, crawled up a fence row within 80 yds again. It was only those three toms, and all I could see were their tail fans. If I got on one knee I could see it was just the three birds alone and strutting. This time their heads were bright white. I started softly calling to them , but they didn't seem to pay much attention. I didn't call much just some clucks and 1 series of yelps. I know it was the same birds that I seen before, I just didn't think that they would be so responsive to the call one day then the next not even acknowledge it's there. I heard something about gobbling causes their heads to get red, Im not sure on this though. Im sorry for such a long post im just puzzled. Thanks

TEmbry · 05-22-2007, 12:26 AM

ok heres the scoop to the best of my knowledge. Gobblers head color changes depending on the mood, when they turn solid white (pretty boy) it is because they are a content gobbler, possibly about to breed. when they are blood red it means they are fired up, and ready for a fight or some action, this being due to the big caruncles(spelling?) filling up with blood.

could be WAAYYYYYY off track here but this is how it was explained to me.

Arrowmaster · 05-22-2007, 02:50 PM

I agree with TEmbry. He hit it on the head hehehehehe

zubba · 05-22-2007, 03:34 PM

Quote:

ok heres the scoop to the best of my knowledge. Gobblers head color changes depending on the mood, when they turn solid white (pretty boy) it is because they are a content gobbler, possibly about to breed. when they are blood red it means they are fired up, and ready for a fight or some action, this being due to the big caruncles(spelling?) filling up with blood.

Yep...that is what I was told and believe myself.

Howler · 05-22-2007, 04:38 PM

We've seen turkeys come into view with white heads, and as soon as they could hear the calling and see the hen decoys, you could almostwatch the color change from white to red!

BuckRogers · 05-24-2007, 04:44 PM

All sounds correct in regards to moods... another note to remember... A turkey that has a white head that suddenly goes to red may mean that it sees somthing wrong so if its in range let him have it or else get ready to call in another bird...