Hunt the hens or not???

[tealboy]

When it comes to deer hunting, a friend says, hunt the does and the bucks will come. Does this logic apply for turkey? Ideally, I guess you want to roost a turkey or at least hunt a spot frequented by gobblers but in my case, I have had trouble locating a gobbler.

I looked into a field this weekend and it consistently held hens and jakes. I also know there is a gobbler in the vicinity, but don' t know where he is roosting, etc. Would you feel good about hunting this spot for opening morning or should I keep looking for a gobbler' s roosting spot?

[BuckAlley]

Turkeys are just really making some good numbers in alot of states. Plus several states its illegal to take hens in the spring, but some allow it in the fall. I don' t think any are at a serious population boom that' d be detrimental to the flock. Although turkey' s can become nuisance to farmers crops, they hardly do the damage to the environment that can cause problems for the overall population like deer do. Turkey' s eat alot of bugs during the year, where deer strictly eat plants. Deer can decrease there food sources when overpopulated to the point that it does so much damage to the woods, it takes yrs for it to recover.
If I was you I' d keep watching those hens. If you know a toms in the area, he may not have his hareem of females gathered up yet. I' d watch the hens, as well as continue to try, and locate him!

[Turk_man]

Where are you from tealboy? Northern birds are still in their winter flocks and I find that the hens and jakes will hang-out together and the gobblers will be in groups by themselves.

[benhuntin]

If there are hens in the area, the gobblers will show. Try to locate the gobblers first though. The hens tend to go to the gobblers and you want to position yourself
in between if possible. Once the hens go to the gobbler they tend to lead the gobbler wherever they want. If you find a place where the hens are visiting frequently the gobblers should be in tow once the mating season starts.