You' ll never guess what I saw Monday morning...

MOTurkeyTamer · 10-21-2003, 06:50 PM

While out in the treestand Monday morning, I witnessed something I' ve never seen before. I saw a flock of about 20 turkeys, mostly hens, fly down out of the timber and a short ways down from them, 2 gobblers flew down. The 2 gobblers came over and joined up with the flock and both went into full strut, red and white heads just like in the spring! They strutted for the hens for 20 minutes or so, then the flocked wandered on down the pasture. The gobblers broke strut and followed them about 100 yds. and went back into full strut again. Eventually the flock headed back into the timber where they had been on roost earlier with the 2 gobblers following up in the rear. By now they realized the strutting wasn' t impressing the ladies and they gave up on it and just followed the flock into the woods. As if that weren' t enough, 2 of the hens had beards, one about 8" and the other looked to be close to 9 or 10" long. Crazy, huh? I had intended to fall turkey hunt, but I always get torn between deer and turkey hunting in the fall and I decided to concentrate on bowhunting instead. Looks like I may have made the wrong choice! Oh well, they' ll still be around next spring for the sport I enjoy more than any other, spring turkey hunting! Just thought I would share this and see if anyone else has ever encountered anything like this. I' ve heard gobbling in the fall but never have I seen spring behavior like this in late October.

jalvja · 10-22-2003, 07:02 AM

Cool,Thanks for sharin that with us

halcon · 10-22-2003, 10:50 PM

Very interesting thanks for sharing

JoeA · 10-23-2003, 05:01 PM

MOTT,
Sounds like you got the fixings for a great Spring.....maybe under a Q " T" M plan you' ll be able to develop a flock with record book beards!

Bobgobble2 · 10-26-2003, 08:38 AM

Great story MTT,I' ve had some fall hunts that were as good as any spring hunt I' ve ever been on.I recall one morning hunt 6 or 7 years ago that we had several 2 years olds gobble about 15 times on the roost and as they hit the ground with the rest of the flock broke out in fullstrut and began to fight and chase the younger birds around!!This all happened within 40 yards of us and was one of the best shows I' ve ever encountered in the turkey woods.We busted 2 of the toms and were rewarded with some fine wild turkey meat for Thanksgiving.Both birds were in outstanding condition I would assume because of the good feed but mainly due to the time of year in not going through the rigors of the spring breeding season!Heres a looksy...

TeXLaXHunter · 10-26-2003, 12:28 PM

Cool I love it when you' re hunting and things like that happen. Just makes you want to hunt more.

maytom · 10-30-2003, 05:42 PM

MO, I' m with ya on the deciding what to do part!! But bowhunting for deer usually wins out this time of the year!! I wish they would open our season earlier so then I' d have time to hunt turkeys before the deer season started!!