RE: when do turkeys start calling?
Well for one I have 3 turkeys here at home. They are easterns. Ive raised these turkeys for 9 years now. They are my pets and part of my family. Turkeys are always chatting. I know these are penned turkeys but everyday they are always talking to each other. I would say that all turkeys communicate in the wild. As for yelping from my hen, she does that whenever she chooses too. Mainly during the spring and summer months. But on warm days in the winter its not uncommon for her to start yelping. As for purrs and clucks. Thats year round. Gobbling from the toms is generally on warmer days. But when spring and summer are here its sometimes a gobble fest. I know some will say those are penned turkeys, but in the wild Ive heard toms gobble in the winter. Hens cluck purr and yelp in the wild all year round. Ive heard them. I had to laugh tonight at one of my toms, I was watering them and I had a plastic bucket with ice in it. I filled his bucket with water and he got mad making gobbler purrs at me. I thought whats his problem. He usually doesnt get this way with me. Well the bucket had a hole in it and he couldnt get a drink. He was mad. you could see he was mad. Well he got a new bucket and was then happy. He was just purring away. So turkeys are always vocal. As for calling to turkeys in the spring. I would only do it during turkey season. Unless you have pet turkeys then call to them whenever you want.