Originally Posted by
Champlain Islander
I have seen the toms and hens mixed in the fall but usually they are in batchelor groups by now. Just yesterday I saw a group of 7 long beards all together and later a mess of hens and growing spring birds in a different spot. I have heard toms gobble in the fall but never tried the owl hooter at that time of the year because I don't hunt turkey in the fall just spring.
Turkeys will typically flock up in the fall in numbers as high as 100. This is common practice for them and yes the males will be in there as well. I grew up in upstate NY and If you drive by any dairy farm in the winter you will see them in the fields picking, especially after the farmer has just finished spreading. Now as far as Longbeards or Jakes for that matter, yes they will gobble in the winter. I have sat in my treestand on opening day (end of November) and had them crank up first thing in the morning. Pretty cool to hear them but it is basically meaningless this time of year. I would suspect more of an excitement of the flock waking up and waiting for it to be light enough to fly down. Now you will also see those bachelor groups especially in early spring but as the
days get longer (not warmer!) it turns on the breeding season on and they will fight and eventually break up. A common misconception about turkeys is that if it gets warm they will breed. Wrong! It is the length of the day and how many daylight hours they receive that turns on the breeding season. I hope this answers your question.
Best of luck to you in the spring!
Mack