I'm new to this forum, but look forward to swapping information.
I have a scenario I wanted to run by some experienced hunters. This AM in Florida, 6 large jakes came into my spread of decoys after alot of calling.
They hung around shooting range for a good 5+ minutes acting a little confused about where the hen was they'd heard. Meanwhile, 3 toms came in. If it's possible, they seemed smaller then the jakes, and when they saw the jakes they turned around and left. I was thinking it was supposed to be the other way around.
Further down the field, I saw one of the jakes charge at the toms, and the toms ran away.
Anyone have experience with this? Could it have been the number of male birds already in the area? Or the fact that the jakes were confused since there was no hen around?
I didn't hear any alarm calls and none of the birds ran out of the field they just walked off casually.

I'd appreciate some input.

Maybe they were outnumbered.

Where are you located at?

I encounter this alot, behind the house,

Some years the hatch is good,some years not. Last hatch must of been very good,so the number of jakes is high and longbeards low.
On one area i hunt,it has tons of people who just dont care about wildlife,and here a turkey gobbling and just decide to get out the shotgun and go that turkey gobbling in the field.Well it TICKS me offf!!! anyways,most of the birds on this area dont get to see thier second spring..and most hens survive so..lots of hens and hardly if any males...One male can successfully fertilize as many hens as he has the chance to breed. Its not a very stable poplulation but thanks to the hens it is a population...

and back to the jake thing..In these types of years where brood up,and 2nd year birds are in someones freezer.Then the jakes outnumber the longbeard..If you have one longbeard and 15 jakes..the flock will be led by jakes.Its the majority rules!!

I would say that the group mentality kicked in for the jakes. Just like a gang of teens going up against some old man.

One thing with smaller toms bein run off by Jakes is that generally Easterns will run Rios out... Easterns are just mean ****in turkeys...
Thats why I asked where you were at.

You said that there were 3 toms and 6 jakes. Remember that out of the 3 toms, only one was dominant. If those three came into your set and you took the dominant bird and then sat still, chances are that , if the other two stuck around, they would attack the dead dominant bird to try to esatblish their new dominance. They show no loyalty in that regard. While subordinate birds may run with him, the dominant tom fights alone. They just generally go where he goes.

The jakes, on the other hand are like that streetgang of teenagers mentioned above. They WILL fight together. So, it looks like the dominant bird led 2 subordinate birds to your set only to find a gang of jakes waiting for him. He wanted no part of a 6 on 1 fight, so he left and the other 2 went with him. It wasn't shaping up to be a rumble -- it was a masacre and he knew it.

...would have been fun to watch, though.

eh?

Great feedback. Thanks for the input.
That gang mentality totally makes sense.
I was hunting 30 miles South of Palatka, Florida.
I was thinking they were Eastern Jakes up against Osceola Toms, but I'm not sure we have Osceolas this far North. Need to ask someone that.
Good hunting to you guys.

You're definitely hunting Osceolas in Palatka.