This past weekend I went scouting in anticipation of next weekend' s opener. In the woods and adjacent fields I will hunt (approx 480 acres, total) at flydown I found/saw a flock of 35-50 hens/toms/jakes, the hens all yelping, the toms gobbling, the jakes and toms yelping. It sounded like a barnyard or turkey farm, the cacophony was so great. I also discovered two " strut zones" --one inside the woods on a semi-open tapered point running down to a stream (3 toms there), and an open ridge between two valleys (4 toms there). I located three separate roost sites. I heard (but did not see) gobblers gobbling at two apparent other strut zone sites, i.e., at locations other than with the 35-50 flock group and the strut zones I located. I saw a second flock of 38 (I counted) feeding in a field, and a third flock of approximately 24.

The roosted birds flew down and spent a few hours walking and feeding inside the woods, and I have seen this pattern before, so I think I know where they go from flydown. What concerns me is that, unless these birds breed like mad in the next five days, I' ll never be able to draw a tom away from the hens, as they must only be starting their spring breakup. Words fail me when it comes to describing the noise I heard in the woods in the morning, from about 6:00 until about 8:30. It was " more noisy" than I have ever heard, mostly hens yelping, some toms yelping, and occasionally the toms would gobble, but the hens were constantly yelping. At any moment, I could easily identify 5 or 6 separate hens yelping, and three minutes later, it would be a different 5 or 6. Gobble here, gobble there, usually multiple gobblers gobbling when I heard gobbling. Sweet, but distressing, as I cannot believe I could compete with the real thing, when there is so much " real thing" . These birds are Merriam' s, but they seem to act more like Easterns. In particular, they don' t seem to go on long walks outside of the woods like many Merriam' s. These will stay in the woods or go to the outside edges/fields, maybe up to 1/4 mile from the woods, tops, and I' ve never seen indications they go on long (2-3-4 mile) hikes. (In fact, there' s another flock that is in woods about a mile away that I hear in the early morning, and they seem to stay over there in their woods, too.)

I figure to roost ' em on Friday, and plan to go in the woods on Saturday and try to simply cut ' em off as they move through the woods, using a couple of hen decoys and setting up in the location of the inside the woods strut zone I found, which seems to be in the path of their " walking in the woods" pattern.

Has anyone ever experience too many turkeys? How did you handle it? Does anyone have any advice? Any suggestions as to a better plan?

I can' t wait to get beat this weekend!! (Or maybe I' ll get lucky and beat them!!)

Never had the problem with " too many' ' turkeys. Am currently experiencing the problem of " not enough" turkeys. I have run into over abundance of hens problem though. Last year in fact. Seemed like there were 8 or 9 hens for every gobbler on my hunting land. I learned which direction they headed when they left the roost and cut them off. I also called in the hens and they brought the gobbler. I used a lost hen yelp or I tried to tick off the hens with alot of cutting. Both worked in different situations. If you can setup in an open area that they frequent you can observe the hens as you call to determine what they are in the mood for. If you get good responses from the gobblers but they are all henned up, and the hens wont come to you, just be patient , the hens may desert the toms later in the morning and they may just come back looking for that sweet talking, hard to get hen they heard earlier that morning.
Actually the best thing to do is for me to meet you out there. This could be a two man job.[:-]

Isn' t that an oxymoron," problem,too many turkeys." ? Could only wish I had that problem

I know that it sounds like a great problem to have, and it is if you want to see turkeys. If you want to call them it can be very frustrating. Snow, I have had that problem and you have hit on the best way to hunt them. You have got to be where they are going. It is very difficult to call an adult bird with that many turkeys. Your hunting skills will serve you better than your calling skills.

Snowdog2, that' s a problem I would like to have every spring!!!

I have the same prob. The only difference is mine all have camo on...

i wish i had that problem.....you can never have to many turkeys....good luck on getting one....