Flock management advise
 

I hope I get some answers here on helping in managing wild turkey on my place. I do allow hunters to harvest a few birds but I do have a very low number of mature Toms. I believe there is an abondance of jakes, but it is hard to tell when the birds are all flocked up.

Do and will jakes breed successfully. I have read where a year-old male doesn't have what it takes for a successful fertilization.

So do II allow hunting for Mature Toms this spring with such low numbers?

How can I help with sustaining the flock to healthy numbers?

Here are a few pictures. In the first picture I believe all 14 or 16 birds are jakes. Correct me if I'm wrong.
https://www.huntingnet.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=43812&stc=1&d=17069700 43
https://www.huntingnet.com/forum/att...1&d=1706970126

No advise or knowledge on jakes breeding successfully. Wow!! For a forum designated to turkey hunting enthusiasts sure doesn't have much feedback on anything.

Definitley not an expert but from what I have read most wild jakes in the spring are not mature enough to have viable sperm ! Some do they say but they seem to be the exception. I used to hunt in Montana around broadus area and I always saw lots of jakes and very few toms . I did see toms but they seemed few and far between. Then the next year I would go after seeing over a dozen jakes the previous year and think man should be lots of two year olds this spring and guess what ? I would see multiple jakes again ! Never did figure that one out !

Thank You for your observations. That is what I have read also a one year old can breed but not successfully till second year.

Thank You again.

helo every one

The jakes will breed if given the opportunity. This is one of the reasons why hunting toms in the spring doesn't significantly affect the population.

While I’m no expert on this subject. It’s my understanding is that Jake’s will breed but will not produce anything. But, if you have a lot of jakes they will drive the older toms away. They will gang up on the older birds. At the same time if there’s a lot of bigger tom’s they will drive the jakes as well as each other away. So it comes down to ratio of which birds have the majority at that particular time. Also the big toms will move with the hens that are ready to breed so in my opinion and experience here it varies on the factors mentioned here. Good luck..

keep the hens and kill the toms, more will come in the spring.

Thank You very much for your thoughts and views. I really do appreciate it very much. Everyone wants a mature bird to take, that can be an issue when it comes to harvesting birds while hunting season is open.

I guess will just see what happens this spring and allow hunting on number of mature birds I see. Some Jakes need to be harvested I would say for a healthy flock, but I don't know that for sure.

according to statistics out of every 100 gobbler chicks hatched, 2 live to be an adult 2 YO gobbler. jakes and toms do not get along so they will be separate from each other most of the year. Toms should be showing up with the hen flocks anytime now..