Last night and this morning

[Turkeygirl]

I went over to my boss' land this morning, didn't leave the house until about 5:30am, got there about 5:45am and sun was just starting rise, you could see the light over the hills, and it was just light enough to see the ground and trees..maybe I needed to go earlier? Anyway I was crossing a field behind my boss' nephew's house, got to the edge of the woods and stopped to listen as I didn't know if any turkeys were roosted in there, besides the ground was frosty and crunchy. Anyway I hear a gobbler but it comes from across the road on the state land, I think between the spruce plantation and this grassy pipe line, probably 1/4 mile away from where I am. I heard him one or twice more then nothing. I got into the woods a little and sa down and didn't hear anything else minus deer snorting. I tried an owl and crow call but nothing. I don' think this could be the only gobbler though, do you? I'm going to ask my boss when he comes in how many he heard gobbling the one morning. It was about 30 degrees this morning...think that kept the birds a little shut mouthed?

Since tomorrow is the youth season I'm reluctant to go back, so will I be ok going back like Monday or Tuesday morning?

On another note, I went for a scout on the farm land I hunt right here around home. Found fresh tracks below the neighbor's gravel pit. I then crossed over to the land I hunt to a corn field with manure on it that I think the turkeys are going to. sure enough I find FRESH tracks in the mud, a small set...then a bigger set. I try to find poop to no avail,lol. Then I cut through the woods parallel to a grass field and see a lone hen in it who feeds into a piece of woods inbetween a couple fields. I keep going, walking the edge of the fields and around the property. I cut through to the open swamp between properties where I last found turkey poo and lots of tracks. Out comes 2 turkeys! They feed across as i look through my binocs, praying there's a beard on one. sure enough the lead one has a beard! Kind of a thin looking beard though. I think maybe it's a bearded hen I saw last year. Well I find their tracks and sure enough there is a small set from a hen and a bigger set that has to be the bearded one aka GOBBLER! Now maybe there's a chance it's a jake but I think it's the same gobbler that's been up there several years and he's just so old his beard is worn down. I couldn't see his legs though to see the spurs. I've got this birds patterned pretty good now. From all the tracks I've seen, they seem to be going across to that corn field some time in the morning and then coming back across to the gravel pit in the early afternoon and roosting somewhere between the gravel pit and swamp.

Thing is...if this is the only gobbler there, if I shot him, he'd be gone and there isn't a ton of turkeys here. But eventually he'll die anyway or get eaten by a fox. What would you do assuming you have a chance at an old bird?

[MrWiggely]

Odds are very slim that it is the only gobbler in the area. He may just be the dominant bird. Once dead, you may very well here many more gobblers. I killed an old bird a couple years ago. I hunted him for 3 years before I finally took him. He was the only bird that would gobble up on the hill for at least 2 years. 2 days after I took him, I was back up there with a buddy and birds were gobbling all over the place. Apparently he would just whoop up on the other birds while he was around, keeping them from being vocal, and keeping most of the hens to himself.

Wigs

[Turkeygirl]

hmmm ok, that's good to know. I am seeing more sign this year than the last 3 years so i'm wondering if the turkey pop. on this land is finally coming up a little. So should I go back to the state land/boss' land in the morning or since it is the youth hunt, stick to the home ground here and see if I can see for sure what those turkeys are doing?

[Turkeygirl]

Anyone else with thoughts/tips?

[toddyboman]

I would say both places have more than 1 gobbler.

As for your boss's land go back again. Some mornings every bird in the county gobbles other mornings just one or two. This morning may have been one of those only a couple gobble mornings.

Like others have said the only bird you are hearing may be the dominat bird so if ya take him out then the others may be more vocal.

Good luck!!

[Hoyt03]

I agree, there is no way you have only 1 gobbler on the land. There are more out there. And looks like you fouind the ticket with your boss's land. I would get out there tomorrow for youth day just to see if your going to have any other competiton to deal with and maybe places to stay away from, plus you may hear some more birds.

[Turkeygirl]

I will admit I was planning to get up and look/listen for the bird(s) here by home but I could not get my butt out of bed...I had to get up at 6:30 anyway to come in and work. I'm gonna try for tomorrow though and maybe tonight.

[MrWiggely]

Yeah, I would keep checking both places. Some days the birds will gobble at one property and not another.

Another thing I have noticed around here over the years is that when the birds gobble hard one day, more often than not they are very quiet the next. Doesn't mean they wont come in, you just may not here them before you see them.

[dartonman]

The old mouthy one is probably the elder of the group....we hardly heard gobblers in my area until I let that little boy smoke the big guy...now you can't shut em up.....their strutting together, and fighting, and now coming to calls.....its like he was the boss, and that was it....now he is dead, they are trying to take dominence over the flock....hunt the land early, and stay late.....where you see birds in the open field closer to home, you need to start putting them to bed......good luck ruth..al