A little concerned

[BILLBENDER]

Have a farm I hunted opening wkend where I saw 4 strutters a bunch of jakes and several hens but never could close the deal. Went back Friday to roost them and ended up seeing about 11 hens fly up but figured the male birds weren't to far away. Went in sat morning no gobbles and all the hens flew out and went about their business. Stayed for several hours with hens always in sight and a male bird never showed up. The neighbor hunts but not a ton and just can't imagine all those birds were killed out, at least I hope not. That's some strong work if they were. Anyone ever run across this. I've encountered the tight lipped birds this yr also but I have never ran across a situation like this so early in the yr.

 

[megalomaniac]

Sorry to say, but I suspect the gobblers are dead. Remember, about half our entire 6 weeks season kill comes just during the first week of the season. It's not that hard to remove 4 gobblers, heck had crew remove 13 on opening weekend alone about 12 years ago on a neighbor's farm that granted permission. They haven't had more than 1 or 2 birds use that farm since. Just exterminated the male segment of the population prior to breeding. At least noone hunts that farm any longer, not worth anyone's while.

It is possible you have just a group of jennies that you are mistaking for adult hens, and the hens have moved off your property to find better nesting habitat. If that has happened, the gobblers went with them.... But usually, last years jennies stay fairly close to their adult mother. And besides, most hens are already in the general vicinity of where they plan on initiating nests by now.

 

[BILLBENDER]

Yea I am fully aware how a male population can be impacted in a few days especially as flocked up as the birds were opening wkend. I guess it concerned me because I've hunted this farm for a few yrs and it's always held birds throughout the season. Also I guess I may have taken for granted the pressure from the neighbor. Just in three trips I haven't seen any evidence of him hunting which is generally obvious when he's there. If he got them all good for him just bad for the population as a whole. I will keep spot checking it and see if any show back up.

 

[BILLBENDER]

Oh definitely there are some left. I have other farms to hunt but this just bugged me a little. I usually somewhat try to keep and good idea of the flock, I know some birds come and go, and try to keep my kills at a sustainable level so that there will always be some. I will keep hitting this piece on occasion. Maybe they were off locked up on another group that I didn't see.