Birds grouping back together?

[Hunt 365]

Early this week, I got on four gobblers grouped back together, and have noticed them on multiple days together on my plotwatchers. I had two birds together on another property. Is anyone else seeing this? Receptive hens must be getting few and far between, but do you guys think it's time to revert to gobbler and jake yelps, gobble tubes, and move away from hen calls?

 

[rhudson]

I have switch over to a younger higher pitch call. I can't say for sure that the birds around here have ever broken up. I have been on multi birds all year long. Been a crazy year. I did tune up my tube call and used it some last weekend, can't say it helped but it didn't seem to hurt either.

 

[Setterman]

For Pete's sake no, just no.

I've seen gobblers together all this year and every other since I started turkey hunting back in the early 90's. You see it from the first of the season until the end, some birds especially two year olds hang together all year. Some are loaners.

Sure there are birds which are subordinate that are not allowed to have hens and will gather with other gobblers. Some of those will gobble and still come to hen calls, other have beaten into submission and will essentially ignore you. That all depends on how many super dominant birds live where you hunt. A really nasty dominant bird will keep everyone acting weird.

This morning I watched as a buddy hammered a 3 year old bird that came in with two other longbeards and some jakes. There were hens nearby, but they wanted to find me first and found his #5's before that.

Every year this comes up, and there's this panic that it's over. Every year I drive to S. GA to hunt around May 15th and find birds gobbling, strutting, and with hens. Every year while fishing I hear birds gobbling until mid June at a minimum around here. In other words, it's a long way from done, and this year especially as late as they got started

 

[woodsman87]

Nothing I have to add after setterman. The only thing you need to know for sure is that nothing is for sure.
I honestly believe they will gobble, strut, and breed until July.

Sometimes gobblers are together, sometimes they are not.

Just go turkey hunting.

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[Hunt 365]

I should have clarified. In the 4 birds I saw was a lone unique bird from the shape of his fan that's been henned up and without male companionship all year (it's a 34 acre property). And now he has running buddies. Just an observation. And I'm wondering if I needed to change my tact, but I don't think it's over. In fact, they quad-strutted around a hen in one of my pics. Always looking to learn new things

But I agree with woodsman87. Just go turkey hunting!

 

[Setterman]

I should have clarified. In the 4 birds I saw was a lone unique bird from the shape of his fan that's been henned up and without male companionship all year (it's a 34 acre property). And now he has running buddies. Just an observation. And I'm wondering if I needed to change my tact, but I don't think it's over. In fact, they quad-strutted around a hen in one of my pics. Always looking to learn new things

But I agree with woodsman87. Just go turkey hunting!

Dynamics change constantly on a piece of property. Especially after periods of really nasty weather. The only constants seem to be the ultra nasty super dominant birds, but even then things morph around throughout the season

 

[catman529]

The only thing you need to know for sure is that nothing is for sure.

x100


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[Huntaholic]

Oh good grief! Yeah, its OVER just put the gun up and take up fishing!
Setterman, as usual, posted a good reply to your question. Most folks around here wont listen and would rather pick a fight with him though. What youre seeing is a group of 2 maybe 3 yr olds that run together. Ive called up as many as 10 of them together before. IT DOESNT MEAN SQUAT as to what phase the birds are in, whether its "over" or not. The dominant bird or birds do the majority of the breeding, thats why the BOYS are still together.

 

[Gravey]

Its definitely over so everybody show me where your farms are. :super:

 

[rbreedi1]

Yep it's defiantely over.. no need in anyone going this weekend

 

[catman529]

Public land is shut down....birds migrated to much more inviting private cattle farms.

That's at least partially true. I should have killed one last Wednesday that I called across the fence but got busted. I've been after him 3 times now and have heard his jake-like gobble every time but have yet to deal the deal. He lives on a private farm. Birds are all too quiet on public land now.


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[catman529]

Public land is shut down....birds migrated to much more inviting private cattle farms.

That's at least partially true. I should have killed one last Wednesday that I called across the fence but got busted. I've been after him 3 times now and have heard his jake-like gobble every time but have yet to deal the deal. He lives on a private farm. Birds are all too quiet on public land now.


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[TN Whitetail Freak]

Its definitely over so everybody show me where your farms are. :super:

I'll sell you my public land spots

 

[catman529]

This fourth week has been the best hunting yet up here in South Cherokee. Even with being hammered day in and day out, turkeys are still gobbling good and remain very killable. Several small bands of gobblers running together since the opener, same as every year. 11am to 2pm has been a very deadly time frame, both yesterday and today. My old mans about gave out from walking. Might have to actually take a day off tomorrow.

wish it was this way here, birds have been dang quiet and most of my hunting starts at 10am and goes till 2pm or dark. I've had the occasional bird gobble a few times, but nothing has fired up on his own for a while and they were doing that regular last year.


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