Birds are just now leaving winter flock ranges and transitioning to springtime ranges. I was just up there this past weekend as well... it is NOT normal in Rutherford county to have a single and duo gobblers together. Either your local population has been wiped out, but more likely you are correct that they inadvertently have been separated from their flockmates and will find them in the next few days.
Farm #1- 50 birds on 150 acres, splitting up into subgroups, gobblers with hens
Farm #2- 40 birds on 150 acres, 14 gobblers in one group, not even paying attention to the hens.
Farm #3- 2 hens on 500 acres... this group had 25 hens in the flock back during deer season. Still scratching my head about this one... something has happened to the other 23, as those 2 would not have just left thier flockmates this time of the year. No male birds at all. None seen on the roads 3-4 miles around in every direction. Hoping they are bunched up off the property and shift onto my place before season, as this has been my best farm since the big decline in population.
Farm #4- zero birds on 1000 acres... wasn't expecting much, as I've accepted the fact that the birds are long gone from this part of the country and probably won't ever be back. Shame, as there used to be winter flocks of 300 birds together on it this time of the year. Have worked 29 different longbeards in one day on this farm back in the late 90's. Drove the roads 4 or 5 miles around in every direction... no birds. I actually did hear 3 or 4 jakes gobbling one cold morning back in December while deer hunting. Seemed strange to me to be so excited about hearing them- like it was a rare treat- almost like I was a few years ago when I heard a bobwhite in years.
