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Winding down

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PSEshooter16

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It seems the turkeys breedng season is winding down pretty quick. just nothing going on really. what do you guys think? i remember a few years ago when the season started they hadn't even broke up into smaller groups and I'd have 5 or so toms walk into the field together, this year everything seemed like the 1 week was the 3rd week compared to before. and now i can't find one bird interested in a hen.opnions? what is everyone else seeing? my opinion may be wrong because i haven't harldy seen anything this year, its been a patience and stress testing season for me
 
I have seen several (6+) toms on our farm but they seem to be roosting with the hens! When they come off the roost they are already paired up and defiantly don't want to come to a call. I am hoping the hens will start setting and then maybe the toms will be more responsive to calling.
 
maybe that's what's happening to me. im not sure but i hunt on private land and all the birds go over the hill and to the bottom of the ridge to feed. ive heard them down there and actually had one come to me, only gobbler ive seen this year. but they just stay down in that field on adjoining property.its like a straight line of turkeys from behind me to a forever in front of me that ive heard them down there. when they got off the roost one morning i had one 100 yards or less gobbling and all of a sudden he's gone headed toward the field. i guess the hens still have their attention but i was for sure they wouldve started nesting by now.
 
It is absolutely not even close to winding down. Birds still have hens from one end of the state to the other. Here in east TN they are pretty quiet it seems, and very content with hens. Do not give up, it is not over.
 
Two weeks ago I had 5 longbeards come in gobbling. No hens at all with them.
They got to where they could see my jake and hen decoy and I purred a little and they all fired off but kept walking the same direction they had been.

They were just out of my comfortable range so I didn't shoot.
Instead I called a little more and they all fired off again and just kept walking.

Strange.
 
I cant even get a shock gobble. Saw a jake today with three hens. Just stupid at my place.
 
RUGER said:
Two weeks ago I had 5 longbeards come in gobbling. No hens at all with them.
They got to where they could see my jake and hen decoy and I purred a little and they all fired off but kept walking the same direction they had been.

They were just out of my comfortable range so I didn't shoot.
Instead I called a little more and they all fired off again and just kept walking.

Strange.
Click to expand...

Subordinate birds, probably 2 year olds. Pretty common behavior, they see a male decoy which represents a gobbler they don't know and rather then fight they swing wide. It happens alot.
 
Keep in mind that most of the young of the year hens are just now coming into "season". That is why many times things seems dead late, if you have seen a bunch of jakes this year, then there are a bunch of young hens, which will "steal" lonely gobblers late season.

Did any of you all run into very vocal hens during the first week of the season that came in all alone? They are usually jennies who hide from the gobblers, and are eager to join other hen only groups until they are ready to breed.
 
Killed one today with an 11 inch beard and 1 1/4 inch spurs and he was really fired up. Got one Easter morning too and he gobbled so much that he had to be tired by the time I shot him. Had one gobbling at kids hollering behind the house at dusk. They are really fired up here in the southeast corner.
 

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