OK. Did we really see that this morning.

[brittman]

Was moving from one location to another. We always take a road through the valley on the way to a farm on the hill. Valley is posted on both sides with more housing popping up each year.

Ahead of us on the road up by the next mail box is a strutter with about three birds. We get up to the birds and they split up (some left some right). The three birds running left of the road are all Toms. We count eight birds on the right side of the road. All eleven birds are longbeards.

The majority of the longbeards on the right side stay close to the road (about 25 - 35 yards). Three wander off, but five longbeards including the strutter stay together and walk parallel to the road, they may have wanted to crossback.

Only the strutter has any red on its head. His beard is long and thick - call 'em paintbrush.

We test out a few different locator calls - crow, owl, car horn and each time they set off in unison. This goes on for about 15 minutes and then we decide we need to get to our farm. Maybe the 3 that split off are headed in our direction.

So it is May 7th we see 11 longbeards together. They all appear to be getting along - no pecking, fighting or chasing. More concerned about acorns.

We see single hens around, but no flocks of hens.

Every Tom in the section all in one place?

[Hotspotter]

Incredible. Most I've seen together this time of year is 10, again a year after seeing jakes galore.

Brother is out there right now fighting henned-up birds something awful, and big groups of toms together like that? Seems like April.

Joel

[brittman]

Gang of jakes that never learned to grow up? That what I was thinking this morning.

I guess the plus is I found the tone on my crow call that would set them off.

Hoping a few split and head off to the farm on the hill. Saw a lone hen there - just 1/2 mile from the gangle of Toms.

Have most of tomorrow to go where we were yesterday. Plan to set up a blind and hope that henned gobbler circles back.

Then again we saw a strutter yesterday at 11AM with a hen. Maybe a long wait.

[Tipup101]

My buddy was out last weekend and he noticed something odd. he had eight toms in one tree. And on the outher side of this feild was 15 hens in a tree. Hens by them selves and the toms all alone. The hens pitched down on his set up and he was pummped. but the toms on the other side pitched down away from the hens and walked to another food plot to eat. He said they showed no interest in the hens. So he moved on the toms set up his b-moblie just in front of turkeys where ther could not see with a jake decoy and hit his gobble call and the toms came in on a rope. Seemed odd to me but good thinking on his part.

[Hotspotter]

They'll be in the mood for love eventually. That, and 11 together will kill themselves before long with competition. They can't stay together long. We killed a 16lb and 17lb two-fer a few years ago that was part of a tight-knit group of 7. All adult males with good beards and spurs. Great habitat, corn and acorns all over the place....but probably just so much competition?

Buddy found eggshells on Monday. Failed or predated nest I guess from some of the early breeding that had been taking place in April.

What a goofy year. Later spring with dramatically unstable weather.

Good luck to you Brittman, sounds like the weather at least will be in your favor for awhile.

Joel

[LABS4ME]

Seen 5 all together on my Wisconsin farm 2 days ago. One hen 200 yards away form the group, all 5 long beards, only one strutter and none by the hen....???? She went one way, they went another...

Good Luck!

Ken

[Hotspotter]

This goes along with Jon's theory of gender confusion amongst the wild turkey population.

Joel

[Wallydog]

Time to start yelping like a young gobbler, maybe followed by a short gobble..........It works. But be sure of whether or not others hunters are in your area.

Now is the time they start re-grouping into bands of boys.

WD

[LABS4ME]

Went by the farm again today... about 3:00. 6longbeards all standing in a group. One on full strut 5 yards out in the disked field, the other 5 standing right on the edge of the woods... 2 of those would occasionally strut.

A hen came out to the woodline 5 minutes later about 10 yards away from the Tom's and none of the big boys even made a move... the one in the field never broke strut, but just stood his ground... the other 5 just stayed put too...

Wierd!?

Good Luck!

Ken