Turkey observations

[coondog]

I have been seeing a group of 5 longbeards, a big flock of hens and a lone jake (which is unusual) on the farm. I have heard the hatch last year was bad but good the year before. I guess next year may be tough. Anyone else seeing few jakes? I also have heard reports of gobbling already.

[P. Beyer]

According to the data and stuff in the new issue of KY Game & Fish, from Fall of 2004 to Spring 2006 should be good. At least thats what I read,...but I've found more than one "typo" in KY Game & Fish.

[Dev]

Saw 17 jakes on my farm. In one flock. They'll be a pain in the butt this season. But a welcomed pain :D .

[Grant]

Saw a large group of close to 30 jakes and another group of 75+ hens yesterday.

[lab]

I have several pics of a small group of 5 or 6 on a farm that I hunt.

[Duster]

One thing I learned not to count on was the number of jakes on one place being around the next year. The main farm I turkey hunt , year before last I also had a flock of 15 to 17 jakes running together early in the season. Passing up on any of them in hopes they would hang around just didn't seem to work out. Last year the only males I seen were the two I took, I heard a couple more gobble off roost but never seen either of them to see if they were young toms or not. Both I took were old birds.

[Gobblergetter2.1]

According to the data and stuff in the new issue of KY Game & Fish, from Fall of 2004 to Spring 2006 should be good. At least thats what I read,...but I've found more than one "typo" in KY Game & Fish.

I just read that and i was thinking the same thing. What they say doesnt always mean that the place i hunt had an excellent hatch. But it sure does look like it:D. My dad went out yesterday afternoon and saw 11 big gobblers. This coming weekend, we're going to start getting out early.

[Feedman]

Coondog,
Down home we had a bad hatch in 2003. We only saw one hen with poults on our 2 farms. We will normally see 3 to 5 hens with poults on these 2 farms.

I don 't expect to see many 2 year old gobblers this year unless some move into the area. I have already seen a group of old gobblers but they are tough, and call wise.

Jerry has been seeing a few birds but not many.

[tomcat]

Jakes/Toms generally stick in same area they were born...Young hens usually leave to find new territory.

[warden310]

Not necessarily true Tomcat, just look at the G. Wright's study from here in KY. Some jakes moved more than 10 miles from the original capture site.

Been seeing lots of hens/jakes/longbeards around the 3rd district counties. No shortage of turkeys, should be lots of gobbling here in a couple weeks.

[coondog]

There probably are more jakes somewhere. I just thought it odd to see one jake like that this time of year and though it may mean a poor hatch. Overall I have been seeing quite a few turkeys this year. It seems liek we had a few cold, wet springs the past two. The hatch can be different from one place to the next I guess just like it can snow in Lexington and not Frankfort. A lot depends on the weather.

[Gobblergetter2.1]

My dad went out again yesterday in the snow and saw 18 gobblers (in the same group) in the foodplot. We've been seeing all kinds of turkeys out there year round. During the spring, you can stay out in stand all day and see 30 gobblers. It wont be long fellas!

[greenhorn]

I went out scouting last sat., and saw 2 small flocks of turkeys. I saw 10 hens at first place. 6-8 across the road.
I went to another location I have permission to hunt, and saw a nice gobbler running across the field. I think I may have a good chance to get one this year.
It'd be my first since I started in spring 2001.
I'll keep everyone posted.
Later, mike