Yesterday the wife and I were driving around and she seen them first in a small field. Got turned around and pulled over off the road. There were 7 birds and one was a gobbler for sure. The gobbler was actually on top of a hen. Also in the last week heard a couple gobbling and seeing a couple in strut.
Now I know some will say it is too early and that is impossible. But over the years I have learned one thing and that nothing is impossible or a surprise when it comes to the turkey and its habits.
Just like the friend of mine that had a long beard strutting and gobbling just before he shot him on Jan. 26th this year.


Earl

I believe you. Ive seen poults in mid march one year while scouting. We heard birds gobbling here in late summer and saw small poults in August and Sept. If they feel like it they just do it. Imagine that?

The below pic was 9 days ago in Grayson County.

Golly, zazam. What a great pic Scott. Hope you have permission on that land.


Earl

As much as we all love to get psyched up about getting after them in the spring , I think has more to do with establishing dominance right now. Sorry to rain on the strutter parade

We see the same notes of surprise when someone sees a deer doing "rut things" before November or in late December/January. Fact of the matter is that there are no hard and fast rules in nature. Turkeys mostly breed during that traditional spring period, but there is no question that it can happen outside of the "normal" window. Real cool that you had these observations!!

Watched one of a group of five gobblers in 3/4 strut doing circles around the rest just this past Friday. Really cool display and clearly dominance driven.

Warm weather this week should have them feeling their oats a bit. Come on April!

Best,
Royce

Good point but sorry to rain on your dominance parade. Dominance is established year round, not just in the spring. They already know where the current pecking order stands. The more the hens get around to breeding the more aggressive the gobblers get and new pecking orders are established, not really to much but some. The displaying is not only for the hens (hey girls look how big and bad I am) but is an aggressive posture towards other gobblers. Thats why some folks don't understand why sometimes gobblers shy away from thier half and full strut decoys.

Looking at TSCOTTS pic tells me the strutters are showing off for the hens and a little signal to the other gobblers but if one of those hens were to lay down in a breeding position the dominate bird in that group all ready established would breed her. Maybe may need to put one or two in thier place before breeding. But before breeding may be done in that group some of those birds will break up and go off on thier own. The hen will usually only breed with the dominate gobbler that somehow she already knows who that is. Part of natures way of passing on good genes.

Lots more to talk about on this matter but need to go and listen along with some scouting new land.



Earl

Who cares why they are doing it. It's great to see birds doing the dance.

Scott, I too hope you have access to the other side of that fence.

V

Redbuds in my yard popped in to bloom this weekend. Dont ever recall redbud blooms in February here before. Historically I have thought red bud blooms in my turkey country was generally at the beginning of serious turkey breeding. Sure hope thats not a correct sign for this year .

My turkey hunting mentor, Bud Trenis of Catlett, had a saying, ”If the redbuds are blooming, the gobblers are booming!”

So true, it is amazing how close to blooming the redbuds bloom the turkey's are at it.

You had a great mentor, Mr. Trenis was a highly respected man and his line of turkey dogs was very well known in the area.

GN, Talked with a gentleman from Spring City TN yesterday and he told me the same. Haven't seen anything up here yet. But if it's that early look at the positive side, not as many hens to deal with.

The turkey's I have been seeing as of late are in drove's yet.


Earl

Redbuds starting popping at my place this weekend. I thought I heard a report that they are saying the cherry blossoms are 2 weeks early this year.


Earl

Red buds really more of a half strut bloom down this way. Everything else is out early. Jap Magnolias, star magnolias, japonica, ornamental peach, forsythia, even some azalea peaking out, bradford pears, etc etc. Will all get whacked this weekend tho as snow is forecast and freezing temps.

I am still seeing the large flocks of turkeys in groups off 25-50+ and not seeing any breaking up of these group in to smaller breeding groups and actually not seeing many strutters at all right now. Someone did send more a pic of a local group of eight hens and I strutter but i have not seen that myself in the groups l m seeing As usual in recent years Im not seeing many LB at all, and the ones I am seeing are not with hens to this point. .

Greyghost, thanks for the kind words about Bud. He was a great guy. He passed away way too early for all who knew him. I miss his company, especially during Spring Gobbler. We had lots of memorable mornings hunting turkey and deer.
He had some great dogs, especially Rose his pride & joy Gordon Setter.

Here I am w Bud the morning I killed my first gobbler. Took me almost 8 years before I could put it all together and “find one that wanted to die”

“find one that wanted to die”

That's about 90% of it right there in a nutshell. One of my favorite sayings......