Turkey season has closed across the nation, yet the fascination with these interesting birds continues, prompting many to wonder what Ol’ Tom is up to. Are mature bogglers traveling in bachelor groups? Are they still strutting and gobbling? When will they get back with the hens they courted in spring? Bruce Ingram answers these questions and more in this informative post from the NWTF.
When the seasons change, so does gobbler behavior. Mark Hatfield, NWTF director of finance administration, answers six summertime turkey questions.
How long do toms gobble into the summer?
This tom didn’t make the summer range, but his buddies are feeding and getting ready for winter.
Gobblers are physically able to mate through the end of June. Males enter the mating phase because of increasing day length, warmer temperatures and the onset of spring. It is possible for a young hen that was hatched in August (previous season) to begin her breeding phase in June. This may explain why some hear sudden outbursts of gobbling in June and also see gobblers displaying. But most likely, the gobblers are still trying to attract hens, as well as maintain dominance for breeding purposes by intimidating rivals. As the month of June continues, there are fewer and fewer hens in the mating pool.
Why do some turkeys gobble in July and August?
It’s not rare for birds to gobble during the late summer months… [continued]
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