Smart Hunter Game Knowledge Page

The Wild Turkey is the most difficult and challenging of all the game birds.  The reward of the long spurs and beards along with the beautiful fan tail are a real prize.  Calling expertise and complete camouflage are very important and being able to be stock still for long periods is required.  Any mistakes will cost you the kill.  Once you hear your first gobble in the blind you will be on the hook.
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             Wild Turkey

Food Sources
Turkeys prefer insects and fresh green plant sprouts and buds. There are up to 60 different foods in their diet. Toms eat very little during mating season. They survive mainly on their fat reserves at this time.

Breeding
A turkeys hormones are triggered by daylight times. Most generally in March but range from Feb to May depend on range and elevation. The dominant male will push out younger toms and take over the harem of females. Gobbling establishes territory. Toms show dominance by strutting and swelling their chest and feathers out. Toms will fight by pecking and spur slashing each other. Hens lay one egg a day for about 12 days. Hens can lay a 2nd or 3rd clutch of eggs if their nest is destroyed by predators. Incubation period is 28 days, hatchlings can see and move well on their own.

Communication
Over 2 dozen distinct calls have been identified. The yelp is the most common and is a location call. Cutts and clucks are conversational, purrs denotes contentment, a loud raspy purr is a threat, cutts are for looking for a flock, a kee kee run is an immature Jake calling females, this makes a dominant tom angry and he will gobble to intimidate.

Habitat
Turkeys thrive in harsh environments from cold snowy prairies and hot arid deserts to steamy jungle areas. Need mature stands of trees for roosting sites and food, also open cover for strutting area and mating rituals. Stands of white pine, tupelo and cypress are preferred in the east. Stands of ponderosa pine in the west. Stands of scrub trees in southwest

Characteristics
Wing spans of up to six feet are common and weighing up to 20lbs. The wild turkey is the largest American game bird. Mature toms have a cluster of bristle like feathers called a beard that hangs from the chest, beard length is an indication of age, grows up to 12 inches or longer. Also a bony spur protruding from the back of the each leg. grows longer with age and is used for fighting and defense. Up to about 1 1/2 inch long.

Vision and hearing
A turkeys eyesight is unbelievably keen and can detect color and movement from half mile away. Night vision not as good. Hearing is better than man. However their sense of smell is not good. They are very attuned to surroundings and will see any movement easily.

Subspecies

Eastern Turkey
The most common in the US ranges farthest north and usually the largest of the subs
southern Canada to Florida, west Texas to the east coast.

Osceola
Native of Florida and ranges to Georgia and Louisiana, smaller than eastern, darker color, less white in the quills, adapted to swamp lands.

Rio Grande
Scrub country of the great plains, Texas, Mexico, successfully transplanted to Hawaii and Idaho. Similar in size to Osceola

Merriam
Western mountains and plains, northern Arizona to Washington and Montana
also in eastern Minnesota. Comparable to eastern in size, but darker with more blue and purple, more pink and white in tail feathers.

Goulds
Southwestern US and Mexico, Arizona and New Mexico. It is largest of all the sub species.

Hunting

Wearing full camo is a must because of the turkeys keen eyes. Sitting stock still is also a must. Wear a cushion to sit for long periods, be able to call without movement. Try to set up a blind spot for the turkey to pass in front of so you can move into shooting position. Hunted most with tight choke shotgun and bow. The hunter must be proficient in calling. Know your hunting area and make sure no one else is hunting there. Since you must be in complete camo and are calling other hunters may mistake you for their prey. Hunting turkeys can be dangerous for this reason. Get as close as possible to the birds. Scout and pattern.