Gobbler Nation

Appears to have been a good hatch in this area. Montana is a huge state with isolated turkey populations and I have no idea if other areas have had a good hatch. The biggest problem here is the lack of public land that holds turkeys. The good turkey country is private with difficult access without connections and I have none.

This field had about 50 or so turkeys in it last fall. There are a lot more this year. The largest group was on the right side of road in first photo but there were a lot across the road also. Most in the biggest group were hens, but there were quite a few toms across the road.

The interesting birds were the two solid white hens that appear to be wild birds, at least by physical appearance and their actions. There is a farmhouse right there, but ive never seen farm turkeys there. Its the solid white that I wasnt expecting.

20171130_115335 by riverbottomstaxidermy, on Flickr

20171130_115524 by riverbottomstaxidermy, on Flickr

20171129_130524 by riverbottomstaxidermy, on Flickr

20171130_115443 by riverbottomstaxidermy, on Flickr

20171130_115151 by riverbottomstaxidermy, on Flickr

Can't see your pics?

Hmm, I can see them on my phone. I'll have to check into it.

Dang, I cant see them from my PC. I tried something different on hosting but it appears to have not worked. I'll have to correct it this evening.

I have no problem getting on the bigger ranches that winter large flocks of birds. Seems they don't like the mess they make in the feed bunks and uncovered bale stacks that are baled barley or baled oats the turkey ruin the top layers of the stacks scratching out the grain heads. The place I finally found the owner tells me his ranch winters over 300 birds, I know I saw at least 200 of them in the straw and hay he spreads out daily for the cattle to feed on Nov. 11 and 12. I buy him a bottle of top shelf sippin' whiskey every year and got the run of the place during turkey season, if I hunted elk he has a few of those above the ranch house too, but I don't care for elk meat.

The folks around these birds aren't big time cattle ranchers, but are smaller parcels. However, I'm going to have to start attempting to make some contacts so I can get on a couple places. I've killed a public land bird or two in the region, but I don't see these kind of numbers. I've still got a general tag good until end of Dec. I have no desire to kill a hen, but I saw several gobblers on the trip. I guess I should attempt to get permission and kill a tom on my next trip.

WOW....that's a pile of birds. The white one crossing the road looks like a jake. Come spring that rancher would either love me or hate me....LOL

That are just a flock migrating through from middle Alberta, Canada, probably leave that field now and fly nonstop to Arizona or maybe Nebraska, most will return to Canada but a few will stay in the U.S. The white ones are called Snow Turkeys and they have Snow Geese up there too. Those that stay are the ones that we all run into that don't respond to a call down here unless the call has more of a "wee wee" sound and was made in Canada by a frenchman.

Yeah, I thought it looked like a jake after looking at the photos, but I thought it was a hen when I first saw it. I was trying so hard to get some photos with my phone that I didn't look at it too closely when I drove by it. There were a good number of jakes scattered through the group.

Thats awesome. I have to say in my travels out in Montana most landowners would give permission to hunt their turkeys but usually wanted a tresspass fee some just said go ahead but stay out of this field etc. Always seemed worth while knocking on a few doors out there not so much out east though.

That's awesome!!! You're lucky to live in such an amazing place for sure!