When you've got what she wants

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SwampDrummin
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Joined: January 5th, 2016, 5:38 pm

When you've got what she wants

Post by SwampDrummin »

I observed some very interesting mating dynamics this last spring on a hunt out west.

I was hunting a large roost site over a cut corn field that had approximately 15-20 hens and 5 longbeards. At daylight the birds flew down into a large cut corn field. 7-8 hens stayed together and the other hens each did their own thing and started started meandering in the field, slowly drifting away. The gobblers split into two pairs and a single bird. Immediately it was clear who the two dominant birds were. This pair b-lined for the large group of hens and strutted stoically for them for quite some time, eventually working out over the hill and out of sight. The other pair of gobblers bounced backed and forth among the hens that were meandering in the field, they sort of ran and strutted back and forth between the stray hens but never challenged the other pair of gobblers or approached their hens.

Now, let's talk the lone gobbler - the real star of this post. This guy was obviously the subordinate bird, he would not approach any other birds but instead stuck off to the side by 100 yards or so doing his sad "What about me?" strut that was confined to a small small area. I felt kind of sad for him, but let me tell you - this guy was working it. Eventually a lone hen drifted his way and that's when he really got to town. He put on a clinic for how to strut - whirlin and twirlin, shaking his wing on the ground. He looked like an oscellated gobbler giving it his best. If I haven't painted the right image let me be clear - this guy knew how to dance. To my surprise, after a few minutes the lone hen dropped to the ground and pretty boy immediately rushed over to hop on top of her. She was the only hen out of the 15-20 that I saw present for breeding that morning.

Well that did not sit right with the roving pair of gobblers. They ran from 100 yards away and chased pretty boy out of the field and started strutting for the hot-to-trot hen. Now....wait for it....what do you suppose happened next? Well I'll tell you.

Ms. Hot to Trot was not having anything of the two Rovers. As Pretty boy bailed out of the field into some CRP and away from the two rovers, she started yelping frantically at Pretty Boy. You can't even imagine the sass. She then started walking, trotting and then straight up ran out of the field herself - into the same CRP and away from the two rovers. She then proceeds to chase Mr. Pretty boy pleading frantically for him to finish the deed. The two rovers gave up the chase and went back to other hens in the field. I did not see what transpired in the CRP but I can imagine. Well maybe I cant.....but I know it was XXX.

I thought this was very interesting behavior and important to share especially when there is a self-declared "Dr. Turkey" running around on the internet telling the world stuff turkeys have whispered to him about the how and why of the turkey world.
Jstocks
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Joined: July 16th, 2017, 5:27 pm

Re: When you've got what she wants

Post by Jstocks »

There are individuals that believe there are “Preferred” breeders and “Dominant” gobblers. You can have a preferred breeder that is not dominant. You can have dominant preferred breeders. You can have dominant gobblers that aren’t selected by the hen for breeding.

This theory is well explained in Ken Morgan’s book “A One Man Game” and the man seems to have performed lots of observations prior to writing his observance of these traits.

In the situation you described above, I’d be willing to bet that the two strutters most likely don’t breed many of those hens and that the lone gobbler was the preferred breeder in that flock.
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Hoobilly
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Re: When you've got what she wants

Post by Hoobilly »

Great story!

I read this in GQ years ago and landed a hottie!
Don't start none, won't be none!

https://foxtrotammo.com/
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