Bird Report

[RiverRat213]

Please advise on your county and birds being seen or photos off trail cams. Bird #'s are way down in Hardin County. Numerous reports are the same as mine in this County.

 

[knightrider]

Seen hundreds at least 300-400 in last week they are doing there thing the same as always this time of March, counting down the days till juvi here in Claiborne

 

[knightrider]

Few of cam pull

 

[WilcoKen]

Wilson Co. group of 20+ toms hanging around the house since Jan. Hope they hang around through juvenile.

 

[muddyboots]

I didnt get a pic last week. Hardin county. But that's my lease. They show up over night. But there is this picture.

 

[TN-TurkeyTickler]

Seen hundreds at least 300-400 in last week they are doing there thing the same as always this time of March, counting down the days till juvi here in Claiborne

I used to wear them out up there when I went to LMU.

 

[PalsPal]

Looking good on the plateau.

However we only had one gobbler on the place last year. He got a pass. Looks like he made good use of it !

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[TN-TurkeyTickler]

Cumberland County

 

[Happysack]

Saw about 30 birds Saturday on my lease in White Co mostly hens with a couple gobblers in the bunch

 

[X-Tennessean]

Went by one of my farms Sunday evening, had 14 jakes in the field next to the rode!
Was shocked to see that many.

 

[TreyB]

Went to my little spot in Bradley and saw one gobbler in the field. I got back in the woods from a little stroll through the woods and had 6 ticks in me. Two on my hand and four on my left pant leg.

 

[Wrangler95]

Ive not seen a turkey since before last years deer archery season,no one else is either,I fear a major die off like those counties in south Tennessee!

 

[knightrider]

they are gobbling the heads off right now, makes trying to work difficult :bash:

 

[catman529]

They're doing fine here in Williamson and Maury counties


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[tree_ghost]

I saw a group of 20 toms in Dickson Co last week while she'd hunting. This week in Rutherford my trail cam shows at least 35 birds on a 130 acre parcel


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[TheLBLman]

This week in Rutherford my trail cam shows at least 35 birds on a 130 acre parcel

Wonder how many birds exist a mile in every direction around that 130 acre parcel?

I'm finding VAST bird-less areas, then small areas with huge flocks.

Flocked birds should be starting to disperse now into their surrounding areas,
but seem to remain more flocked up than normal for this time of year in Stewart Co./LBL areas.

Can't really say if bird population is more or less than immediately pre-season last year,
but will say the eagles, coyotes, and bobcats have been reducing their numbers here over the winter.
I did see a flock of about 20 birds last week, all of which appeared to be jakes.
Just not seeing as many older Toms as I'd like to see now,
and not as many 2-yr-old birds now as the number of jakes last year suggested we "should" have now.

Am wondering if that extreme cold weather we recently had here for about a week (coldest week here in decades) didn't kill a significant number of birds. Some flocks may have had no water for days as frozen up as things were.

Did see two longbeards crossing a field a few days ago, which appeared to be a couple dispersing from a nearby flock, as no birds period had been seen in that field since October. Sure hope that wasn't all that had survived from that flock!

My current thoughts are these birds will still be mostly flocked up when the TN statewide season opens.

 

[TheLBLman]

One more thing:

I believe the fall hen to poult ratios are becoming a less accurate predictor of coming spring populations.

Believe we're getting more winter predation than in times past.
For sure we have more coyotes and bobcats than decades ago,
but they appear to be doing relatively more of their hunting during mid-day,
and that appears to be primarily targeting turkeys.
That is a significant behavioral adaptation.

Then, there is the growing number of eagles that seems to be finding turkeys better tasting than ducks.

Not only are the predators appearing to adapt more to hunting turkeys,
but the turkeys seem to be adapting as well,
by not coming out into fields as much, at least in some locations.

 

[muddyboots]

I'll agree with the eagles for sure. We had a pair roofs on our lease one year. That was the worst year turkey hunting I've ever seen at our spot.

 

[muddyboots]

River rat I have located 3 gobblers. Way below what I had located last year at this time. We will see how the year goes but looks tough right now.

 

[Andy S.]

......but the turkeys seem to be adapting as well,
by not coming out into fields as much, at least in some locations.

My dreams are finally coming true. Coming from a hunter who loves and promotes woods hunting...... :tu:

 

[cbhunter]

Seen 10 jakes in field behind the house this morning. I'm moving out of that house next week though [emoji36] I could still hunt it if I want. This is Carroll county


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[Bone Collector]

When I bought my place in Rutherford County in 2012 there was a healthy population of Turkeys. I have seen a flock of about 40 every year. I would have 9-10 toms per year regularly on me from Dec-the end of March, then they'd disperse. Well last season, the farmer technically one parcel over from me sold his land and when he did he of course took the cattle off it. Last year was ok, and the birds were there, on time like always, but they were not as prevalent and gobbling was nonexistent > They have since started building a brewery and events venue and I have not seen a turkey since. I think i bumped one off roost one night checking traps last month, but I haven't seen one on camera in a while. I do admit I haven't pulled cards since Feb 5th, but I plan on doing it next weekend. The weirdest part is you can literally drive down the main highway and see fields and do a loop around the back side of my property on the side roads, but I have not located the flock Don't know what happened to them. There are plenty of cow pastures, but no turkeys. I imagine they are out there somewhere and hopefully they will show back up.

I know we talk about predation a lot, but I think now after seeing this, that land changing hands and changing uses can push a flock off and if they find a safe area that suits their needs, then poof just like that your farm no longer has any turkeys, except maybe the occasional passer through.

 

[Bgoodman30]

I have birds strutting and gobbling on camera on Thursday and Friday but not since.

I thought it was cool last year when I found an eagles nest on the river but now I think about it the turkey hunting was terrible there last year...

 

[Bgoodman30]

When I bought my place in Rutherford County in 2012 there was a healthy population of Turkeys. I have seen a flock of about 40 every year. I would have 9-10 toms per year regularly on me from Dec-the end of March, then they'd disperse. Well last season, the farmer technically one parcel over from me sold his land and when he did he of course took the cattle off it. Last year was ok, and the birds were there, on time like always, but they were not as prevalent and gobbling was nonexistent > They have since started building a brewery and events venue and I have not seen a turkey since. I think i bumped one off roost one night checking traps last month, but I haven't seen one on camera in a while. I do admit I haven't pulled cards since Feb 5th, but I plan on doing it next weekend. The weirdest part is you can literally drive down the main highway and see fields and do a loop around the back side of my property on the side roads, but I have not located the flock Don't know what happened to them. There are plenty of cow pastures, but no turkeys. I imagine they are out there somewhere and hopefully they will show back up.

I know we talk about predation a lot, but I think now after seeing this, that land changing hands and changing uses can push a flock off and if they find a safe area that suits their needs, then poof just like that your farm no longer has any turkeys, except maybe the occasional passer through.

I find the less you mess with turkeys the better..

 

[tree_ghost]

This week in Rutherford my trail cam shows at least 35 birds on a 130 acre parcel

Wonder how many birds exist a mile in every direction around that 130 acre parcel?

I'm finding VAST bird-less areas, then small areas with huge flocks.


Just not seeing as many older Toms as I'd like to see now,


My current thoughts are these birds will still be mostly flocked up when the TN statewide season opens.

That's probably the winter flock for the square mile of ground that this 130 acres is part of...hopefully not, however since I only have seen 3 Toms out of all those birds and have yet to see a single jake this year on camera or from glassing...?

Over all bird numbers seem a little lower than usual, however this is only based on visual recon done by glassing fields. If as suggested in a previous post, that birds are taking to the woods more than in the recent years, then this would make sense that bird numbers SEEM down when in reality they are simply less visible. I hope this is the case but I fear it is not unless it is a trend happening across the entirety of middle TN. I do a ton of driving for work and it seems that there are few and far between when it comes to birds out in the fields this year.


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[TheLBLman]

. . . . I only have seen 3 Toms out of all those birds and have yet to see a single jake this year on camera or from glassing...

This time of year, jakes can be easily mistaken for adult hens.
Not many jakes are yet going to have a "visible" nub of a beard.
But many will go from nothing to an inch between now and the season's end.

Regarding turkeys appearing to spend relatively less time in fields compared to times past,
just a theory of mine, based totally on anecdotal observations.

Another observation has been turkeys appear now to be spending relatively more time in heavier cover than I once thought. NOT talking about the typical pretty "turkey" woods. Am talking about heavier cover areas (such as 3 to 10-yr-old clear-cuts) which would traditionally have been considered mainly as good nesting areas. Just seems more adult birds are choosing to spend more their time in these type areas that better protect from raptor predation.

Think about this:

A flock of turkeys in the middle of a field is approached by coyotes.
They fly up, land in tree at field edge, often finding this an easy escape.
But what if the predator is instead an eagle?

 

[TreyB]

The fields I usually see them in, is dead!!!

 

[TNTreeman]

I'm a little worried about my place in Perry cty. I keep a feeder going year round till turkey season and pulled my camera and ZERO!!! I've had as many as 3 toms and 15 hens in one shot and now it's dried up. Hope somethings not wrong.

 

[TN Whitetail Freak]

Being I'm in west tn and hunt all public land, the recent floods ha e 100% of my go to spots under as much as 15' of water. It's not looking good. State ground doesn't open until April 14 so I'll end up traveling the 2 hours to Natchez Trace which is the closest state ground that will be open. Anyone know how the birds are up there?

 

[Andy S.]

I'm a little worried about my place in Perry cty.

Understood. The areas I used to hunt, and still drive through, in Perry county, seem to be way down compared to a decade ago.