Still at it

[Andy S.]

I went riding/looking for wildlife this morning in SW TN and ran across this old bird strutting with five hens. He was locked up tight when I first saw him, but that didn't last long as I cut the truck off, hopped out and went to videoing. The hens said the heck with this and started easing toward the woods, with him in pursuit, all along doing his best to stay in strut. He had a rope for a beard as you can see in the second video. He was about 300 yards from my truck. My buddy said "that is the first old bird I have ever seen strutting with multiple hens in July, as if it were April."

http://youtu.be/NUt9ecQd54s

http://youtu.be/d2wVyOC1rwo

 

[RUGER]

 

[Phil1979]

Nice.

 

[Good time Charlie]

Just to give you some idea of the setting period,
here is a hen with poults a few days old,close to the same day.

And here are poults a month or so old.

 

[Andy S.]

Great pics GTC, thanks for sharing. Soooo many hens, soooo little time to get it all done. I don't feel sorry for them one bit. :grin:

 

[Andy S.]

Just got a report from a buddy in the Nashville area (seasoned turkey hunter) that said he just saw four old hens with ten poults the size of pigeons, definitely late born in the big scheme of things. He said he had to do a double take to make sure his eyes were not fooling him.