Last year my first strut pic was Mar 14, this year Feb 27. Heard gobbling this morning too




this jake was strutting in the back yard sorry about the pic I took it thru the deck railing

Notice the red white and blue head on this jake. That white "snowball" on top is easily seen when turkey hunting



as compared to the grey head of this bearded hen

The hen actually has a much longer but thinner beard than the jake, but both are legal birds during the spring season here in Ohio

It's estimated that 5% of the hens grow beard.  Seems to be about right. This flock has probably 60 hens in it and 3 have beards.

I have been seeing them strut for about 2 weeks now down here.Just last week though they started strutting for hens,the week before was just the boys out strutting for a position in the pecking order.However none of them are as close as the ones in your pics!

Great pics Mickey. Haven't been able to get out myself yet, but my domestic 2yr old started gobbleing last week. Last year throughout the wild turkey breeding season, he gobbled alot in the morning. When the wild turkey breeding season seemed about over he was alot quieter.
I don't have any wilds close to us so it wasn't like he heard them and then got quiet when they did. He did, however call in a hen a couple times!

Mickey,

We can always count on you to get us fired up two months before the season gets here!    

Oh well, I've learned over the years that anticipation of the hunt is  part of the whole hunt process. As always, thanks for the "Heinz Catchup" moment.  

Those birds are teasing me from Ohio Mickey, something about that just isn't right.......

Seems like I've seen one of those bearded hens before....oh yeah, her beard and fan are on my wall now.    

Neat pics...

David

Mickey,

You know they are just coming to your house to gobble their goodbyes before the season starts.  I wish it weren't true but you have a record with these birds....

You can come to the mountains of VA and hunt them with me if you want.  My birds only move to the other side of the ridge.

Thanks for the pics!

I've been watching a flock of about 25 or so and they haven't started strutting yet. From the distance I'm viewing from, I can't tell if they are all hens or a few gobblers mixed in.   Pat

Mickey,   have you ever figured out where they disappear to when season opens?

Joe

Ray, in the next few weeks I should have alot of pics to get you fired up. LOL

Forester..may have to take you up on that someday! Sounds like fun. How far are you from the Ohio border?

Joe..nope. One of these dyas I'm going to follow them. Problem is I don't like to trespass and once they leave my land I can only see them so far. I imagine they go up to some fields on the next ridge someplace.

David..    ..I remember it well...hey can you post a pic of you with that hen?

I seen some strutting last week here in Wisconsin. I hunt April 18-22

Good luck to all

Bring it on Mickey.  I usually get to Gallipolis in under 3 hours from my house - and that is having to drive through WV.  I don't have the birds in my yard but it's a 20 minute walk or 4 minute drive to any of three farms that run up the mountain.  On the ridge begins several thousand acres of National forest.

Nice pics, Looks like their right in your back yard. LOL

Great pics. Where's your snow at though?

Vermonster..snow is gone (at least for the time being). Heck my younger brother and I rode our motorcycles today. It's a balmy 39 degrees out LOL

Great photos Mick...I love those strutting toms. I have 4 toms lurking behind my home in the orchard. Seen them the other day when I was chasing bunnies. Won't be long now......

Here she is Mickey...




Brings back some pretty good memories......thanks for asking.

David

Ahh yes, beautiful bird taken with a special bow! Great picture David.  

We still have about two feet of snow in the Finger Lakes of New York. I thought you guys in Ohio got blasted like Buffalo. The birds around here are a long way from strutting and we're all envious!