Turkey Behavior Question

[n3wcomb]

I went scouting in E WA 20 mins from where I live (public land scout) and found a large group of hens and poults. I backtracked where they came from, found feeding fields and their poop everywhere.

I have a couple questions.

Do hens and poults follow the same route in general?

Also, in the fall will there be gobblers nearby if there are hens?

This public land is a real turkey heaven, creeks, ridges, open fields, dense wood, etc. I couldn't hear any gobbles while scouting and didn't see any males, where are the gobblers in the fall?!

[baldopepper]

Hens and poults generally (not always) follow the same routes until forced to do otherwise. (Weather or hunters)  Routes may not be exactly the same, so best to try to observe them 3-4 times rembering that a variation of a few yards can put them out of range.  Toms are pretty much off on their own and really only around the hens if there is a food hotspot.

[Wanttohuntmore]

Fall seems to be harder to predict than spring.   My whitetail area has birds about every 5 years in the fall.   In the spring it consistently has them.  I don't even bother fall hunting them.

[Rob]

Observing the ones at my house, I have seen the following:

I see three types of groups right now.
-Hens teamed up for daycare service.  2-3 hens with a collective clutch of 8-15 young depending on the group
-Toms and jakes seem to be traveling together without hens. 
-Hens without young seem to be flocked up.

The birds seem to move thru their favorite areas on a regular basis, however they may skip a day or two for some reason - so not like clockwork, but pretty regular over a 3-4 day period.  They have a couple dusting spots they really like to hit up.  These birds are under no pressure whatsoever and more or less do as they please.

As the Fall comes, I see the groups coalescing into larger flocks.  I often see this year's young, toms, jakes and hens all flocked up - especially thru the winter.  The toms often group up nearby the larger flocks as well.

I occasionally hear a gobble, but not often - usually at daybreak.  Lots of yelping throughout the day though.  I watched the group of 8 toms/jakes I have on my place fight a bit yesterday - lots of jumping and cutting.   

[bearpaw]

- Do hens and poults follow the same route in general?

Unless the food runs out or the birds get bumped badly by predators or hunters it’s very likely they will continue using the same feeding areas every day.

- Also, in the fall will there be gobblers nearby if there are hens?

Maybe! In the fall hens and chicks stay in groups, jakes and Tom’s get together in groups, they may be in the same area by coincidence.

-This public land is a real turkey heaven, creeks, ridges, open fields, dense wood, etc. I couldn't hear any gobbles while scouting and didn't see any males, where are the gobblers in the fall?!

Since mating season is over toms typically quit gobbling in the summer. They will still gobble occasionally, but there may be many days with no gobble at all. When looking for turkey sign pay attention to turkey tracks. Hens have a middle toe roughly 3” to 3.5”, males have a middle toe about an inch longer, so usually 4” or longer. When you find tracks the right size in an area then you know you have a area with Tom’s.