![]() If the snood is long and droopy, he is likely content. Watch a tom’s snood as he approaches your setup. Gobblers spread their tail fan, erect their body feathers, and drag their wings while showing off their iridescent colors to establish dominance and attract a mate. Get to know their most common behaviors and physical features. Wild turkeys use a variety of behaviors and appearances to signal their sex, age, mood, or intention. The two main types are friction and air blown. There are a number of calling devices designed to lure a gobbler into range. Practice these calls on a device that is simple and easy to operate until you can produce the sounds with ease. Learn how to make the calls and, more importantly, when to make them. Learn the Lingo, Master the MethodsĪlthough turkeys have an extensive vocabulary, you should concentrate on mastering the two most common calls: the yelp and cluck. Stiff walking, high-stretched neck and head, putting, and a shortened snood can be signs of an alert turkey that may be aware of your or another hunter’s location. A relaxed tom will exhibit normal walking behavior, may strut, and will usually have a relaxed or drooping snood. This posturing can lead to fighting to establish dominance as mentioned earlierĪs turkeys approach your setup, pay attention to the birds’ body language. In addition to strutting, turkeys also exhibit other posturing to help maintain social structure within a flock. Wild turkeys frequently use body language and behavior - strutting is an example. Visual CommunicationĪlthough we think of turkeys gobbling and yelping to communicate, they don’t always make noise to send a message. This ritual continues through the end of May and overlaps with our spring turkey-hunting season. Hens will communicate frequently with gobblers by tree calling, yelping, cackling, and cutting and by coming to the vocal communication offered by toms. Humans can hear this unique sound only a short distance, usually less than 75 yards. Many times, gobbling subsides after fly-down, and toms switch almost entirely to strutting with spitting and drumming. Toms will typically fly down, stand on a ridge, gobble, strut, and spit and drum in the hopes of attracting a hen. Usually around mid-March, the first gobbles can be heard at daylight. Gobblers are polygamous and will mate with several hens throughout the season. The turkey’s spring mating ritual and the accompanying sounds and behaviors are well documented. ![]() Establishing dominance helps gobblers, in particular, transition into spring, the mating season, with ease. Both gobblers and hens will fight for rank within the pecking order while making a number of vocalizations. ![]() Much of the social status within the flock is established through calling and displaying. But as spring unfolds, breeding flocks become more common, with a mix of gobblers and hens. For example, in the fall and winter, it is common for gobblers and hens to break into separate flocks. However, their flocking nature changes throughout the year. To establish social status, turkeys need other birds around them. Hens will communicate with gobblers by tree calling, yelping, cackling, and cutting. In addition, this alerts other turkeys within hearing distance to the danger.īoth gobblers and hens make vocalizations throughout the year. For alarm, all turkeys will “putt.” Biologists and hunters think this call warns offending hunters or predators the turkey has spotted them and their efforts to surprise the bird are over. Both gobblers and hens make vocalizations throughout the year. These calls help birds signal danger, establish social status, and attract a mate. Wild turkeys produce over 20 different types of vocalizations and other sounds (see Turkey Talk Dictionary sidebar for the most common). During this display, the gobbler is making his presence known vocally by gobbling and visually by displaying. For example, a tom may gobble while also strutting and posturing (the act of spreading its tail fan, dragging its wings, and making its body appear larger) for attraction and dominance. Turkeys often use both methods at the same time. Turkeys use two main forms of communication: vocal and visual. From avoiding danger to mating, turkeys depend on communication to survive. Wild turkeys have a well-developed communication system that plays an important role in their lives. Hunters can increase their chances of success if they have a complete understanding of how and why turkeys communicate. However, wild turkey communication is complex, with many different kinds of vocalizations and extensive body language. In particular, it’s the interaction between hunter and turkey that brings many back to the timber each season. ![]() Spring makes wild turkey hunters daydream of calm mornings with gobbles erupting from every ridge. ![]()
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