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T.R. Michels' Trinity Mountain Outdoors Your Internet Portal to Hunting News, Information, Products and Services
Turkey Activity Graphs I Turkey Communication Turkey Articles I Turkey Hunting Tips
Peak Turkey Gobbling Activity, Turkey Breeding Season Phases & Peak Gobbling Dates Chart
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Peak Turkey Gobbling Activity The time when tom turkeys may be most likely to respond to calls is during one of the spring breeding season's gobbling peaks. For years most turkey biologists and researchers talked about only two gobbling peaks, one before the primary breeding phase, and one after the primary breeding phase. And many hunters try to hunt during those two gobbling peaks. Below is a graph of gobbling activity from my 1998 study. It shows that there were two gobbling peaks, and they occurred when the MN State turkey biologist said they would; during the first to second week of April, and the first week of May. |
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However, during the next three years of my turkey research project I discovered that (at least in my area) there may regularly be four gobbling peaks. As far as I know I am the first person to document and talk about these multiple gobbling peaks. You can see by the graph below that between 1998 and 2001, peak gobbling did not always occur during the same weeks; and that there were only two gobbling peaks in 1998 (because I did not conduct gobbling counts before April nor after mid-May). There were four gobbling peaks in 1999, six peaks in 2000, and three peaks in 2001. Although there are six peaks in 2000, cold temperature and rain reduced gobbling during the first April gobbling peak, and during the first May gobbling peak. This resulted in those two gobbling peaks being divided into two peaks each. I suspect that, if it hadn't been cold and rainy, the April peaks may have been combined into one peak, and the May peaks may have combined into another peak. However, this shows that severe weather can reduce gobbling, and may result in more gobbling peaks than normal. |
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Turkey Breeding Season Phases As a result of my studies I divided the turkey breeding-season into several different phases, much like the phases of the rut of white-tailed deer. These phases were first published in the National Wild Turkey Federation's Turkey Call magazine in 2001. To view more information about turkeys, turkey behavior, turkey management and turkey hunting read my turkey articles in Trinity Mountain Outdoor News and T.R.'s Tips; Turkey Hunting. The turkey breeding season phases are: Phase 1: Flock Re-integration Phase Gobbling Peak Turkeys often spend the winter in hen groups, tom groups and jake groups. However, in some areas, especially when food sources are low turkeys may stay together in large mixed flocks. As the days become warmer the jakes and toms may leave the hens. Then, as the urge to mate comes over the turkeys the jakes may join the toms to form groups as they search for hens. In areas where food sources are limited the toms and jakes may travel with the hens throughout the day, and roost with them at night. As a result of the toms being in contact with the hens, there may be an early gobbling peak that is not often talked about. Gobbling at this time is usually performed by adult males, and as the days grow longer more males begin to gobble. In the south gobbling may begin in early February, in the north it may begin as early as the first week of March. Phase 2: Post Flock Re-integration Phase Gobbling Lull During the three years of my research I found that gobbling activity usually decreased within a week of the toms and hens getting together. Although this lack of gobbling may be a result of the toms being near the hens, and thus not needing to gobble, I suspect that low temperatures and wet conditions contributed to decreased gobbling. This is when birds in some areas begin to leave their wintering areas, and when large tom flocks may break up into smaller groups, which results in less gobbling activity. Phase 3: Pre-Primary Breeding Phase Gobbling Peak As the days become longer the toms start to gobble more. Although the hens may not be ready to breed at this time (because they are either not ready, or it is too cold and wet) the toms are, and they increase their gobbling in an effort to attract the hens. This results in an increase in gobbling prior to the Primary Breeding Phase. If the hens are still in large flocks they may begin to breakup and migrate at this time. The hen groups may be followed by the toms as they migrate or the toms may follow the hens days later. Because the toms are ready to breed and are still establishing dominance, they may respond to the sound of a hen to try to initiate breeding, or to the sound of a gobbler to exert dominance. This phase may last a week or more, until many of the hens are ready to breed. Phase 4: Primary Breeding Phase Gobbling Lull As the days continue to grow longer, and the weather warms, the hens become interested in breeding and spend more time at feeding areas and strutting sites, where the toms often hang out. To attract the hens when they are within visual range the toms gobble less, and begin to display by strutting, showing their colorful head, and by spitting and drumming. Because the toms are displaying instead of calling to attract hens there is a decrease in gobbling during this phase. This is when the toms are least likely to respond to a call. This phase may last from a few days to a couple of weeks, depending on the number and sex ratio of birds in the area, and the weather. Phase 5: Post Primary Breeding Phase Gobbling Peak After the hens have been bred they begin building nests and laying. However, they don't spend much time on the nest until after their last egg has been laid. Since hens may lay up to 12 eggs, they may not begin nesting until 1-2 weeks after they have been bred. While they are laying and nesting the hens usually travel by themselves, but they may join other hens at preferred feeding/strutting sites, where there may be toms. Gobbling activity usually reaches it's highest level while the hens nest and the toms try to attract any hens that are still willing to breed. This is when the toms may be the most willing to respond to calling. This phase may last for a week or more. Phase 6: Nesting Phase Gobbling Lull Gobbling activity usually decreases within a few weeks of the majority of the hens being bred. During this phase the hens begin to spend more time on their nests, and fewer hens show up at early morning feeding and strutting areas. The decrease in gobbling at this time may be a result of the toms being worn out and seeing fewer hens. Older hens may breed again at this time if their first nesting attempt was unsuccessful. Yearling hens may begin their first breeding during this phase. Phase 7: Post Nesting Phase Gobbling Peak During my studies in both 1999 and 2000 there was an increase in gobbling activity by single subdominant toms and groups of jakes in late May. Because researchers believe that gobbling by dominant males suppresses gobbling by subdominants, I suspect that the subdominants jakes and toms began gobbling at this time because the dominants were done gobbling. This gobbling peak may precede a late breeding phase of older hens attempting to re-nest, and yearling hens attempting to nest for the first time. This phase may not occur in all areas. Got Questions? Log on to "T.R.'s Tips" Message Board |
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Peak Turkey Gobbling Activity Chart Some of us like to know when peak turkey gobbling activity occurs in the state we intend to hunt, so we know which dates to choose for hunt dates. There are two normal peaks in gobbling activity, one before peak breeding and one after peak breeding. The problem with predicting the dates of these two gobbling peaks is that unlike the rut of many antlered animals, which occurs at approximately the same time every year due to photoperiod, but may be changed by a major difference in weather conditions earlier that year; turkey breeding time-frames (as in many ground nesting birds) are dependent on photoperiod, and to a great extent on spring weather (meteorology/phenology) conditions. Normal turkey breeding dates may be pushed forward by early warm weather and emergence of forage, or be delayed by later than normal cool weather and lack of forage. Turkeys may also re-nest if their first nesting attempt doesn't produce young due to untimely cold or wet weather; this may result in another gobbling peak. Several studies also show that gobbling activity may be reduced by hunting pressure, especially when it occurs during one of the two gobbling peaks. Hunting pressure may cause an overall decrease in gobbling activity, with the result that there may be no discernable gobbling peaks, or there may be only one gobbling peak, and it could be the Pre-breeding Gobbling, the Post Breeding Gobbling Peak, or it may not coincide with either of these normal peaks. If you can't find the information you need on the chart, check the dates of the nearest location. Remember that gobbling peaks vary from year to year due to meteorological conditions, and food availability, and that the peaks may last for 1-3 weeks. To determine when the peaks are most likely to occur take the middle date of the dates given, and figure peak gobbling may occur as much as a week before and a week after.
If you have information to add to this chart please contact me. TRMichels@yahoo.com |
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