About Wild Turkeys
The sport of wild turkey hunting is an exhilarating pastime of which very few outdoor pursuits can match. When compared with other popular game, this extraordinary bird gives a hunter a massive challenge and is guaranteed to keep them on their toes throughout the entire hunt. Experience is the key - that is not only gained by participation, but also through some proper research, as there are many intriguing snippets of information about wild turkeys that familiarizing oneself with, will ultimately benefit the hunter.
A wild turkey has exceedingly strong senses, with its hearing and eyesight possibly as good as any other animal living in woodland surroundings. There is a deep, almost grudging respect for the bird by the experienced hunters, who have often stated that were the turkeys to have a smelling sense equally as keen, then none would ever be caught. This is because they flee at the slightest hint of danger and are surprisingly rapid in their movement, so give them any indication of your presence and they will be long gone.
Understanding the basics is definitely the first wild turkey info that should be digested. The male (or tom) has a wingspan that can reach as much as four feet, whilst the female (or hen) is much smaller and not as striking in appearance. They can surprisingly reach speeds of up to 40 miles per hour in flight and around half of that on foot. They usually spend the nights high up in the branches of really tall trees such as pines, oaks, spruces and firs, at the edge of a clearing, with half an eye on emergency exit.
A vital piece of info on turkeys is their eating habits - although they tend to feed sporadically through any given day, they do actually forage more intensely for the last couple of hours immediately before dusk and then again for the first couple of hours after dawn. Their diet includes the likes of fruits, acorns, nuts, grains, shoots, seeds and grass roots. In addition they will also feast on insects and on occasions, small amphibians.
Much of the breeding process begins with the characteristic gobble sound that is so well known amongst turkeys. They fan their tails, with feathers fluffed and the wings tipped and dragging, they then strut in a quite extraordinary way, whilst in the same time letting out a low-pitched hum that always raises an eyebrow. This will be repeated over and over again, until a female is eventually attracted.
The nesting site will usually be close to clumps of vegetation, and will be shallow marked by the hen and covered with twigs and leaves. She will usually lay up to 14 eggs at a time, which will be of a speckled brown color, and will hatch in around 27 to 29 days. The young do not hang around for long and are ready for flight within 10 days.
A wild turkey has exceedingly strong senses, with its hearing and eyesight possibly as good as any other animal living in woodland surroundings. There is a deep, almost grudging respect for the bird by the experienced hunters, who have often stated that were the turkeys to have a smelling sense equally as keen, then none would ever be caught. This is because they flee at the slightest hint of danger and are surprisingly rapid in their movement, so give them any indication of your presence and they will be long gone.
Understanding the basics is definitely the first wild turkey info that should be digested. The male (or tom) has a wingspan that can reach as much as four feet, whilst the female (or hen) is much smaller and not as striking in appearance. They can surprisingly reach speeds of up to 40 miles per hour in flight and around half of that on foot. They usually spend the nights high up in the branches of really tall trees such as pines, oaks, spruces and firs, at the edge of a clearing, with half an eye on emergency exit.
A vital piece of info on turkeys is their eating habits - although they tend to feed sporadically through any given day, they do actually forage more intensely for the last couple of hours immediately before dusk and then again for the first couple of hours after dawn. Their diet includes the likes of fruits, acorns, nuts, grains, shoots, seeds and grass roots. In addition they will also feast on insects and on occasions, small amphibians.
Much of the breeding process begins with the characteristic gobble sound that is so well known amongst turkeys. They fan their tails, with feathers fluffed and the wings tipped and dragging, they then strut in a quite extraordinary way, whilst in the same time letting out a low-pitched hum that always raises an eyebrow. This will be repeated over and over again, until a female is eventually attracted.
The nesting site will usually be close to clumps of vegetation, and will be shallow marked by the hen and covered with twigs and leaves. She will usually lay up to 14 eggs at a time, which will be of a speckled brown color, and will hatch in around 27 to 29 days. The young do not hang around for long and are ready for flight within 10 days.