Ohio Fall Turkey Season 2010

[Jake St. John]

Congratulations on a fine fall bird and a large concentration of birds.  Is this the high point on your birds population cycle or do you run about this many birds all the time?  We have cycles in populations here on the Ms. River.  Our populations cycle up like yours when the River stays low and the spring rises do not get the hatch.  At these times we will have a 100 or so in a flock.  When the population gets  high,  I have seen the numbers wiped out by foul pox and blackhead.  I have seen this happen twice in about 35 years.

[BD1]

[Shadetree Callers]

Congratulations on a fine fall bird and a large concentration of birds.  Is this the high point on your birds population cycle or do you run about this many birds all the time?  We have cycles in populations here on the Ms. River.  Our populations cycle up like yours when the River stays low and the spring rises do not get the hatch.  At these times we will have a 100 or so in a flock.  When the population gets  high,  I have seen the numbers wiped out by foul pox and blackhead.  I have seen this happen twice in about 35 years.

That's a good question John. Our flocks are doing very well and holding steady numbers. We have had several good hatches in a row so our birds are still growing in numbers ! Here is a pic. of one of the local flocks I have been hunting for awhile . I counted 66 birds but the picture only shows some of them . This is the most vocal bunch of Easterns I have run across before ! They can be heard from a distance ALL DAY LONG.  Notice the bearded hen in the left front. She is one of three bearded hens I have identified in this flock . I look forward to seeing you in Nahville John .
Bob