As a deer hunter, I have learned Blue Jays are my early warning system. They always squawk at deer.
I have just had an hour long encounter with 2 gobblers and some hens. I could pull them towards me, but not to me. They left and I made a loop around them to get ahead of them. The area they went into looks to be prime nesting habitat- field that's fallow for 5 years.
Crows appear to be set up above them watching for hens heading to the nest to steal eggs? Is this how crows raid nests??
Do you pay any attention to crows or blue jays when Turkey hunting???
There was a thread that touched on this topic, specifically blue jays, not too long ago that you should check out. I think l mentioned back then how a flushing dove had alerted me to the presence of an approaching silent gobbler. So yes, definitely, careful listening, paying attention closely to nature as a whole ecosystem is very important.
Quote from: krm944 on April 14, 2023, 08:31:39 AM
Do you pay any attention to crows or blue jays when Turkey hunting???
Yes, religiously to crows. Next time your in the woods and the turkeys are gobbling listen for crows, if they are around theres a good chance they'll be harassing the turkeys with cawing try to force gobbles from them.
If your extremely familiar with and area and know the turkeys habits, roost sites, loafing/assembly areas, and the like. listen closely on nice days when you feel the turkey should be gobbling and are not. If crows are around I would almost bet money they'll be checking these areas because they think turkeys should be gobbling as well. They'll show up to one of these spots, caw a few times. if they don't get a gobble they move to the next location and try. They'll keep trying, moving from spot to spot and not randomly. They'll hit places you heard turkeys gobbling in the past. If your familiar with an area you'll realize this if your paying attention.
I'm extremely attentive to crows when in a new area on quiet days. More often than not they'll tell me where the turkeys like to hang/ are hanging if I'm listening to them.
In my parts, it is often a barking squirrel.
I pay attention to all. As mentioned above, squirrels are big tattle tells around here.
For me as others have said it is squirrel chatter, I also watch the red wing blackbirds to see if they start dive bombing towards the ground, that is a sign there is something there they do not want to be there and it could be a turkey.