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General Discussion => Turkey Hunting Tips ,Strategies & Methods => Topic started by: Footballer on January 10, 2012, 02:37:01 PM

Title: Gobbling Hens
Post by: Footballer on January 10, 2012, 02:37:01 PM
Has anybody heard a hen gobble? Last spring I watched a hen semi-gobble after every yelp. I'm not sure if she was confused or just blessed with a little extra testosterone...
Title: Re: Gobbling Hens
Post by: TauntoHawk on January 10, 2012, 03:03:00 PM
two years ago my dad and his buddy came back from a hunt in Eastern NY saying the called in one angry lone hen that strutted and "gobbled" obviously it more of a choked off attept gobble like a young jakes but it was very clear it was "gobbling" as well as very aggressive cutts.. we almost didnt believe them until they showed me and my buddy a cell phone video of her at 10yds strutting back and forth..

we talked about how it was a once in a lifetime thing to see.. the very next morning on another farm a good 15 miles away me and my buddy were calling to a flock of birds shortly after fly down when a hen came in heated, yelping and cutting her head off. when she couldnt find the intruding hen (us) she began strutting back and forth drawing in a few toms and jakes behind her which all dropped into strut together.

it was unbelievable how the day before I had never heard of it and now 4 of us had seen it from 2 different hens. IMO its a dominance thing with hens the same as Toms, and an old boss hen that is all worked up and ready to defend her turff from some loud mouth stranger or show off infront of the other hens and watching Toms.

It took a few minutes for them to settle down enough that I could get a clean shot at a lone Tom and not get a strutting jake or that hen mixed in. That was one of my all time best hunts and is still one of my most productive spots.
Title: Re: Gobbling Hens
Post by: drenalinld on January 10, 2012, 04:00:20 PM
I encountered a hen on two consecutive days last Spring in NE that strutted like crazy and cutt at us like mad, but she never gobbled although we were wondering if she might since she strutted for the better part of 30 minutes before we smacked two long beards behind her. She may have been the boss hen, but she was not old. She had a fan like a jake with the four center primary feathers longer than the rest.
Title: Re: Gobbling Hens
Post by: guesswho on January 10, 2012, 04:48:24 PM
There was a member on here last year that video'd a whole flock of gobbling hens.   Said it's not unusual in the areas he hunts.

I myself have seen a couple strut but never gobble. 
Title: Re: Gobbling Hens
Post by: gob09 on January 10, 2012, 05:35:23 PM
i have seen them strut but never gobble
Title: Re: Gobbling Hens
Post by: TRKYHTR on January 11, 2012, 01:06:45 AM
Yes I have seen them strut and gobble. I have a good video of a struttin hen. She actually spits and drums as well. I didn't get a video of the gobbling hen.

TRKYHTR
Title: Re: Gobbling Hens
Post by: strut and spurs on January 11, 2012, 11:13:38 AM
heard them gobble on tv.
Title: Re: Gobbling Hens
Post by: gooblnfever on January 20, 2012, 09:33:43 PM
seen then strut but not gobble
Title: Re: Gobbling Hens
Post by: Ruger M77 on January 21, 2012, 08:14:36 AM
I've seen 2 hens that strutted and gobbled both of them were hens with poults in the fall. Both of them started it while i was calling to them.The one came running in to 10yds seemed like she was trying to run off the turkey she heard.
Title: Re: Gobbling Hens
Post by: hookedspur on January 21, 2012, 09:43:32 AM
Yes I have had them answer a call and come in looking for a fight , doing their best to Gobble .
Title: Re: Gobbling Hens
Post by: jblackburn on January 21, 2012, 10:05:15 AM
I've never seen a wild hen do it, but I used to raise a few yard turkeys when I was a kid and used to see it from one of my hens.  She used to strut and gobble all the time, she would also raise a brood every year.
Title: Re: Gobbling Hens
Post by: chatterbox on January 21, 2012, 11:15:59 AM
I have never heard them gobble, but Harrison and I witnessed one a couple years ago strut, then lower her tail, do a fighting purr, and flog my hen decoy!
Pretty fun to watch. She wasn't very big, but she packed some serious attitude! Everytime I would yelp or cut, she would come running and size up my decoy. Funny stuff.
Title: Re: Gobbling Hens
Post by: SonicBanshee on February 10, 2012, 01:53:47 PM
 :gobble:
Title: Re: Gobbling Hens
Post by: Turkeykiller12 on February 13, 2012, 12:26:14 AM
Had this happen to me in GA last season. This was a first for me. The hen was acting very aggressive and came in very close doing her best act at gobbling and half way strutting  It was a sight to see
Title: Re: Gobbling Hens
Post by: MCase on March 01, 2012, 10:12:20 PM
Seen 1 Srut....and 1 Gobble.
Title: Re: Gobbling Hens
Post by: redleg06 on March 01, 2012, 11:42:58 PM
Quote from: guesswho on January 10, 2012, 04:48:24 PM

I myself have seen a couple strut but never gobble. 

Same here.   
Title: Re: Gobbling Hens
Post by: Flyrodder on March 04, 2012, 06:06:15 PM
I saw a hen on the roost sound like a young jake trying to gobble. When she flew down, she came by me and tried to gobble again. This is the only time I've saw it.
Flyrodder
Title: Re: Gobbling Hens
Post by: Gooserbat on March 05, 2012, 05:54:42 PM
I watched a hen strut last spring and I mean strut not just hackle her feathers a bit.  She was "dancing" with a tom for several minutes untill I ended their dance.
Title: Re: Gobbling Hens
Post by: reflexl on March 05, 2012, 06:39:19 PM
I saw one strut last year and run up in a class of jakes. About 4 years ago I was set up on a huge field and a hen came running to my call. She got up to the lone hen decoy and started the most pitiful gobble I ever heard but no doubt that it was a gobble. reflexl
Title: Re: Gobbling Hens
Post by: turkey_slayer on March 05, 2012, 10:52:02 PM
 Heard one a few years ago. She would start with a 2 note yelp and break into a gobble. I had her fired up. It was very low pitch and I doubt you cld have heard it very far. Might have heard it up to 200 yards. It was pretty cool