Groups of gobblers?

[BlakeJ]

What are usually the biggest sized groups of longbeards that you guys see during the spring season?

Where I hunt rios in Texas, usually they are singles or run in pairs. Very seldom do you see more than two longbeards running together (unless it's right after a bunch get off the roost together). What do you guys see?

[fallhnt]

At home (IL) had 4 come in last year and gave 1 the shaft.

[CT Spur Collector]

It's nothing to see 10 to 15 longbeards all running together in a group here in PA.   Always in the winter.

Around January 12th this year, I counted 13 in a gaggle real close to home.....ALL longbeards.

I see it often.

[alloutdoors]

Three or four isn't terribly uncommon where I hunt. Most I've had was eight.

[wvlimbhanger]

Several times over the years I've seen or called in a group of 3.  Can't recall any group larger than that during the season.

[chcltlabz]

We occasionally run into larger groups of gobblers.  One group I ran across would gobble their heads off but would not come to a call.  I figured they were henned up, but I was working one responsive bird, and as he started working in, so did the group of birds from the opposite direction.    I thought I was about to be the meat in a gobbler sandwich, but the group of gobblers looped around me and met up with the lone working bird and they proceeded to gobble their fool heads off, and eventually work away.  I looped around them and watched them cross a road.  I figured for sure it was a group of bully jakes, but it turned out to be 5 longbeards.

Another group I won't soon forget, it was getting close to noon quitting time and we had a bird gobbling that wasn't coming anywhere near us.  He was off on private land we couldn't go on, but we got a response behind us.  There was a marshy area I didn't think they would cross to come to us, so I beat feet to get across it, and when I got across, they gobbled way too close.  All I could do is lay down on the side of this bump.  A longbeard stepped on top, and I rolled on to my side with my gun up and missed him clean (tough to shoot laying on your side I later found out).  I stood up for a follow up shot, and when I could see over the bump, there were longbeards running everywhere.

Best I can figure is these were groups of non-dominant toms grouped up for company and protection.

[TauntoHawk]

It depends on what part of the season, during an exceptionally cold spring during youth season I've seen them still in winter flocks and got a kid on a group of birds that had about a dozen long beards in it. Usually though by the time season comes in they've broken up and spread out. It can depend on roost sights too if there are limited roost sights then more birds will often roost together and hang out during the day.

In fall and winter deer hunting I've seen giant flocks of 30-50 bearded birds all together.

[njdevilsb]

Usually the most I'll see together in the spring is between 3-5.

[Dr Juice]

During the fall in NY while hunting deer I have seen anywhere from 6-8 slammers together. However, I only experienced a pair of longbeards during the spring gobbler season.

[zelmo1]

Have seen 8 but I have had 4 come in to my decoys

[g8rvet]

Have taken one out of a group of 4 gobblers two different times.  Had 3 one time that I thought would never separate for the shot.  Would have been good video because they stood in my sights for what seemed like hours-probably a good 20 minutes though.  Patience, patience, BOOOOM

My brother killed a jake out of a group of 6 in the spring years ago that I called in for him.  My son's first turkey was a jake out of a group of 4. 

Definitely see more hoodlum gangs of jakes. 

[midmslongbeard]

Two weekends ago in the rain I had a group of 12 longbeards and 15 jakes come out in a field. Other than that group most I've seen is 5 or six roost together than usually split up some as the day goes on