# Turkey hatch in late summer?



## panfishking (Jan 2, 2011)

Was driving through the woods today and spotted a hen, she started walking away and had about 7-8 offspring with her. None were over 10" tall. Is that normal for this time of year?


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## Kennybks (Mar 29, 2010)

I'd venture to say not. I've had a hen with three polts about 18" tall in my yard all week. I thought they were small.

Occasionally I've seen hens rear two broods, or if her first is lost due to predation. just means there's going to be more for next year!


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

There are some awful persistent hens. Remember they are females!!!!

If they lost a nest and did not renest we would not have the numbers we have. This hen might have come from a later renest last year so she started laying late resulting in these small poults. It is my opinion that the beardless jakes we see ever spring probably come from a late brood.


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## Forest Meister (Mar 7, 2010)

About three years ago a hen began showing up in my yard in late August with a single polt about the size of the ones in the picture. I named it junior and figured it would not make it to winter. I was wrong. It was the smallest in the flock when birds gathered in the neighborhood for handouts in December but by mid January you could not tell it from the other young turkeys. FM


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## Liver and Onions (Nov 24, 2000)

[QUOTE="Kennybks, post: 5621791, member: 49043"}.....
Occasionally I've seen hens rear two broods, or if her first is lost due to predation. just means there's going to be more for next year![/QUOTE]

I had never heard of a hen raising 2 broods so I did a search. Look at (D xiv).
http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt?open=514&objID=622246&mode=2

Thank goodness some hens re-nest if they lose their first nest. About 3 weeks ago I saw a hen with 2 very small poults. Guessing less than a week old. Perhaps a 3rd attempt at nesting was successful ?? 
I have mentioned before that I do not see anywhere the number of turkey poults in the summer that I did 10 yrs. ago in the 2 SLP counties that I hunt/live. Spring numbers way down too naturally. We think it took ***** a few years to catch on to turkeys and their nest and now they seek out these nest. No proof of course, but we have taken appropriate action against the animal that we think robs turkey nests.

L & O


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

The heavy winters here in Oceana county have taken a lot of turkeys. In the extreme cold they will freeze to death right on the limb at night. Because of the deep snow they can not get to food. in most of the area they do not have the luxury of corn fields to feed in. With the deer herd being as low as it is they also can not follow the deer trails to follow and feed on leftovers from the deer feeding. 
Yet the DNR still holds another fall deer season. I applied for a permit just to save a turkey. I will not purchase the permit so all the DNR will get is the application fee.

Scientific management BS. $$$$ Management yes.


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## Luv2hunteup (Mar 22, 2003)

panfishking said:


> Was driving through the woods today and spotted a hen, she started walking away and had about 7-8 offspring with her. None were over 10" tall. Is that normal for this time of year?
> View attachment 189024


I've been watching a hen with poults about the same size or smaller in the last few weeks in Cheboygan county.


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## Liver and Onions (Nov 24, 2000)

multibeard said:


> ............ With the deer herd being as low as it is they also can not follow the deer trails to follow and feed on leftovers from the deer feeding.
> Yet the DNR still holds another fall deer season. I applied for a permit just to save a turkey. I will not purchase the permit so all the DNR will get is the application fee.
> ...........


That's a good point about the turkeys being able to follow deer trails when you have good deer numbers. I am quite sure you intended to say fall "turkey" season. Agree, how they can justify a fall season where hens are legal targets makes no sense to me. 

L & O


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## multibeard (Mar 3, 2002)

Yes I did mean to say fall Turkey season.

Having a fall season is supposed to be a means of controlling the population. It is not really meant for taking of toms. It is meant to take some of the breeding stock when their is an over population.

Why the DNR has a fall season when the population is on the decline is beyond my comprehension. Of course I do not have a college degree, just 60+ years in the real world.

There is a lot of money that comes from turkey licenses that is supposed to go to turkey management that is getting spent every where but on turkeys.


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