Smoke Phase Turkeys

[archer36]

A lot of these Turkeys in my  Deer Hunting Spot. May have to hunt them here this Spring. 

 

[hammer4reel]

Are you seeing any toms

[archer36]

22 hours ago, hammer4reel said:

Are you seeing any toms

Funny you asked. I think these are 1st year turkeys so no beards visible yet. Never saw them in previous years. I saw a big clutch of them in June this past year. 

When will you see beards on the Jakes?

Edited January 13, 2021 by archer36

[bushden]

Those are hybrid BUTTER BALL TURKEYS that escaped from Shop Rite Butcher

[archer36]

3 minutes ago, bushden said:

Those are hybrid BUTTER BALL TURKEYS that escaped from Shop Rite Butcher

That's what I thought but guys on here set me straight. 

[archer36]

7 minutes ago, bushden said:

Those are hybrid BUTTER BALL TURKEYS that escaped from Shop Rite Butcher

The Farmer has Domestic White Turkeys in a pen. He said some escaped. They probably were quickly eaten by Foxes. 

[bushden]

24 minutes ago, archer36 said:

The Farmer has Domestic White Turkeys in a pen. He said some escaped. They probably were quickly eaten by Foxes. 

For sure they don't last long if there are fox around. Every once in a while they will stalk the cats, that a sight to see. The cats are pretty smart but once in a while they get caught.

[the truth]

I have one of them at my spot too. Pretty cool. 

[230jhp]

There used to be a bunch of them in the woods along the Pompton River in Lincoln Park....A lot of deer there too.

[Stan Putz]

21 hours ago, archer36 said:

That's what I thought but guys on here set me straight. 

I remember that thread, but I can't say I'm thoroughly convinced. I've hunted turkeys all over the USA, and there are only certain portions of NJ where I see groups of turkeys like this. Maybe a genetic mutation, but I would think at some point it would have been bred out of the line. I'm more ready to believe that at some point (Years ago? Recently?) domestic turkeys are OCCASIONALLY breeding with wild turkeys & the genetics are making their way down the line, which probably isn't much different than a genetic mutation anyway. I guess it doesn't make much difference, these birds are just as wild as their darker cousins.

[Gobblengrunt]

Here is a cool smoke phase i shot in a fall season a few years ago.  Ive seen quite a few smoke phase over the years turkey hunting but they have all been hens.

[archer36]

1 minute ago, Gobblengrunt said:

Here is a cool smoke phase i shot in a fall season a few years ago.  Ive seen quite a few smoke phase over the years turkey hunting but they have all been hens.

Do you know at what age Jakes start to grow beards? 

[Gobblengrunt]

3 minutes ago, archer36 said:

Do you know at what age Jakes start to grow beards? 

Some jakes will have beards showing by now.  Identify them by the head and feather coloring.  Some hens will have beards too

[archer36]

Just now, Gobblengrunt said:

Some jakes will have beards showing by now.  Identify them by the head and feather coloring.  Some hens will have beards too

I'm familiar with "normal" turkey coloring. Just curious if the color phase males will have beards by hunting season if hatched last year. If color phases occur in male birds. 

[hammer4reel]

33 minutes ago, archer36 said:

I'm familiar with "normal" turkey coloring. Just curious if the color phase males will have beards by hunting season if hatched last year. If color phases occur in male birds. 

They should be between and inch and four inches by the time the season opens.