Strutting Hen

[py_archer]

Was out the other week hunting for a certain 10 pt when some birds come on the scene. About 30 hens showed up, including one strutter. I had seen a hen strutting the previous week, probably her, so her behavior did'nt really surprise me, except this time she was really going at it. She kept throwing a cornstalk up and chasing it down like my dog does a rock. A band of 8 jakes came in and checked them out (she quit) then moved off to the edge of the field. After a short while the jakes started in with a rowdy raucous that told me something was up and minutes later 5 longbeards (count em) stepped out into the field towards the jakes. I thought maybe I was going to see a fight but other than alot of aggravated purrs nothing happened. The toms then moved towards then hens which were now at the other end of the field. When they moved into the flock one of them starts strutting for the ladies. Now this is where it gets interesting cause that hen starts struttin too about 20 yds away from him. I thought that might fire him up but he never even went towards her and seemed disinterested. She kept it up till they disappeard into the woods with no reaction from him that I could see through my binoculars.

Interesting behavior considering it was late January.

[wishinone]

Turkeys strut and gobble year round, I seen two gobblers strutting in 10 inches of snow the other day. I'm sure the hen was trying to show her dominance over the others, I've had hens strut when they come in to give my decoys heck.

[HuntnMa]

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I'm sure the hen was trying to show her dominance over the others,

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that would be my guess, i knew a hen that was always strutting, and as God is my witness, she would come by you strutting then she would purrrrr and then bite the living doggy mess out of you.....i had several bruises on my legs and rearend because of her....she thought she was my boss hen,lol......she's in turkey heaven now(struttin')lol....

[brad dryden]

Yep