Tuesday, June 9, 2009
It's been nearly 4 days since I've been able to get out into the woods due to rain. I thought it be good to police the 40 acres and just see how many trees have been downed, and how much mud I'll have to contend with on the logging roads. I decided to head through the pines and first check on my mineral block which is located near my food plot, but also in the pines protected from the weather. I got about 180 feet or so from the house and saw these white bulbs sticking up through the ground. Here I thought it was mushrooms, but decided to check it out anyways. To my surprise, this is the first time I have ever come across a wild turkey nest with eggs!!! I ran back to the house and zapped the photo and later learned that turkeys don't cover their eggs during the inoculation period. It will take 26 days for this to happen, though I have no idea how long these particular eggs have been exposed. I would think a predator like a coon would destroy them, but have not found anything detailing this on-line. So, anyone who is a turkey pro, tell me what you know about the hen leaving the eggs like this.
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Amazing find! I wonder if I took a closer look around back at the farm if I would find anything like this. We have at least 5 or 6 breeding hens that live in the woods, not to mention the flock that is in the neighbor's woods...
ReplyDeleteHere are a couple pages I managed to dig up. Doesn't see to be much info out there on the nesting habits. Maybe the DNR can help you more?
http://www.wildturkeyzone.com/wildturkey/species3.htm
and
http://www.fishpondinfo.com/birds/turkey.htm
Thanks for the links...now I know what you do on your off time...working the net finding all sorts of info. I'll be contacting you soon. Parents been keeping me busy with building a storage shed which is taking up free time.
ReplyDeleteYeah...I'm sorta a huge geek like that! lol
ReplyDeleteNo problems man, hope the shed went up well!