# Predators & Turkey Behavior



## Finnegan (Sep 7, 2007)

It amazes me that turkeys are able to survive despite all the predators that are after them. They apparently have some effective defensive behaviors, but what are they?

Specifically, I'm wondering how turkeys behave when there's an active pack of coyotes in the area. I'm thinking that since it's a common situation, understanding how the birds respond would help this 2 legged predator respond in kind. I'm not experienced enough to have a clue; anybody willing to share your observations?


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## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

I've run into this twice last week and a handful of times prior.

Gobbling like crazy...coyote howls in close proximity...no more gobbling. I continued to call, hoping to see coyote but no luck so far. Have called foxes in prior (while specifically turkey hunting), but no coyotes yet.


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

I'm far from an experienced turkey hunter so take this for what it's worth. My area the past two years has held a regular flock of ~40 birds. This year, the flock moved 3 miles up canyon and I'm trying to figure out why. The best answer I've come up with is the enormous increase in bear and coyote sign. I think if the predator population spikes the birds will move looking for safer pastures until they've nowhere else to go.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

I have wondered this same thing, I mean they don't seem to be the smartest bird out there. Multiple times while pheasant hunting my dog has flushed turkeys out from the brush. Along with the coyotes, I would think bobcats and mountain lions would have a pretty easy meal too. I have had turkeys walk within arms reach of me several times while hunting deer. I guess that's why I don't get too excited to run out and buy a turkey permit.


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## SureShot (Oct 2, 2007)

Last week, I was watching a tom and hen in the evening as they slowly made their way towards the roost. The tom was strutting and gobbling occasionally. As I continued to watch, the hen disappeared into some brush and the tom came out of his strut and went on high alert. Then a coyote came trotting along right passed the tom. They couldn't have been more than 15 yards apart with not a blade of grass to hide behind.

The coyote stopped for a few moments and looked over the situation. He slowly made a half-circle around the tom as the tom continued to stare him down. Then, the coyote seemed to lose interest and wandered off in the direction he was originally headed.

After a few minutes of being on high alert, the tom went back to pecking along and the hen reappeared doing the same.


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## hawglips (Aug 23, 2013)

Last year my son was working a gobbling bird in central UT, and two coyotes came into the meadow - and the bird shut up. So did my son. After the coyotes left he resumed calling and the bird resumed gobbling and came in to the call.

Everything wants to eat a turkey...


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## JuniorPre 360 (Feb 22, 2012)

I had a coyote run under the roosting area I was hunting on Thursday morning. I stopped hearing gobbles and never saw a single bird for the rest of the day.


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## Kwalk3 (Jun 21, 2012)

I have seen a few instances of predator interaction with turkeys this year and last year.

Last year there was a group of birds gobbling like crazy. Suddenly, they shut up completely. I was wondering why when I saw 3 coyotes emerge on the hillside above the birds. They resumed gobbling a few hours later and I killed one of the birds in the group.

This year, in the week leading up to the general hunt, my buddy and I were sitting on a knoll watching a clearing near a known roost tree. Predictably, the birds flew down and walked up in the clearing to begin strutting around. Suddenly the birds started doing the alarm "putt" and all the birds in the clearing took off and flew down canyon.
Wondering what had sparked this, I looked back up into the clearing just in time to see a cougar walk into the clearing, look around, and sit back on his haunches. We were worried that this encounter would cause the birds to stop using that roost tree, but they were back there that night. 

That was also the only time I've every had more than a fleeting glimpse of a cougar in the wild. I think most of us could relate to the blowing a stalk and just sitting there for a minute thinking about what went wrong. Pretty cool to see the apex predator/prey relationship.

I think the birds are pretty accustomed to being chased/hunted. Seems to me that they still stick to their same basic tendencies with minor variations when there are predators in the immediate vicinity. I'm sure it's a daily battle for them.


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