How can you tell the difference between Eastern and Osceola turkeys?
How can you tell the difference between Eastern and Osceola turkeys?
The main noticeable differences between the Eastern and the Osceola subspecies are the darker color of the Osceola and less noticeable black and white banding of the wing feathers on the Osceola. The wing feathers of the Osceola are mostly black with narrow, irregular white bands.
How can you tell an Osceola turkey?
Osceola – The Osceola (or Florida) turkey has the narrowest range, occurring only in central and south Florida. They closely resemble Easterns except they tend to be leaner with longer legs, and their primary wing feathers have heavy black barring, as opposed to Eastern where the black-white barring is more even.
What does an Osceola turkey look like?
In general, Osceola turkeys— named for the famous Seminole leader Osceola—are smaller and a bit darker than eastern turkeys, and have less white barring on the flight feathers of their wings. If you see one walking around, the wing patch will look pretty white on an eastern, whereas on an Osceola it’s darker.
How big are Osceola turkeys?
Description and life history of the Osceola wild turkey Males usually weigh between 15 to 20 pounds and females 8 to 12 pounds on average (NWTF 2018). Males have iridescent green and red hues on their feathers (not as bronze as the Eastern subspecies), while females have a dull feather finish.
What are Osceola turkeys?
Osceola turkeys are the gobblers native to central and southern Florida, mostly south of Orlando. The estimated number of Osceola turkeys in Florida is about 100,000. Osceolas have shorter beards and quieter gobbles than their Eastern cousins.
How heavy is a wild turkey?
11 – 24 lbsAdult
5.5 – 12 lbsAdult
Wild turkey/Mass
Do Osceola turkeys gobble?
Although the Osceola usually will gobble good from the roost, once that bird hits the ground, if he gobbles even two more times, you’re extremely lucky.
How far north do Osceola turkeys go?
Osceola Habits Usually, turkey hunters set up calls anywhere from 100 to 150 yards from where the turkey roosts, but that will most likely have you sitting in water if you’re going after Osceola.
What are the four types of turkeys?
Where the Wild Turkeys Are
- Eastern wild turkey. (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris)
- Osceola wild turkey. (Meleagris gallopavo osceola)
- Rio Grande wild turkey. (Meleagris gallopavo intermedia)
- Merriam’s wild turkey. (Meleagris gallopavo merriami)
- Gould’s wild turkey. (Meleagris gallopavo mexicana)
What is an Osceola turkey?
How long do turkeys live for?
Wild turkey: 3 – 5 years
Domestic turkey: 10 years
Turkey/Lifespan
Are Osceola turkeys hard to hunt?
Named after the famed Seminole warrior and leader, the Osceola (Florida) turkey is notoriously hard to call in and hunt. Years of hiding from predators in swamps and roosting over water have made this subspecies of wild turkey one of the most challenging to bag.
Is wild turkey a whiskey?
Wild Turkey is a brand of Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey distilled and bottled by the Wild Turkey Distilling Co, a division of Campari Group .
What do wild turkeys do?
Turkeys. Wild turkeys are active during the day and roost in trees overnight. They nest on the ground and the young turkeys (poults) are able to leave the nest shortly after hatching. They immediately begin foraging for insects, but stay in a brood with the hen until their flight feathers have developed.
Is wild turkey endangered?
Turkeys are neither endangered or threatened in NJ. Hunting is regulated by the State Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife and it is legal in New Jersey. There are six species of wild turkeys: the Eastern , Merriam’s, Rio Grande, Florida, Mexican and an offshoot species from the Yucatan.
Are there wild turkeys in Washington State?
Conservation Status. Wild Turkeys were introduced in Washington from the eastern United States by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife . Since the 1960s, they have been released on state wildlife areas and have spread out into neighboring areas where suitable.