I am by no measure a turkey biology expert, or even all that knowledgeable about turkey biology, but I can tell you what I have learned from over 15 years of first hand observations.
I use to have permission to deer hunt a farm that I would see turkeys on almost constantly from the Nov Shotgun season until I had to call it quits at the close of late season bow in January. I mean in certain areas this farm was litteraly crawling with turkeys that I learned almost to my demise to make sure a turkey had not desided to roost in my tree stand before I tried to step on to the stand platform in the dark.
The neighbors land held as meny if not more turkeys and I was once treated to a most increadable sight when I saw well over 50 Tom Turkeys (2 groups of 25 or more ea) square off against one another and go at it in a kind of no holds barred turkey turf rumble.
First time I deer hunted this land and saw all those turketys I thought, I have got it made this coming spring. But much to my compleat surprise after hunting it for three strairt springs I only ever saw two turkeys total on both the farm I had permission to hunt as well as the neighbors.
I had similare experiences on two other farms as well.
And the last piece of evidence is the fact my favorite turkey land that I have killed over 23 turkeys in the last 15 seasons is utterly devoid of turkeys during deer season.
So based on these experiences only and no biology or other sceience, I strongly beleive that turkeys, at least the ones I have hunted for the last now 16 years have a clearly defined winter range and spring/summer range.
Just my experiences and others I am sure will differ or not agree with mine.
Arthur.
