Adult males form flocks that rarely associate with hens outside of the breeding period. In late fall, young males separate from the brood and form jake flocks. Occasionally, juvenile gobblers will associate with adult gobblers. Within a flock there is a hierarchy or pecking order in which a rank of dominance is established. Generally, older birds are more dominant than are younger birds, and larger turkeys dominate smaller turkeys.
Males usually dominate females.
Stimulated by warmer temperatures and increasing daylight, flocks begin to break up during late winter and early spring. Young gobbler groups, however, may remain together throughout their first spring. In preparation for nesting and rearing their young, hens typically disperse to areas containing openings or fields. Adult gobblers establish loose, poorly defined ranges near such areas and call or gobble to attract hens for mating. Initiation of gobbling in late February to early March signals the approach of the mating period.