Turkeys Right Time.

[noodle one]

In the last few days I have started to see turkeys in some fields. This morning I saw 4 Toms with about 15 hens and the toms were showing off for the hens. This tells me that they are right on schedule. The month of March is the time for showing the girls who's boss and for the boss gobbler telling the other toms to move off.

April is just around the corner and the boss will start breeding the hens and hopefully most of the hens will be breed by the first of May. If we have a dry and warm spring, then we should have a good turkey season. With a warm spring we should have some early forage and that makes for better turkey hunting. All we can do is hope.

[Grouse]

Seems to me a warm spring means all of the breeding is done with by May 1 and the gobblers don't respond to calls anymore. Last year was a warm April and I saw lots of turkey activity and gobbling at dawn, all month long. But by May 1, there were few turkey and only a little gobbling going on. I didn't get a gobbler last year.

Now in years when it didn't get warm until May 1, I always got a bird, sometimes two, in the first week of the season. Just my observations from my own personal experience.

[G-Man]

I agree our season is set up so most or all the breeding should be done before it starts. when the weather is bad breeding /nesting is pushed back. I personallly would rather have a tough season an let the population get a good hatch from a warm early spring

[landtracdeerhunter]

Hoping for a good hatching, so the numbers will rise. A little worried that mild temps now will lead to a cold wet spring. Can't believe, I was in shirt sleeves yesterday, spreading fert. on the hay and wheat fields, not complaining though. No wet spots to hand spread this year.

[Nicksteroni]

Hoping for a good hatching, so the numbers will rise. A little worried that mild temps now will lead to a cold wet spring. Can't believe, I was in shirt sleeves yesterday, spreading fert. on the hay and wheat fields, not complaining though. No wet spots to hand spread this year.

You hit the nail right on the proverbial head ! The yearly average temperature is as close to a constant as it gets. Having said that, After enjoying a unusually warm winter, mother nature has to offset that temp to average it out. That means a wet cold spring or a wet cold summer. One or the other. It rarely fails to average. Although the state has the start of the hunting season to coincide with the end of breeding season, it doesn't mean the hens aren't around and therefore no competition. In fact early season almost always produces henned up toms. Its not until later when the hens are incubating on the nest that the Toms become easy picking. Unfortunately that varies widely from location to location even within the state. But isn't this why we love this so much ?

[Nicksteroni]

They're right on time !!! With AM Coffee nonetheless.

[phade]

I think the hunting season is going to be tough too...foliage is another factor. Green-up is going to occur earlier and make the canopy and woods thick. If you can see the birds, you can't shoot them.

I think it'll be a real tough season but good for the birds as long as it doesn't turn cold and wet.

[Lawdwaz]

Mosquito's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Black Flies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's what we'll get!

[Nicksteroni]

Mosquito's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Black Flies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's what we'll get!

Baloney !!!! I'll be getting these !!! Two please.

[noodle one]

An early warm spring means more foliage and more foliage means better turkey hunting. You as the hunter can not see down through the woods as well as you like, but that also means that the gobbler can not see the hen that is making all the love calls and there for he has to come looking for you. The hunter has to be very still and hunt with he eyes only and the gobble will talk right in looking for the hen.