Fear

[tughillhunter]

Hearing alot of gobbling and seeing alot of action way early. Think it will affect the season, or am i over reacting?

[bkln]

I'm with ya, saw that too around here...way too much activity way too early...it maybe nothing left for May....

[Deerthug]

I think it depends on where you are setting up. I'm gonna be set up in a blind on the edge of a cut corn field on private land. Last year it was cut soy beans. Thunder chickens don't like them. Didn't see many. The year before was cut corn and there were lots of them. So I'm crossing my fingers and toes.

[TurkeyHuntPA_NY]

Birds are doing exactly has planned right now. There are 3 phases to the Breeding/Strut Process.

Right now they are near the end of phase 1 soon to begin phase 2.

Phase 1 is when most of the strutting take places between the Toms to show who is the lead bird of the group. Which takes place between end of Feb to end of March

Phase 2 usually All of April and beginning of May. This is when most of the Toms are henned up and when most of the breeding takes place, some will take place in phase 1.

Phase 3 is when mostly all the hens have been bred and will be on their nests most of the day. This is when Toms will be lonely and when all of us hunters will want to be hunting because they will be willing to come to almost any call cuz they are lonely. Phase 3 is usually last 3 weeks of May.

Now, since we had such warm weather in March, this may have increased the phases by a week or so but not much. Toms will gobble all year long. Gobbling is increased warm weather. On the other hand, hens will only be receptive to breeding due to increased daylight hours.

Everything will be as normal as it is every other year, just maybe a little greener than usual in the first week. Maybe tougher to hear them.

All is well!

[Lawdwaz]

I'm looking forward to Spring Turkey 2013.................

[magnumhunt]

whens good time to go scouting? Thinking about going out tomorrow and try hearing some

[bkln]

since we had such warm weather in March, this may have increased the phases by a week or so but not much

And you know this based on what? Do you have Ph.D. in Turkey Studies?

All I'm saying is that nothing will be predictable this year, we had no winter, I saw swarms of bugs on March 3rd in my backyard, the ticks are already going nuts, we go from 70 to 20 degrees within 48 hours, weather has been nuts this year and I as many others just worry about the impact on the hunting season...spring turkey included....that's all...your 3 phases theory can pound sand this year if you ask me... :-) Peace out !!!

[Four Season Whitetail's]

I think it depends on where you are setting up. I'm gonna be set up in a blind on the edge of a cut corn field on private land. Last year it was cut soy beans. Thunder chickens don't like them. Didn't see many. The year before was cut corn and there were lots of them. So I'm crossing my fingers and toes.

Have to disagree with that one. We have over 700 acres of beans this year and over 150 birds on the farm any day. It was corn last year and there were less birds then. Maybe it was just a good hatch and there were more birds this year but trust me!!! They like soybeans!!

[WNY Bowhunter]

There is no reason to get bent outta shape. They are right on schedule and are still gonna do their thing this spring just as they always have and the hunting in May will be just fine just as it is every year. In my area, I see strutters with hens every season clear through the end of May. The hunting actually can get better near the end of the season when most of the hens are nesting. IMHO most people believe that the turkeys are done breeding after the first few days of hunting season because they amount of gobbling tends to go down. What is really happening is that the woods have been hammered with hunting pressure and the birds are reacting to that. The mouthy ones don't last too long. It should be a great season, there were a ton of jakes around last spring.

Here are some strutters in early March a few years back...

[TurkeyHuntPA_NY]

And you know this based on what? Do you have Ph.D. in Turkey Studies?

All I'm saying is that nothing will be predictable this year, we had no winter, I saw swarms of bugs on March 3rd in my backyard, the ticks are already going nuts, we go from 70 to 20 degrees within 48 hours, weather has been nuts this year and I as many others just worry about the impact on the hunting season...spring turkey included....that's all...your 3 phases theory can pound sand this year if you ask me... :-) Peace out !!!

Cool beans man! You stay home and leave more turkeys for the rest of us!

[tughillhunter]

Didnt mean to start a war over it, just wanted some feedback. As for soybeans, i see them crowded up in them one year, then maybe a year or two goes by and i dont see them. probably bad timing on my part. Hope there are some left come opening day!!!

[nycoyotehounds..BUB]

YUP..GONNA BE A BAD YEAR..BETTER SLEEP IN AND STAY IN A WARM BED..I will check out the spots for ya.

[Uncle Nicky]

The whole sport is changing, IMHO. Turkeys gobble less in general then they did years ago, maybe human pressure, maybe predators, who knows? The key is learning to adapt & change tactics. Most guys will give up after a couple mornings not hearing gobbles, that suits me just fine.

[WNYBuckHunter]

I am by no means an expert on Turkeys, and have just started taking an interest in them the past couple of years, but based on what I remember seeing last year, they are doing the same things at the same times of the year. For example, theres this spot I drive by a couple times a week, and last year in March, I was seeing a ton of birds out in these fields, most of the times Id see them, the toms would be strutting. This year, in the same fields, Ive been seeing the same activity levels at the same times. That isnt the only area I have been seeing the same thing in, so I think things are pretty much in line with what was going on in the Turkey world last year.

Again, just what i have been noticing.

[G-Man]

The problem is with nice weather the "cut corn and soybean fields" will be plowed under as farmers want to get a jump on plowing... and yes our season has always been set at the end of breeding season, just when spring is late the hens dont start laying saving the sperm till the time is right, so sometime late spring is good , this year full foliage is possible along with warmer temps making it harder to hear/ see birds as they will lounge in the shade when to warm out, probably be action 1st half hour of light then squat at it will be 80 by 9 am...lol

[Nicksteroni]

Geeze !!! You guys are starting to sound like a bunch of wash women. Relax. You're psyching yourselves out. The turkeys WILL be somewhere. Unless they fly south for the spring......

[Woodsman20]

I agree with Nicksteroni, they will be there no matter what - no need to get your panties in a bunch. They still need to eat, drink (very little) and they sleep in favored roosting trees. It's not like they vanish and crawl in a whole. Breeding activity changes, their responses to calls change but they are still there so HUNT them.