E. Turkey hunting effects from warmer weather

[Doc Nock]

Was gearing up mentally for this spring Turkey season here in PA...till yesterday.

Talked to a buddy of mine from PA and he said "our season might be over before it starts!"

Now I've been afraid the low snow winter and warm windy conditions might lead us into a drought, causing our game commission to curtail the season due to fire danger, but that was NOT his point.

His friend was up in Potter county this past weekend and saw toms mating already

  :eek:  I'm somewhat new to this bird hunting stuff just getting into it the past 2 or so seasons...

Anyone else in the N.E. seeing this that's been "out and about?"  This could be an unexpected gnarly situation!

[JMR]

I was thinking the same thing. My season isn't until May and the way the weather is here in Michigan the turkeys will be done doing their thing before I get started doing mine.

[varmint101]

Might just have to find out their summer pattern if that's the case!  Pick a spot and ambush.

[Jim Keller]

Had a guy in my taxidermy shop yesterday tell me he jumped a hen off a nest last Sun. while shed hunting. Another guy told me he saw baby ducks last week. It's going to be interesting for sure.

[Birdbow]

Same here in N.H. Our season isn't until 5/3

[wooddamon1]

I hear the birds are gobbling and strutting in Michigan already too. Just have to ambush 'em now I figure...

[kbetts]

Our season starts April 14th.  Got a pic of one last Wednesday in strut with a couple of hens.  Maybe this weeks cold front will stem the activity.

[sam barrett]

Doc, I wouldn't worry about it.  To tell the truth, our birds in PA are in full swing this time of year every year.  Just do your homework and spend time in the woods, you'll get opportunities.  Good luck!

[Doc Nock]

HOmework, Sam? Really?!

    I hunt 3 hrs away from where I live! With gas prices etc, getting up to scout is a figma of my imagination.

there are plenty of birds about, see them all fall, but not sure where they roost.  I have done some location work 3 seasons ago and found they move around the area a good bit.

To a beginner, killing one isn't the rush, but calling and having them respond and come in...well, that's the juice for me.

If breeding is over, hens nested... won't that just kill getting them to come to calls?

Just curious.  Reading books doesn't cut it when it comes to a particular state I would think!

Thanks, Sam... Shelocta is way out Homer City way, isn't it?

[Stump73]

I saw a flock of about 25 yesterday in afield down the road. There were 5 big toms strutting and chasen hens. Season here is not for 3 weeks.

[kenn1320]

They breed this time of year, every year. Ive often thought our season should be earlier, but maybe this is the dnr's way of ensuring a lot of breeding happens before season.

[tracker1]

I heard toms gobbling friday morning.  In the afternoon I saw 5 toms courting some hens in a winter wheat field.  My season doesnt open here in Michigan until April 23 so I guess we will see how this summer weather effects them.  It could be snowing by then again.  It is suppose to get down to 32 tonight.

[moose eye levi]

Been gobbling here for a little over a month in S.E. Ohio I feel this season could be a train wreck saw toms strutting and birds together the other day

[AkDan]

any day chasin thunderchickens is still better than 2 jobs and -20 guys!  see ya in a month!

[TomBow]

I am on a serious quest, to make my first trad kill and fulfill my dreams of trad success.  Last week I went out on a foggy, damp morning, heard no birds at all, no gobbling, no hen calls.  Snuck down to a corner of the field I'll be hunting and saw 2 brown "moons" just over the hill so I stealth'd into the woods bordering the field to get a better look.  8 birds, 6 hens and 2 longbeards feeding in the field.  I followed the birds movements and shadowed them for 2 hours.  During that time, the gobblers did not break strut for more than a few minutes as they followed the hens around.  At one point, ALL the birds were in strut or half-strut, must have seen something or other birds.  Again, they didn't make a peep.  I've hunted late May and have seen gobblers gobbling and strutting at that time.  It's hard to say what will happen in 5 WEEKS when I hunt but it sure doesn't mean I won't be ready to shoot one with the WHIP.  MTB is her name and she is just itchin' to help me harvest my first ever trad kill.  I CANNOT WAIT!!!  Ah, but as a bowhunter, I must use patience, grasshoppah.  So be it.  BEST of luck to all who are mesmo-rized my the wily gobbler.

[sam barrett]

Doc:  Yes, I'm not far from Homer City at all.  I understand about not being able to put a lot of time in scouting, especially being so far away from your hunting grounds.  I find that turkeys are usually in the same places every year.  Once you find them, you'll probably find them there on a regular basis.  Try and hunt until noon if you can, as I find the birds are pretty fired up at day break, then get fired up again late morning usually.  Also, remember that we can hunt all day now during the last two weeks of our season.  Find out where they are roosting and ambush them in the evening.  If you're ever out this way give me a holler and we can chase some birds.  Good luck.

[Bill Carlsen]

Yep. Scenes like this have  been going on around here for at least a month.

 

[Brock]

I think it affected here in south carolina.....last year at this time it was full blown action.  frost in morning and warm in afternoon....great weather for turkey hunting in my opinion.

this year has been in 60s in morning and in 80s in afternoon....lots of rain and thunderstorms in morning and evenings.  seen 5 gobblers/jakes and 3 hens so far with last year same time saw 20 hens and 6 gobblers and 8 jakes with thunderous gobbles in morning.

they also are selective cutting pines next door so that has messed up their patterns and roosting locations quite a bit but even the birds I see are acting like on downswing rather than building up to a peak in next couple weeks.

[maineac]

I have always been able to find toms strutting for hens as early as Feb. here in Maine.  The boys start thinking about girls long before the girls want anything to do with the boys.  Most Fish and Wildlife depts. plan their seasons to start after most of the breeding has ended.  Once the mature hens start to nest on a regular basis I have found the toms follow jennys (last years hens) as they are not ready to breed yet, so are not on nests.  They will continue to gobble on the roost and strut for the young hens for quite a while before they lose their enthusiasm.  An early breeding season (if it is not controlled by photoperiod) could mean and early start to the summer pattern.  Like all hunting plan as much as you can, but be ready to adapt to what the animals are actually doing.

[deaddoc4444]

I waited  for the last week , last year  due to the change in regs. letting you hunt all day .  
NOT  this year   last year was a disaster  NOTHING  doing all day after about  10 AM or so .
  This year should be worse !! I'm getting out the first week and HOPING it will still have some activity
 DOC  I hear you  I live out side Phila.  but hunt my place in Bradford CO>    3 hours of driving  with these gas prices   not much scouting can be done .