If winter continues being so mild will it mean turkey's will start the breeding cycle early and have a peak breeding early than what the DGIF has predicted with the way our hunting season falls. Or does it all happen on moon phases like deer how does that work, thought maybe weather and tempature played a roll in turkey's breeding cycle???

I believe daylight hours have more to do with it than anything for the Hens.. but the Gobblers will start Gobbling earlier if this weather keeps up .. just won't have much affect on the hens coming to them until they are ready in my opinion ..

+1 to WVBOY's statement...

Big difference will be vegetation stages when seasons open. Unless cold sets in for a spell it will be an early green spring. Course I expect a march and April snow. It always seems to happen that way.

A fear of mine as well which would play hell with fruit and mast crops. I would be happy to see some seasonable temps for a while and a "normal" spring.

How really so daylight when florida's turkey season starts early march late february they have the same daylight hours as us???

I think WVB is correct, photoperiod, or length of daylight is what triggers the rut in deer and turkey breeding. So warm will only have a very minor effect on the start of breeding. It will, as GN says, mean an early green up which means tougher seeing them. Could also mean better survival rates too, but that is mostly is driven by the amount of rain.

Vic

I don't know why some states start in early to mid march, in my oppinion most of the toms killed in those states that early have not bred the first hen yet.. my guess is most toms are gobbling hard because of the warmer weather they get.. but the hens are still not ready and won't get bred until closer to April.. you can still kill birds though as you can always find Toms willing to come to a call if they are in the mood..

I'm not complaining about those early starts for the southern states.. I will be going early to Florida one of these days myself.. I just don't think biologically the toms are breeding yet..

since there hasn't been a hard snow , does that mean the turkeys beards might be longer? from what i heard there beard will drag the snow and freeze then break off ? is this accurate or was some guy just acting like he knew everything haha

I don't think VA ever gets enough snow or cold weather for that to be an issue ever .. that might happen up in the northern states but not here .. normal wear and tear on a beard will keep any of them from getting longer than 10 or 11 inches depending on the height of the Tom .. northern states average more like 8 to 9 inch beards I believe because of the elements you mentioned..

thats good to know! thanks!

Saw a big flock of birds yesterday in field in king george co. with two birds puffed up it was about 1o'clock went out this morning an listen for them to gobble but nothing..