In recent discussions with fellow turkey hunters the general concensus is that we are going to have an early spring, and our VA season is coming in as late as it possibly can (April 14th).

As has been discussed, length of daylight really triggers the breeding instinct for the hens and gobblers, but other factors, mainly weather, can kick start that breeding and adjust that timeframe by several weeks.

With people already hearing and seeing a lot of strutters, hearing a lot of gobbling, and even seeing some breeding, what effects do you think that will have on our season when it FINALLY opens?

The old adage that "it might be over, before it gets started" is probably extreme, but I've seen springs like this before where we had a really quiet May as far as gobbling/working turkeys. I think we are headed for that same type of scenario this season. The first week it could really be rocking and rolling... but be really slow for the last 2 weeks of the season.

I really feel sorry for the folks in WV where I think the season comes in on April 23rd? I've already heard reports of early strutting and gobbling there.

It might end up being "Summer Gobbler Season" for them and we might even get a case of it here...

What say ye?

Depends on where you are in WV I guess.. dad and mom had 5 inches of snow on march 3rd..

I think it will be a quiet May in most of Va this year as well...

I've been saying what you said now for a couple weeks don't think the dgif can start the season early than predicted just don't think that could be the case it would be awesome tho.. I guess us Va. turkey hunters will have to play cards were delt, only thing i can think but scouting should be easyier pin pointing the birds putting the drop on'em alot sooner tag out the first couple weeks, i usally don't start killing birds till may..

I agree with you Freddy and believe the late season will be a little tougher/quieter than normal this year. I'm here in central PA where I usually do not start hearing birds gobbling hard on the roost until late March and they are already gobbling hard. I took a ride Friday morning (3/9/12) and although a lot of flocks are still together the amount of strutting I saw was much higher than in other years at this time so things seem to be starting a little early.

I guess my opinion is there are two ways to look at this.

1.) It does make for tougher hunting when things are quiet late in the season, but if you are a die hard, like all of us on this board are, and you do your scouting and know your birds and the areas you hunt the chances are still good throughout the entire season to kill a bird. I often hear birds here in PA into early June so even an early start by 1-2 weeks means they should still be gobbling in my area through the end of May; our season runs April 28 through Memorial day. So could be tough hunting but still doable.
2.) If you hunt a lot of public property, or any property where you have to share/compete with other hunters a season like this is sometimes a blessing in disguise. When the birds are rockin early and then it gets quiet many folks give up with the excuse "they're done!" and spend more time fishing or doing yard work, while the die hards amongst us still continue to hunt. As a result that means less hunter pressure later and more enjoyable hunting for those of us that don't quit.

My biggest complaint is I can't wait to get started and I have a little while to wait, but we'll be in VA for youth day.

Good luck everyone; can't wait!

-Eric

I predict it will be the same as it usually is. There's always some roost gobbling the first week of march. 3rd week theres usually a spike in gobbling due to the flocks breaking up then business as usual rest of the year . There still in large flocks and a few guys have heard a little roost gobbling but its still quiet for the most part just a lot of strutting.

Also for the most part right now is when most of the breeding goes on anyways. I've watched the same gobbler breed 3 hens just within the last week which is right on schedule from what I've seen.

My grandpa always said a late winter makes for the best spring huntin. So, if thats true than it should be awful this year.

Seriously i dont know what is going to happen. I have had birds totally ignore me in early May before. All they were doing was feeding. Not looking for hen talk at all as far as i could tell. But, maybe that was b/c they were satellite birds and knew not to overstep their boundary. So, im not sure. Foliage should be coming out sooner this spring.

I have posted this before i think, but my grandpa said in the 60s and 70s when there were very few spring hunters the gobblers in the public areas would be gobbling hard in late May. And if i understood him correctly, that was year after year. He always attributes less gobbling to hunting pressure among other things. He told me a story that he went to his camp in Pendleton Co, WV, sometime in the 1970s and the spring season was over. Said was right around late May early June. Said he went to clean his camp up and do a couple of things. But, anyway he decided to go out and listen and said that he heard a bird gobbling on each finger or ridge on the big mountain that runs down through Brandywine (sp?). Pretty cool!

I think the term "henned up" will be frequently used by southern turkey hunters this year. Desperate times will elicit the usual unusual kills. While low elevation hunters will likely miss the normal early season flock formation , as the break up will already have occurred for most of us, there will be some


lonesome gobbler hunting later in the year. It wil be a good year. Maybe not in the same weeks as usual. Mountain birds will be business as usual. In truth. I have no idea. My experience is that the best spring hunting does follow from hard winters-but my experience also recalls that birds gobbbled a lot more twenty to thirty years ago than they do today and that certainly made for better hunting in any type spring. But that is another topic.

I think it will be a normal breeding season as in years past, most hens breed by the 1st week of hunting and sitting the first week of May. The ones that I know who have studied this with the light of day, early breeding vs late breeding in relation to weather. is Kimball,, Latham, Shlieht (sp) Marshall, Mosby and Handley, Bailey and a couple others. Most of those studies were done between 1949 and 1962.

Yes they state warmer weather may cause an earlier breeding, the amount of sunlight is still key. But also a late winter may cause a late breeding due to more cloudy days.

So why is it that Florida seems earlier then say furhter north. Not many stated this but a handful that I have read and that is due to elevation change also. I believe it was for every 2,000? feet one could add maybe another 5 days. Again I don't believe that was studied very hard. It seems the deer and other species got all the funding for studies throughout the years.

Here in VA I have noticed over the last few years that the last week to even 2 that gobblers seem to be getting back together. Which is fine, then one just needs to change their calling to that of clucks and gobbler yelps, it works.

I used to read a lot to try and help me figure out their behavior but finally came to the conclusion and that is just be out there as often as one can and notice what the birds are doing at the time. Are there many hens around, gobbling activity, are the birds quit or lots of talking and so on. The birds will tell you what is going on we just need to figure them out. Which I know I will never do.

Earl

I saw a big flock yesterday. We used to have a warmer march than we have had for about 10 years now. I don't remember the woods being as open early season as they have been during this latest period. Youth day ought to be exceptional if good weather. It will be interesting to see what happens, if we see extreme heat that will certainly curtail some gobbling. I like a later spring but we have to hunt what we get.

WVBoy, We had 8.5 " of snow last monday!! Didn't last long though.

Well to me i would prefer a cold start to the spring season and eventually warming up as the season goes on! Who knows we have a month left so the weather could change before opening day! I've been turkey hunting for 30 years and really don't know much about the breeding cycle but did go back and looked at some of my videos before season and do have some about every year in the first week of march! I have heard alot of people already saying they might be through before season comes in and hope they continue thinking that way it would be lest people we will have to deal with! The only thing im going to do is go every chance i get and hope for the best and be thankful im able to go!

Doug

One other thought. Some years scouting can be iffy with cold mornings, birds moving, flocks still breaking up. Not so this year, with so much time before the season you should be able to get a good read on things (if not his limb and preferred direction of travel, ).

Went out an listening this morning heard 6 two or three gobbled at least 20 to 30 times on roost but by the time they hit the ground silent not a peep,so drove around spot checking fields saw a flock with about 15 to twenty birds one strutter looked liked mostly hens, then another field had one strutter with 7 hens then on the way back home saw 4 jakes cross the road in front of me. I forgot to mention the spot i went to this morning i was there yesterday evening an not a peep on the roost??

Only time will tell. Scout as much as you can and take notes about what you are seeing/hearing. If you hunt a place long enough you find out where they like to be most of the time. I remember 2004 was suppose to be a tough spring and I was tagged out in 5 days, I always keep in the back of my mind those silent birds that will come in unannounced. Might not be gobbling but there is always one looking for love. Hunt hard and you will be rewarded.

AND on a leap year, adding yet another day to the lateness....