Interesting observation...

[megalomaniac]

Anyone else notice their birds were significantly lighter this year for opening weekend than years past? Perfectly healthy birds, but none had the huge yellow breast sponge and wads of yellow fat on their backs like we normally see on opening week... more like birds 3rd week of the season. I'm wondering if the crazy freeze/snow/ ice we had a few weeks ago caused them to use some of their fat reserves early.

Season opener is a tad later than normal, but behaviorally, birds are acting a week and a half behind schedule. Still some huge winter flocks around.

 

[Quailman]

Mega, we've actually seen somewhat different observations where we hunt in middle TN. Even though I've not had a chance to go because of other obligations, the larger flocks have been broken up for some time and I've seen a lot of single hens and lone toms out by themselves in the last week. As far as bird weights, the last 3 birds my brother and another friend of mine have killed this season weighed 23, 24.5, and 25lbs. Very heavy birds! I was actually thinking the other day that birds are acting like it's late April/early May right now. That could change.

 

[catman529]

Mine on Saturday was fat

 

[muddyboots]

I'm with quail man. Our turkeys are acting likes it June.

 

[megalomaniac]

really interesting! Keep it coming guys, it's hard to know based on such a small individual sample size, but we actually took our smallest longbeard ever on the farm, only 16.9lbs. Only one of the birds we took had any yellow to his breast sponge, but he was a 3y/o that weighed 23.5lbs. Our longest spurred bird came off the same farm and was only 21lbs.

I was just curious if the severe cold snap caused birds to use up some fat reserves which might have set breeding back a tad this year due to lesser body conditions. But heck, woods were starting to green up fast. I even saw a dogwood that was just starting to open.... way earlier than ususal.

The icestorm certainly wreaked havoc on my timbered hills, though. Impossible to walk through them quietly with the forest floor littered with bicep to thigh thick branches everywhere.

 

[AT Hiker]

I'm with quail man. Our turkeys are acting likes it June.

Same here, except the males are hanging out together and the hens have been flying down and leaving solo. Thats in Dickson County. Ft Campbell area still had the large hen flocks.

Ive not handled a dead bird yet to notice any fat or weight difference.

 

[woodsman04]

Check the size of their testes as well. Lots of times little to no breast sponge will also have smaller nuts. Making them less fertile. Not all the times but there is a correlation.
When you shoot them in the fall they have no breast sponge, their nuts are the size of black eyed peas, and breast meat is 15-20% less.

 

[AT Hiker]

^^^mine look bigger when my gut is in check.

 

[poorhunter]

^^^mine look bigger when my gut is in check.

Good gravey AT

 

[poorhunter]

Haven't killed one this year so I don't know about the fat content.

I have heard a total of one gobble since the opener and one gobble the two weeks prior. I haven't hunted past 8 but I have yet to hear one while working around the house ALL STINKING DAY LONG the last two days. Usually hear them throughout the day in the Holler and can watch them across the drive on the neighbors hay field. I thought things were looking better since winter flocks had more birds but there ain't nothin right now.

 

[th88]

Yup, I've taken 5 birds so far around the TN/MS line that have ranged from 17.375 to 19lbs. None have had much fat on them. Not in bad shape or anything, but usually kill a couple that weigh 20+lb.

 

[RS]

I've only gone opening morning with my daughter, and her bird was 25 lbs, with lots of fat. It's the heaviest bird we've killed off the farm in 25 years. My brother killed that morning, and his also had lots of fat. This is Humphreys Co.

 

[megalomaniac]

I've only gone opening morning with my daughter, and her bird was 25 lbs, with lots of fat. It's the heaviest bird we've killed off the farm in 25 years. My brother killed that morning, and his also had lots of fat. This is Humphreys Co.

How much snow/ ice did Humphries get?

 

[RS]

How much snow/ ice did Humphries get?

Not sure, I live in Smithville now. I don't think there was much ice, but it it was cold with maybe a decent amount of snow. My mom was afraid to go down her drive for several days. I don't think there was as much snow as west TN.

 

[PossumSlayer]

I saw a hen that I swear had to be pushing 25#

 

[th88]

Yup, I've taken 5 birds so far around the TN/MS line that have ranged from 17.375 to 19lbs. None have had much fat on them. Not in bad shape or anything, but usually kill a couple that weigh 20+lb.

Forgot to mention that the acorn crop in this region was POOR.

 

[Spurhunter]

Funny you made this post. The 2 birds my son killed were 16-6 and 16-8. I was kind of surprised how light they were.

 

[Spurhunter]

Same here, except the males are hanging out together and the hens have been flying down and leaving solo.

My son killed a longbeard yesterday that was running with 2 buddies. I messed with 3 longbeards today that were running together. I'm seeing solo hens all over the property in thick areas where I would assume they would nest.

 

[megalomaniac]

Forgot to mention that the acorn crop in this region was POOR.

Weight and fat reserves are probably most determined by fall acorn crop, but it does make me wonder whether that severe snow/ice may have also had an impact.

 

[Hymie3]

I killed one opening day and was really healthy but had almost no yellow fat. (Mountain bird) Rhea county southeast tn.