Good grief this is killing me
6 more weeks
- Thread starter knightrider
- Start date
AT Hiker
Well-Known Member
If the weather trend continues it will be full canopy and over regrown hay fields come mid April. It will look like we are hunting in May!
I seen a group of 10-15 in a field on the way to work this morning and 4 were in strut. I'm ready!
Two of these got your name on em if you want em
CHRIS WILSON
Well-Known Member
Haven't seen any in strut or heard any gobbling yet. I have seen some nice Tom's out and about lately though.
I was thinking pretty much the same thing this afternoon.
They gobbled good here today
Setterman
Well-Known Member
Things are certainly moving fast here as well. Hunting will still be good for me in this area, but I'll truly miss the first two weeks. There's something really special about watching the woods convert from winter to full blown spring while hunting.
Glad the 4 bird limit and decoy lovers had their fun. Thanks for spoiling Turkey season for the rest of us. Also TWRA for perpetuating a horrific management plan for far too long.
Glad the 4 bird limit and decoy lovers had their fun. Thanks for spoiling Turkey season for the rest of us. Also TWRA for perpetuating a horrific management plan for far too long.
I had two gobbling beside my house over the last two days... I love living in the country!
Atchman2
Well-Known Member
They are all over my hog feeders! Poor hogs don't have a chance with a couple dozen gobblers around. 
Atchman2
Well-Known Member
I'm just afraid they are going to "peak" too early? My fear is it is going to be like late season when the season starts. I hate late season, just so hard compared to those first few weeks.
I'm going to Kansas for the archery hunt. It was ZERO there last week!
I'm going to Kansas for the archery hunt. It was ZERO there last week!
CHRIS WILSON
Well-Known Member
I believe we're going to see them acting a bit differently this season come mid/late April. Keep in mind that aside from the youth hunt on the 8th and 9th, these birds aren't going to have had any real hunting pressure applied to them until mid April. Hopefully, that'll mean they won't be as skittish to come into the call in late April as they normally would with the old season schedule.
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Come to the SW corner of the State (more in line with northern Mississippi from a climate perspective), and what you describe will be exacerbated. If all other things were equal (reproduction, poult carryover, plenty of turkeys to hunt in outyears, etc), my preferred dates to "hunt" in the SW corner of the State is roughly March 20 - April 20. Of course, these dates would not be my preferred dates "to hunt" for middle TN (10-14 days later), and not even close for the NE corner of the State (Bristol, etc).
Almost a guaranteed likelihood for the SW portion of TN.
Boll Weevil
Well-Known Member
Prediction: Hunters will practically have to shoot toms in self-defense. In areas hens are starting to lay or even set by then, the gobblers will be on fire looking for dates and coming to the gun.
No doubt about it, new season dates impact the northeast corner of the State the least, middle of the State the second least, and impact the SW quadrant the most. From a "receptive birds" and "quality of hunting" point of view.
I can see this the first week of season in a target rich environment. If we have favorable weather April 15-23, and hunters have availability in their schedules, it should not take one long to fill 2 tags and be done. We have always talked about how front loaded our season kill has been over last 20 years. I highly suspect it will be more heavily weighted on first 10-14 days of season. Time will tell.
megalomaniac
Well-Known Member
Just crazy... here in south MS, many trees have completely exploded with leaves this week with the mid 80s temps.
But the toms are still right on track... not even gobbling, and just now starting to break up bachelor groups and follow hens. Got a pic of 2 more toms crossing a pipe line yesterday, neither were even colored up. Hens start letting toms breed them mid March locally, and there is zero sign it is going to happen earlier than normal this year despite the weather. I spent a couple hours yesterday listening... didn't hear a single gobble, yet I knew I was within hearing distance of two. They really need to hurry up and give away their preferred roost locations so I can put together a plan for the juvie hunt next week.
But the toms are still right on track... not even gobbling, and just now starting to break up bachelor groups and follow hens. Got a pic of 2 more toms crossing a pipe line yesterday, neither were even colored up. Hens start letting toms breed them mid March locally, and there is zero sign it is going to happen earlier than normal this year despite the weather. I spent a couple hours yesterday listening... didn't hear a single gobble, yet I knew I was within hearing distance of two. They really need to hurry up and give away their preferred roost locations so I can put together a plan for the juvie hunt next week.
