Turkey survey-population up or down 2012 where you hunt?

[laker1]

A general area where you hunt would be nice,like closest town. Our the hens nesting earlier this year and Toms roaming more already?

It seems like I am seeing more single birds and Toms only between Brainerd and Little Falls the last week of April.

[DonBo]

Here in the Twin Cities metro area, I think numbers are up a bit this year.

We start our west central WS hunt this week. Numbers were WAY down last year, I'll let you know what we find this year next week.

[brittman]

Actually I would say the NE metro is down a little ... seeing fewer birds and far fewer pairs/triple strutters than years past. Then again it seems like the birds are in the woods more than the fields right now ... so maybe I just am not seeing them in their normal late April places.

[Archerysniper]

Our numbers are way down around my area,I have only seen a hand full of birds this spring.

[Gofishleech]

Im in 507 and its the first year with a turkey season. I would say there are fewer then were 2-3 years ago. I did see a hen on nest today.

[DanOmite19]

In the south metro I would say numbers are up. Not by a whole lot but I have definitely been seeing more birds out and in larger groups than in recent years. Not to mention the guys that I know that turkey hunt have been doing VERY well this year... We have gone 7 for 7 so far this year with a few hunts still to go.

[BezD40]

SE MN numbers seem to be down

[Shu]

Hunted Western WI this weekend, hit several spot and hunted several hours both days....heard one bird, saw none. Tough weekend with the weather on Saturday but expected to see more.

[2044Mustang]

I agree with Bez, numbers were way down this year in SE MN. I was lucky enough to bag a bird my opening morning but it was the only bird I saw. I did some driving around after the rain stopped I saw a few birds but not as many as I have in the past. The bad thing is I didn't see a Jake at all. Last years hatch must not have been very good. Hopefully they get a good spring this year for hatching to start bringing the numbers back up.

[Muskie456]

In SE MN we saw more birds this spring than we saw in 2011. 2011 was a brutal year in both spring and fall for us. Still this year is nothing like we saw in 2010. I think over all the birds are down in our area.

[Musky Buck]

507 area where I'm at they are down quite a bit and the reason I say this is we are not seeing last years young of the year, like 0 jakes around, we are seeing lone toms or a tom with a couple hens, no groups at all and all the area farmers are asking so I asked the CO at the gas station Saturday and he said bobcat numbers are way way up in the area, but do you believe they'd impact them that much, I think the red fox(s) we are seeing daily might have been tough on last years young ones ? Combine it with a tough winter 2 years ago ? Coyotes are way up also ? Just no YOY birds from last years nests, every bird seems to be older. In my 508 area numbers are way way up so it varies and just hope for good nesting success etc. and they can come back fast.

[DonBo]

Numbers are down in lots of areas. The winter of 2010/11 along with a cold wet spring a year ago are the main reasons I believe. Doubt predators are a huge factor anywhere.

[Borch]

A cold wet spring here in central mn definitely had an impact of the poult survival. We are seeing plenty of birds just not as many as some other years. It's kinda hard to tell for sure as many birds are hanging out in less visable area than they usually do.

[Musky Buck]

Agreed. I was like Bobcats ? to the CO, bobcats really ? His radio crackled a little too soon to discuss the cold wet spring etc. Can a bobcat get them when they are roosting ? I don't agree really as there are a gazillion t-cams in our area and the people north of town are getting a fair amount of pics but not south of town. The broods just aren't there from last spring, in 508 the broods are there but it varies so much a few sections at a time, some are decent and some are birdless.

[brittman]

The other thing to consider is that the turkeys are indeed ahead of the game this year. Some mid-Aprils the flocks have just broken up or are breaking up and you see groups of hens and a few strutters in a field.

This year the groups broke up a little earlier and the hens are on their own. Some are already on the nest.

[TraprMike]

SE MN numbers seem to be down

around here, Mower County, numbers seem to be up. I always see flocks while driving around.

[Musky Buck]

Numbers are definitely up from a decade ago. We didn't have really any birds to speak of back then in the area, so they're up . Saw a tom in full fluff this AM tippy toeing in the muddy field with a few hens I'd assume. For 2 weeks that tom and his hens have been on the same path each morning, fun to watch.

[Borch]

I'm hoping to put a small dent in the local population starting tomorrow.

[laker1]

Wonder if most of hens on nests already? Seeing a few old Toms around in zone 508- always single birds.

[engfish]

Took a drive tonight in eastern Rice county and saw lots of birds on two fields including three nice toms courting the hens--more than a dozen birds total-- and a jake with a hen on another field less than a half mile away. Turkey numbers are good in the local area, and I don't think that hunting later this year is going to be a disadvantage at all--even with the unusual March weather.

[laker1]

Thru the first 13 days of season,harvest is equal with the record year of 2010. Wonder if about same amount of people-permits hunting?

[DonBo]

After returning from my Wisconsin hunt, I can tell you the population in the west central part of the state we hunt is WAY down. In three days of hard hunting we saw three toms (two of which came home in the back of the truck) and no more than 6 or 8 hens. Two years ago this would have been a slow morning.

This area of the state was hit especially hard during the winter of 2010/11. They also had a memorable ice storm late that winter and a very cold wet spring one year ago resulting in a very poor hatch.

[Borch]

We been seeing plenty of jakes and jenny's but not seeing much for mature birds this past week. Next week may be different. I saw several toms the week before our season but not during our season. Funny how it can change so fast.