Turkey forcast as far as weather is concerned

[x1957x]

How is the weather as far as snow depth and cold compared to last year in the Lake City- Plainview area etc. I know we got late snow and hoping we dont this year but just checking to see how the winter is treating the turkeys.

[laker1]

I think St> Cloud north the Turkeys are going to get hurt some. Deep snow.

[DonBo]

You might be surprized. Turkeys are a pretty hardy breed. They have a very wide variety of feed available to them from buds high in the tree tops to weed seeds, to household bird feeders and deer feeders to farmers cattle opperations and standing corn fields.

I believe last springs cold wet weather well into June will have more impact on this coming springs season than this winters weather.

[x1957x]

Hey Don! How's it going? Getting geared up for the upcoming Turkey season?

[DonBo]

Hey Don! How's it going? Getting geared up for the upcoming Turkey season?

You know it. We have some unfinished business left over from last year, huh? Planning on going with the LONG archery season here in MN and also puting in as much time as necessary in WS. Spring seems like a long ways off on days like this though don't it?

What're your plans?

[Musky Buck]

No doubt Donbo, turkey numbers seems really good as it's a roller coaster of sorts. 2 years ago tons of birds, last year hardly saw a bird, and once again this year they are thick as ever, even jumping on top of our snowman to eat seed that I put out for the birds I sprinkle a little on the snowmans head, now I just need to open the drapes without spooking them for a picture, will post that picture when it happens. Blew that chance yesterday, they are desperate eaters kinda, they will stay at our feeder after 5:00PM often so it's a flight or a dead run to the roost because it's nearly 3/4-1 mile away where they roost. However lots of birds maybe 40 in the flock so competition is high for any crumbs.

[laker1]

Just mentioning about 8 years ago the DNR in north central Minnesota did a study on Turkey body weight in the winter and it decreased drastically in a winter that was about normal. Yes a good hatch they come on strong.

[brittman]

I hunt the same general area and I hunt the same time period for about 15 years now. The area is mostly woods, with not many corn fields except near one spot.

In springs following tough winters a 2 year old Tom will weigh 16 pounds after a tough winter. If the winter has been real easy they come to the scale at 19 pounds.

I once shot a monster 3 or 4 year old bird (huge paint brush and long hooks), big head, big thick legs ... but it was after a tough winter and it weighed in at just 20 pounds.

[PurpleFloyd]

My wife was talking to her mother last week who lives in the Iron River/ Ashland area. She likes to feed the wild things and regularly has Turkeys eating off of her front deck. She said that they have been having quite a few Turkeys dying up there this winter but they have had a pretty snowy winter. Ashland got 30 inches in one storm last month.

[brittman]

The cold and deep snow is not good. The birds will come out of winter weaker and thinner in number if this keeps up much longer.

Most areas will still have adequate birds to work.

[minky]

I am hoping for the winter to turn mild and then an early spring.

I thinking it must be getting harder and hard for the turkeys to find food.

[x1957x]

How much snow do you have in the Lake City-wabasha area? Heard its supposed to warm up maybe in the 30's there next week. How about other parts? Cold and pretty decent amount of snow in the 504 zone area of mn.

[Musky Buck]

Our neighbor called in a turkey depredation case lol. We are swamped with birds and it's only going to get worse by picking off a tom or 2 doesn't help at all, I hope the DNR can trap and transplant, they're in our garages, on top of our houses, pecking our windows, they are pretty desperate right now. These birds fly also, very little walking, they come out a 1/4 mile away and fly all the way to our yards, the CO said we could shoot them but quickly said no better not, they are out of season I said all 34 of those are out of season all hens and YOY and can't even tell if they're jakes or whatever, they got into the neighbors feed for his cattle, my yard is full of dung my steps, sidewalk,garage, roof of the house etc. we need to turkey proof the area. Weather I can only hope lots of them don't make it, they are a nuisance when these flocks get so large and you can't knock the flock down, hope mother nature can. I would say in our section there's somewhere between 100-200 birds, it varies.

[DonBo]

I can only hope lots of them don't make it, they are a nuisance when these flocks get so large and you can't knock the flock down, hope mother nature can. I would say in our section there's somewhere between 100-200 birds, it varies.

This is probably every bird within several miles of you. Just because you see huge flocks in the winter, don't think your area is overpopulated.

[Musky Buck]

I hear ya and it's why I said they are because every few miles there are flocks like this, maybe not this large a mess and everyone in town is talking about the mass amount of birds around, I'm sure a tough winter adds to it because they're on our rooftops, in our sheds, coming into our yards more so than before, etc. Here's the thing with my area farmers they don't want em they didn't ask for em they want no part of having turkeys around. The novelty of this bird is definitely wearing off. I don't know a single person who hunts them in the fall and it's getting harder to find people that want to even spring hunt. License $ too high for such a nasty bird, the only 1 I shot we couldn't eat, it was like blubber not sure if anyone ever breasted one and saw jello underneath, didn't make me want to get another license but then my wife got 1 and it was really good, no jello or blubber etc. idk, thing is what's going to happen when all these hens lay this Spring then what ? We take 2 toms out of 200 that's not ideal. We need bobcats bad ! lol

[DonBo]

You need me to come help deplete the population, let me know.

That "blubber" you saw is the fat reserves they need to make it through the mating season, just pull that aside and disguard. The breast meat undernieth is excellent.

[Musky Buck]

Never found any breast meat lol, my mom hacked and hacked at that old bird and no dice lol, talked to the neighbor small dairy farmers and think their turkey frustrations are a result of propane, their margins are so slim milking 35 head, I today don't know any small operations other than my 2 neighbors and they agreed it's just a winter thing the mass congregations of birds, said a month from now the toms will be fluffing out etc and they'll move on after a thaw or 3 lol, they had simmered down but said they don't have the heart to break the law on em I said leave that crazy border collie out and she can keep em out of your farmyards etc. They liked that idea and after a few run offs they'll stay away lol, things are alright now lol. PS. It was silage socks lets say, that's what the birds were digging into lol.

[Musky Buck]

The skinny, the 1 guy who feeds everything didn't start this year until Nov. 1st and by then the birds mostly had given up on it and started feeding in these farmers cornfields and they made it until about New Years Day, once the snow started drifting bad in those cornfields they just can't dig down that deep, they can but saw and found easier pickings in our yards, at our bird feeders and his silage and what helped them find us is the plowed gravel, much easier walking place to place, there's very little to no traffic, and they can access gravel, some old grasses because the plows went nuts and really really opened the road and ditch shoulders. Saw about 50 this morning at feeder guys place so hopefully these birds make it over there, about a 1/2 mile. Kinda thinking these birds are tough, if this winter doesn't knock em down not many winters will however here the winds have been not much of an issue like in western MN, should be birds a plenty, but like Donbo said it does make a difference where they set up shop for the winter and down the road could be nothing, but they will spread out and etc. once we thaw some, when will that be lol, but I think if you're hunting wouldn't be the worst idea to find a large number of them and get permission in that vicinity, chances are they'll hang around come hunting season as the fields become feedable again is feedable a word lol ?

[laker1]

Seeing less and less turkeys as winter goes,along,maybe they are just moving around,maybe winter is harder than we think on them?

[x1957x]

They are hiding from the cold. Staying somwhere where it is warmer. You know that they live here in Siberia Mn. TIRED OF THE COLD !!(and snow)

[brittman]

Again, there will always be some turkeys around to chase this spring.

Not sure how healthy the birds will be coming into the nesting season, I guess 2nd half of March and April will determine that.

Drove to Western WI and back today. Cold and snowy. The fields are completely covered. Turkeys must be finding the unharvested corn fields, stock yards and bird feeders to survive now.

We have had multiple periods of subzero weather. Game birds and deer in these areas are impacted.

[x1957x]

Good weather coming. A couple days of the upper 40's and lower 50's and that will burn off alot of cover. Heck, it is melting every day now even if the temp is sub freezing. That is because the sun is high enough and strong enough this time of year to do it.

[DonBo]

Good weather coming. A couple days of the upper 40's and lower 50's and that will burn off alot of cover. Heck, it is melting every day now even if the temp is sub freezing. That is because the sun is high enough and strong enough this time of year to do it.

Not sure where you're at, but the 10 day forecast here in the metro has nothing better the high 30's.

[bottomdweller]

I am not a turkey hunter but live in a turkey haven, they are taking a toll this year. Have seen plenty of dead birds. There only hope around here is there is some standing corn. Deer are struggling alot as well, the deep snow and consistent cold temps are not helping out.

Will know in a month or so when hopefully things start to green up. If its a long winter into the spring it wont be pretty

[Borch]

Looks like it's warming up soon.

Hopefully not too little, too late.

Here's the St Cloud forecast from accuweather.