Cooler Temperatures

[Hotspotter]

It appears these cooler than avg. temperatures will be lasting at least through the weekend, and long-term forecast trends point towards this weather sticking around.

This, I think is a good thing, esp. for the early season hunters. That is, as long as it lifts before the season. Too much cold and wet weather during the breeding and esp. nesting part of the season can mean high mortality as we experienced in the spring of 2005.

My hope is that it pushes back the "dead-zone" or breeding gobbling lull that we normally experience during mid-late April.

Perhaps the A and B season hunters will hear gobbling with reckless abandonment like folks were last week? Time will tell!

Joel

[Greybeard53]

I'm pretty sure this cold weather will delay the peak of the breeding activity until about the middle of May.

[Borch]

Well I just saw a flocK of 20-25 toms all still flocked and and one full strutter letting the others know who's boss. It's still a while off here in central MN.

[Captain B.R.K]

I'll have to agree with Borch on the timing. There is a field I pass everyday to work and the turkey's are flocked up pretty good. I would say there are 15-20 birds that I see in the mornings.

[Hotspotter]

Amazing to hear of the differences from only a few hours away.

Last week with the warmer weather I was watching several small groups of gobblers with hens, acting as if the breeding season were in full swing. Gone were the groups of 40+ birds roaming the fields, and everything that could strut was doing it!

I haven't seen or heard much for activity since the cold weather moved in!

Joel

[cw642]

It has been Quiet in the woods this week. Kind of makes me wonder why I am out at 6AM with the temps in the teens. It might be time for the wife to get a straight jacket for me. I did see some birds feeding mid day, but little to no struting. We can keep this cold around till the 18th; then about 65, no wind, and sunny would be perfect for me.

[123fish]

I was out doing a little scouting this morning and heard some hens in a little patch of woods start some yelping and a bunch of aggressive purring. All of a sudden there were at least four different gobblers firing back at them. I could see one of the gobblers in the corn stubble and he was doing a lot of strutting but no gobbling. Left them alone and went around the section and had five jakes step out onto the minimum maintenance road I was on. Fun morning to say the least. All of this action was after 8:00 a.m.

[Hotspotter]

123:

That echoes what I've been seeing as well, with the colder mornings keeping them in the tree a bit longer I think. Most of the activity I've been keeping tabs on is post-8AM as well, with much of it being in the afternoons actually.

Joel

[WallyGator12000]

Anymore reports? As big of a pain as this cold weather is, it is nice to keep the birds in "winter" mode for a bit longer...I hunt season D and I am hoping to still find some toms willing to come to a call looking for a little love...in my experience with these early, mild springs we have been having I have found the toms all henned up by the time I was able to hunt, it would be great if this weather helped us avoid that a little...

[Borch]

Still flocked up here in central MN. I'm hunting "D" season this spring again. Last season my hunt lasted 20 minutes. My son season lasted 3 hrs over two rain fill outings. It should be good.

[lil_hammer]

i hunt in s. illinios it was 18 degrees i havnt even deer hunted in temps that low