Two different days this weekend, I saw a hen in the same spot of a field. I didn't noticed the first day, but the second, I saw a lot of movement in the grass around her. Disbelieving my own theory, I glassed the spot, and saw about a dozen poults with her.
Of course this is an optimistic sign, especially here in East Texas, but if eggs are already hatched, I imagine nesting, and especially breeding is behind us here in my area.
Is this early like I think, or are hatches common in early May here in the south? I didn't expect poults on ground until June.
With one week left in our season, what does this mean for gobbler activity, and strategies hunting them?
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There was about two weeks of unusually hot weather in late February/early March, so weather plays a role in mating. Plays havoc with the new trend of setting the season later a week or two.
Counting back, I don't think it would be a stretch to have early nesting from a few hens in late March in any year let alone this year specially in east Tex or any of the southern border/coastal states for that matter.
With one week left in our season, what does this mean for gobbler activity, and strategies hunting them?
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Quote from: Lone Star Eastern on May 08, 2023, 07:18:18 PM
With one week left in our season, what does this mean for gobbler activity, and strategies hunting them?
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Gobbling and jake yelping would surely be my strategy. Three of the four birds I killed this year were with male calling. Hens were on the nest and the boys were getting back together.
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Quote from: ChesterCopperpot on May 08, 2023, 08:22:42 PM
Quote from: Lone Star Eastern on May 08, 2023, 07:18:18 PM
With one week left in our season, what does this mean for gobbler activity, and strategies hunting them?
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Gobbling and jake yelping would surely be my strategy. Three of the four birds I killed this year were with male calling. Hens were on the nest and the boys were getting back together.
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This is something new to me that I heard about on a podcast. I've been trying to learn it.
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Watch Rodger Parks on youtube about calling with gobbler and jake yelps.
I'm just glad you have poults
I was checking a corn field on my place this morning and I have some clover on the east end of it. When I got to the clover a hen jumped up right in front of my truck and ran across the road and into the woods, but she went hesitantly. I got out of the truck and could immediately here the chicks whistling, so I eased them into the woods with her. There were probably 8-10 at least. I will post the video if I can figure out how. They were probably only a few days old at most.
Always good to see poults ...
Poults are good but when they are hatched just three weeks into your season, you know it was set real late. We should have birds mounting now and season ends tomorrow.
Quote from: Tail Feathers on May 12, 2023, 06:35:36 PM
Poults are good but when they are hatched just three weeks into your season, you know it was set real late. We should have birds mounting now and season ends tomorrow.
Did you fill your tag in ETX this year?
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I did. Amd to prove myself wrong, a buddy on my lease killed one this morning. Said he had to get real close before fly down but it came
To some soft clucks.
Nice I never was able to convince one to come into public. I'm going to see if there are any left in KS next week.
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Quote from: Tail Feathers on May 12, 2023, 06:35:36 PM
Poults are good but when they are hatched just three weeks into your season, you know it was set real late. We should have birds mounting now and season ends tomorrow.
Most States set their seasons for this VERY purpose! If the seasons were moved back 3 or 4 weeks, the turkey population would be non-existent unless every State had a draw system, you could only hunt a specific number of days and a 1 bird limit (and it is that way in some States now). Think of it this way, we as hunters get to do what we ENJOY, CHASE these Beautiful birds for about 4 weeks, even if we don't fill our tags. Personally, I enjoy it just the way it is. My 2 cents!
Quote from: bbcoach on May 13, 2023, 04:48:47 PM
Quote from: Tail Feathers on May 12, 2023, 06:35:36 PM
Poults are good but when they are hatched just three weeks into your season, you know it was set real late. We should have birds mounting now and season ends tomorrow.
Most States set their seasons for this VERY purpose! If the seasons were moved back 3 or 4 weeks, the turkey population would be non-existent unless every State had a draw system, you could only hunt a specific number of days and a 1 bird limit (and it is that way in some States now). Think of it this way, we as hunters get to do what we ENJOY, CHASE these Beautiful birds for about 4 weeks, even if we don't fill our tags. Personally, I enjoy it just the way it is. My 2 cents!
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Bbcoach is exactly right this is exactly why states push the seasons back to make sure or as much as possible most hens are bred before we start whacking the gobblers- yes it's harder to deal with the gobblers then BUT I believe what we are gaining ( bred hens) and eventually poults is outweighing the gobblers getting killed by an earlier opener - more states need to follow this trend in my opinion- my home state of Arkansas just finished up and we have been doing this later pushback for a couple years now - our kill was UP 21% this year - combination of things for sure mainly a couple good hatches but this season pushback allows for this to happen!!