With all the snow we have on the ground here I'm starting to worry about the turkeys I have about 30'' on the ground around my place and have had a lot of snow on the ground for several weeks what do turkeys eat in conditions like this
You and me both! Fortunately it's warming up a bit and melting. Not sure what's left on the ground since it was an average at best year for mast around many parts.
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We have concerns about that as well, not just turkey, but mainly deer. We bring in additional alfalfa and corn to help with the feed during the winter months.
Good if you can on private land...
boy you are not kiddin haven't seen a turkey in forever
Here too. They have been congregating in areas with pine trees here. They cleaned my bird feeders out a couple time next to the house as well! I caught them in the yard once but wasnt quick enough with the camera.
Same here in my neck of the woods, around 30".
Had a nice flock of hens with poults hangin around last summer and fall haven't seen them since December I hope there finding something to eat I'm ready to get out scouting but its alittle hard now with all the snow
We have close to two feet on the ground here with a thick coating of ice underneath. Hopefully this warm spells takes care of most of it.
Not only do they need food but they also need grit just as bad. Grit is probably even harder for them to get.
It's 40 degrees here now in Pittsburgh with a good melt starting. Hopefully things green up a little earlier this year to get some food growing.
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Also concerned here in northern Indiana county....lots of snow on the ground with a 3/4'' to 1' layer of ice in there also. I hope they're hanging in around the spring seeps. They will also be in the corn stubble where the snow blew off in the high country, that's melting away nicely.
I remember 1993 & 1996 when we had a couple of real bad winters here in WPA. I was real worried about them then. The made it, they are fairly hearty. Get worrying about he youngens though, they'll be the first to perish. They do follow the deer around though where they broke through this crap.
Keep your fingers crossed.
Turkeys are pretty adaptable. During deep snow they usually pick stuff out of the trees
:agreed: they are likely "budding" right now like ruffed grouse would do. Eating the early budding from the trees. Also around creek edges where rising and falling water levels help to expose some ground, and as mentioned above as well they are congregating in coniferous stands where they can get some exposed ground underneath trees.
It's a tough winter for them that's for sure, but as all turkey hunters know they don't usually give in that easy!
I saw four nice toms this morning in a field on my way to the office. They were in the corn stubble in a field on the ridge where the snow was blown off and had melted yesterday.
They looked in very good shape.
Come on sun!!
Loaded up with snow here in CT. Watched a flock of about 20 in the snow on my farm. There were a bunch in a hedge row in trees with red berries all over, and they were running around grabbing berries that fell down. It was funny to watch, but I also worry about them with this nasty winter. How do they get water? I have fox tracks going to my heated water tanks.
West Virginia has had its coldest winter since 1978. Lots of snow and a good bit of ice. Saw a large flock feeding in trees at my place last week,,,,they had to be eating buds that where sprouting.
Western PA had a good melt over the last couple of days. Hope it helps.
Man, Listening to you guys talk I'm glad I live in Florida. It was 85 degrees here in Jacksonville yesterday.
We are looking at highs in the teens next week. A couple weeks ago it was 30 and it felt like sun tanning weather after weeks of sub zero temps. On the bright side ticks shouldn't be a big problem this year!
Lots buds on tree for them to eat ,,, we had a melt down here but no ground showing still good 2 ft on the ground with lows down round 0 next week well have solid block ice on the ground now
I read that in areas that are subject to flooding, where the ground is covered with water for long periods of time, the birds can last for weeks foraging on the trees themselves. The cold may present a problem but they are tough. It's amazing how nature has it covered. I live in Idaho and our birds endure bitter below zero cold and snow deeper than I like to think about but they always seem to be around come spring thaw. They are amazing!
we had some snow melt but its got a long long way to go...instead of a turkey vest I may want to rig up a snow sled...camo, saddle bags, cushion, drag rope, decoy straps its all planned out lol
Tough here in central NH as well. I have seen a few birds, but not as many as I would like.
They are tough. God built them well.
Hang in there fellas the birds seem to find a way to survive,not sure how but they do.
A buddy found two dead turkeys on his place last week here in West Virginia. Most of the snow is gone now so those that survived can find something to eat before the next wave off bad weather comes through this coming week.
Well I did some scouting today it was some tough walking with all the snow but I found a lot of turkey tracks from what I seen looks like they were feeding around black berry bushes and a lot in the corn the game commission had planted even though I didn't see any cobbs or kernels. It also looked like they were feeding around some green briars. can't wait for the snow to melt more so I can scout for real