It's the slowest start I have seen in 30 years in my area of CT. This week has temps in the 70's and low 80's. Had some hens in my fields and a group of gobblers following. Had strong gobbling for a change. I have only herd a hand full of gobbles where I would have normally started to hear them in early March. Numbers still seem down but very glad to see and hear them on my farm, finally!
Up here in NH, every spot I hunt is flat covered in birds!
We had a huge jake hatch 2 springs ago, and we're now reaping those rewards!
I have never heard this much gobbling for a long time!
Last weekend of April is our youth hunt, followed by our May 3rd opener.
I know there will be tons of hunters out there, but I just wait for them to leave the woods by 9 when they don't shoot one at 5 am and get discouraged!