Big year for Cicadas

[mcw3734]

Though I don't live or hunt in the mid-west (but open to invitations!), it looks like this will be a fantastic year for cicadas. And I believe I've heard that big cicadas years are good for turkey poults? If so, 2026 might be a great year for Missouri and Illinois hunters.

https://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/cicadas-2024-emergence-periodical-brood-2024-map-cicada-rcna134152

[eggshell]

I remember seeing a study that linked improved poult survival to cicada hatches. 

[Old Swamper]

Turkeys will gorge on them here in the South. I've killed gobblers, late season especially, that were slap full of them.

[3bailey3]

Last time they hatched herer in Ms. we had some fat birds.

[deerhunt1988]

Several states have saw strong correlation between cicada hatches and great turkey hatches. Turkey predators are swamped with food and of course turkeys take advantage of the cicadas as well.

[bbcoach]

Great food source but if the weather turns South with snow, rain and or cold you may not have a decent hatch.  EVERYTHING has to ALIGN in order for these young guys to Hatch and make it.  Remember hens will have 10 to 12 eggs and if you get 3 or 4 make it to maturity, we consider it is a success.  I pray EVERYTHING ALIGNS!  Tough life for these little guys!

[Paulmyr]

Great food source but if the weather turns South with snow, rain and or cold you may not have a decent hatch.  EVERYTHING has to ALIGN in order for these young guys to Hatch and make it.  Remember hens will have 10 to 12 eggs and if you get 3 or 4 make it to maturity, we consider it is a success.  I pray EVERYTHING ALIGNS!  Tough life for these little guys!

I guess one of the good things about of having a cicada hatch like this is if everything else goes south at least many of the predators that eat turkeys polts/eggs will have full stomachs.

[Sir-diealot]

Thought you might enjoy the read. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/cicadas-are-coming-rare-dual-emergence-could-bring-one-trillion-of-the-bugs-this-year-180983635/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=editorial&utm_term=1222024&utm_content=new

[shaman]

Though I don't live or hunt in the mid-west (but open to invitations!), it looks like this will be a fantastic year for cicadas. And I believe I've heard that big cicadas years are good for turkey poults? If so, 2026 might be a great year for Missouri and Illinois hunters.

https://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/cicadas-2024-emergence-periodical-brood-2024-map-cicada-rcna134152

My farm is in the Trans-Bluegrass of Kentucky, upriver from Cincinnati.  The cicadas are due in 2025.  The last time that brood surfaced, I've never seen so many little jakes and jennys running around.   Deer hunting that fall was a marvel.  I'd get 20 birds walking line-abreast down a pasture, turn around and then walk back.  The next spring was filled with jakes, but the next spring after that I had the "Gay Turkey Herd."  This was a group of 2 yr old that did nothing but hang out on a hillside in view of the house and strut around for each other all day.  If a hen showed up, they'd run her off.  This went on for several years.  Every year there would be a few less turkeys out on that hillside until there were none.  In those years, filling both tags was fairly easy.