weather or length of day

[pseshooter300]

Is it more the weather or the longer days that trigger the breading and all the gobbling action to start? Reason I ask so far here in east Tn & sw Va we are having a mild winter compared to years past.

[sugarray]

Length of light for nesting, weather for gobbling. 

I believe.

Others will chime in too.

[deerhunt1988]

Photoperiod (amount of daylight) triggers hormonal breeding responses in both hens and gobblers.

[Ol'Mossy]

My buddy and I were talking about this the other day and we were thinking that the warmer weather got them gobbling quicker, but what was said above makes sense too, Length of light for nesting and warmer weather for gobbling but on the other hand they gobble year round so who knows.

[ground control]

Gobbling is cheap and eggs are expensive.

[gotcha]

A gobbling turkey means he is interested,a nesting hen means she is committed.Longer daylight triggers real breeding season,there are breeding even if they are not gobbling.

[Wingbone]

I will not dispute that scientifically and statistically the photoperiod stringers the breeding of most game, but I have seen an Easter freeze hit here in West Tn that shut the cycle down for a month. There were still groups of 15-20 gobblers together as well as 20-30 hens together in the last week of April. No gobbling, no strutting, totally unresponsive to hen calls, shock calls, etc.  I saw week old poults in late July that year. Craziest thing I've ever seen. I hope I never see it again. It was a very tough season.

[TRKYHTR]

I agree with length of daylight or photoperiod. Thats said my gobbler was gobbling his head off today. What a beautiful springlike day we had today.

TRKYHTR

[DMP]

Ive heard toms gobbling in the middle of the winter.  Feel like the warmer temps really get them going but hens are triggered by longer days for breeding but like deer or other animals im sure some probably come in earlier than others.

[Neill_Prater]

Personally, without being a biologist, I think the photoperiod is the primary stimulus, and is what I've read in the past by those who should know. However, I do think weather can be a factor, which makes sense, if you think about it. A prolonged period of cool, overcast days, could, in my opinion, slow things down. I've never read anything about the intensity of the daylight, but to me it makes sense that bright, sunny weather is going to trigger a greater response than dreary days. I know it does in humans. Virtually all of us feel better when the sun is shining.