Northern Hunters

[mnangler]

Anyone else in the northern tier of states thinking that we'll be hunting with snow on the ground?  My season in  southern Minnesota starts in 34 days and we have close to 20 inches of snow still on the ground. Long range forecast is for nothing but cold and several more chances of snow for the next 10 days.  First day of spring is 2 days away and we will have a high of 20 degrees with single digit windchills and blowing snow.   I'm seeing birds still in there large winter flocks and just concerned that they will still be in winter mode for several more weeks.  Will this delay there spring "rituals" or will they still stay on schedule due to the amount of daylight etc.  Sorry for the whining and Thanks for your responses!  Guess ill go ice fishing on Wednesday to celebrate the first day of spring!!!!

[slamman]

I've always said Minnesota is a good place to be from, so I moved to Arizona the only problem is I'm still in the same situation as you lots of snow on the ground  (we've had over 200" in the upper reaches) and no end in sight.  Our season here doesn't open until the 26th of April.  One way I'm combating that is like all you northern snow birds I'm headed south east for Florida to get my turkey hunting started early.   Good luck this season.

[captin_hook]

I'm in pa and I'm glad it's still cold. The birds are still flocked up. We might actually have a season with gobbling this year. Being that we don't start hunting until the end of April, the longer its colder the better for me.

[GobbleNut]

Here's hoping for a warm spell for you guys up in the north country,...but it doesn't look promising for you based on the long range weather forecasts.  Really bad weather may set the birds back a bit, but if you believe in the science, the length of the day will trigger their instinct to breed and they won't be far off of their regular schedule. 

[marshboy]

We don't have 20 inches on the ground, but I have the same concerns as you here in Northern Iowa.
Greg

[captpete]

I leave in NE /EC Iowa and we're having similar weather as you.... not as much snow on the ground & a few degrees warmer. It was 8* this morning & suppose to get upt the mid 20's today.  Youth season starts April 6th and then the 14th for the adults. I've been thinking about the same as you as far as the birds being still bunched up and not being ready. I don't think I can remember ever needing to wear long underwear & insulated cloths to turkey hunt....hoping I don't need to, but the outlook right now isn't real promising.

[tomstopper]

I'm in pa and I'm glad it's still cold. The birds are still flocked up. We might actually have a season with gobbling this year. Being that we don't start hunting until the end of April, the longer its colder the better for me.

I am from NY & a friend of mine & I were saying the same exact thing. Our season starts May 1st so I hope it stays cold for just a little longer.....

[redarrow]

Its cold and snowy her in SE Mi. right now. No telling what the weather will be on April 22nd. 2 years ago I sat down in the snow and when I got up i had another 3 inches of the stuff covering me up .Birds were hot and gobblin. 3 days later snow was gone sun was shining and I killed my best gobbler yet.

[marshboy]

One problem here in Iowa is the season lengths.  There are 4 spring seasons, and you can purchase two tags, but if you purchase two one of them needs to be for Season 4.
Season 1 is 4 days long.
Season 2 is 5 days long.
Season 3 is 7 days long.
Season 4 is 3 weeks long...you have a much better chance then of "playing" the weather.
If I'm not mistaken, MN and WI have seasons of a somewhat similair structure.
My concern is if I purchase a Season 1 tag, and the birds are still in their winter flocks, I'll have in essence wasted a tag/season.  I have only 4 days to get it done 
Last year, the woods were "Fourth Season Green" by Season 1.
Greg

[mnturkey]

I was saying that to a friend this morning that the early season hunters in MN and WI might need snowshoes.  It sure looks like there will be some snow on the ground for the opener.
I hunt the late seasons in both MN and WI so I am not too worried though there could be some snow around for my seasons.
Everything I have read says that the birds will be breeding even with the snow on the ground, they are sunlight senestative birds and that is what makes them breed.  You might need your deer hunting clothes (except for blaze orange).