NC/VA breeding earlier

[treein dixie]

Have heard several mention it's going to be a bad year.  Many say they have already seen them grouped up and strutting. 80's this week will it affect season?

[bbcoach]

As of the end of last week, here in Eastern NC, we are still seeing winter flock groups.  Gobblers are with the hens but they still haven't broken into their small groups yet and moved away from their winter flocks.  Our openers are the 6th and 13th of April.  I've always been told that 75% of the breeding is done prior to opening day.  With that being said the birds should start breaking up here really soon into the smaller breeding groups and moving into other areas.   

[Tail Feathers]

It's pretty well established that turkey breeding is triggered by the lenght of the day.  If they started breeding early on an early warm spell they would tend to lose too many eggs and poults in a late freeze.  They are biologically programmed by the photoperiod,  not so much by warm weather.

[Prospector]

Agree with TailFeathers. Used to worry warm February days here in Mississippi was " starting it early". Quit worrying about it and seasons amazingly improved lol. Our deer season ends Jan 31. Trail cams on food plots year after year show a marked upswing in strutting as early as mid January... mostly think it coming of age, last years Jake's feeling their oats. Don't worry, rt before it's really hen breeding time, ol Dad will roll up out of the swamp, whoop those jrs into line and all that gobblin and strutting will cease ( except for him, of course....).?

[treein dixie]

As of the end of last week, here in Eastern NC, we are still seeing winter flock groups.  Gobblers are with the hens but they still haven't broken into their small groups yet and moved away from their winter flocks.  Our openers are the 6th and 13th of April.  I've always been told that 75% of the breeding is done prior to opening day.  With that being said the birds should start breaking up here really soon into the smaller breeding groups and moving into other areas.   

Thanks!

[treein dixie]

Agree with TailFeathers. Used to worry warm February days here in Mississippi was " starting it early". Quit worrying about it and seasons amazingly improved lol. Our deer season ends Jan 31. Trail cams on food plots year after year show a marked upswing in strutting as early as mid January... mostly think it coming of age, last years Jake's feeling their oats. Don't worry, rt before it's really hen breeding time, ol Dad will roll up out of the swamp, whoop those jrs into line and all that gobblin and strutting will cease ( except for him, of course....).?

Thanks!

[RutnNStrutn]

It's pretty well established that turkey breeding is triggered by the lenght of the day.  If they started breeding early on an early warm spell they would tend to lose too many eggs and poults in a late freeze.  They are biologically programmed by the photoperiod,  not so much by warm weather.

Agreed!! 

I live in middle eastern TN, and our birds here are still in winter flocks. I'm waiting for them to start busting up into smaller groups, which should be very soon.

[bbcoach]

It's pretty well established that turkey breeding is triggered by the lenght of the day.  If they started breeding early on an early warm spell they would tend to lose too many eggs and poults in a late freeze.  They are biologically programmed by the photoperiod,  not so much by warm weather.

Agreed!! 

I live in middle eastern TN, and our birds here are still in winter flocks. I'm waiting for them to start busting up into smaller groups, which should be very soon.

Two Thumbs Up on Photoperiod as well.