Poults already here in central VA

[wvboy]

I also know that hens will re-breed if young are lost (have found hens on eggs in early july more then once) that means some toms must be willing to have some fun.

I believe I read in an article by Dr. Lovette Williams that hens don't have to re-breed .. they can hold the sperm inside them and use it to fertilize a new clutch of eggs from the first time they were bred after a nest is destoyed. 

That said though I agree that the toms would be willing pretty much anytime if the hens would let them.. they are just like any other guy

[carp84]

Yes I do agree that if coons or what not get the nest she doesn't have to re-breed but I was saying if she loses her young a week or 2 after hatching she will need to re-breed.

[VaTuRkStOmPeR]

A hen can selectively re-inseminate herself with stored sperm up to 30 days after the breeding.

[CT Spur Collector]

Not good.

[goblr77]

Opening week of season here in extreme SW Ga was good then it was over. I've never seen it like this.

[Cutt]

That's absolutely nuts!!! I would like to here all the " turkeys breed according to daylight not temp"people explain that one. When you hear of stuff like poults in march kinda don't know what to  think

Justin

I agree, I know I made several posts at other forums with concern of the PA starting April 28 th, and it would be short lived. Most replies said the same, "I will be the same as every year" " It goes on the amount of daylight, not temp." etc.

it dosen't take a Bioligist to realize the the Season will be short lived when you are hearing and seeing the kind of turkey activity a good month before the Season, that you normally see and hear right before the opener.

[Cutt]

Personally I think that early breeding could make for great hunting. I know here in WI I find the late season to be great hunting after most hens have breed and are on eggs. I also know that hens will re-breed if young are lost (have found hens on eggs in early july more then once) that means some toms must be willing to have some fun.

I tend to agree, but disagree. To me the best hunting is when hens are willingly going to hens, but key here, is as they thin down in numbers or visit nest in great numbers. As the Toms are accustomed to hens coming to them, and can't stand it when they don't in this timeframe. It's catching them at the right time here.

Fast foward to all hens breed, sure the first day or two can be dynomite. But once his is conditioned for a few days of no hens coming, It's like they know and hunting goes South, where you are now hunting silent Tom groups. Just my opinion, as crazy as it sounds, henned up birds are no good, but you still need them accustomed to some hens going to them for the best hunting.

[MOStrutter]

It seems likely that the hen wasn't even incubating yet and when he started incubating the eggs then it started the process that much earlier.  Turkeys will lay a nest full of eggs before they really start incubating them.  Either way, I don't think your game warden will be too happy about those eggs and if those turkeys were to be released back into the wild it won't be long before they are food for a predator.

[jakebird]

If the original poster was able to communicate with the farmer who hatched the eggs, we would easily  determine whether they were in incubation period or still laying. It takes 28 days on incubation from the starting point till hatching occurs. If it took less time than this, you have your answer. All i can say with conviction is that here in central PA, the birds are henned up hard, gobbling heavy on the roost and clamming up quickly on the ground. Its right about where I want to see it, as the youth hunt is next wkd, and our season starts the following week. I think we will find favorable conditions, the majority of hens in incubation, and the gobblers alone and willing. I will be surprised if harvests are below average this year, as turkey numbers are very high and breeding here doesn't seem to be off schedule by more than a week or two from what i see every year. April is marked by the bulk of breeding, incubation occurring mostly in May, but I would have no problem seeing two weeks ahead, perhaps. That early, warm weather only really lasted a week or two here, and green up is still happening gradually. Driving north this evening, you can see a clear line of green up the bottom third of the mountains, but leaf out hasn't reached the higher elevations yet. I feared early green-up more than I feared the hunting would be bad.

[HunterMan]

Three or four years ago I had some Jakes on my property that were bigger and had longer beards than normal for that time of year. Always thought that it was from early hatching.

[VaTuRkStOmPeR]

They acted like may turkeys today....

150+ gobbles on the roost that began at 538am and virtual silence after 620am.

I'm very worried after listening to them hammer day in and day out for 5 weeks.

[MarkJM]

we usually have poults here by the end of may

[bigthunderchicken]

A hen can selectively re-inseminate herself with stored sperm up to 30 days after the breeding.

no wonder they get so fired up. if it was that way with humans we would literally have chase our women down and tie them  up