Warmer than Usual Spring = Earlier Breeding, Laying and Nesting???

[Dtrkyman]

Photoperiodism

pho·to·pe·ri·od·ism
?f?d??pir??diz?m/
nounBOTANYZOOLOGY
the response of an organism to seasonal changes in day length.

[HogBiologist]

HogBiologist, what (if any) affect do you think food source availability and foliage change has on the hens' hormonal changes. I know some studies have attributed a slight affect to these indirect weather results but I'm not sure I buy it. Possibly food source has some affect.

Food availability (or lack of) can influence to a small degree. But the primary factor is photoperiod.

[Herb McClure]

Green-up, of dormant hardwood forest above 2,500 feet, starts mountain turkeys to using differently than when late Springs are happening. The turkeys can find new insects to eat and pick new greenery, without needing a green field. Who cares, if they are laying or not. Gobblers can be called either type of Spring.

[dejake]

It is not just photoperiod that determines breeding, it is also the angle of the sun.  Hence, along the same longitude, southern birds will breed before northern birds.  Or so I've read.  All I know for sure is that God designed it so that breeding time ensures the best chance of survival for the newborn.

[RS]

Around here it will probably mean the foliage will be all the way out by the start of the season.  Also, where I hunt the farmer sows a winter cover crop of rye in his cotton fields and when its a warm spring it will be from waist to chest high by the time the season starts which seems to affect how the turkeys use the fields.  I was out looking around both days this weekend and can attest the skeeters and ticks are doing quite well with this warm weather.

[owlhoot]

If the biologists are correct and it is the length of the day as stated, then all the breeding etc. would be done at the same time throughout the US.  Sarasota, Florida has 11 hours and 55 minutes of daylight today, Fayetteville NC has 11 hours 57 minutes, Seattle, Washington has 11 hours and 44 minutes.  Just trying to wrap my head around this.  Also why do they start spring turkey season in South Florida the first week of March and work north if it's based on the length of the day as well?

Breeding is based off length of day. Just like the rut is based off length (photo period) of day. You will have regional variations due to genetics. Louisiana deer have a huge range of rut dates because of genetic traits influenced by flooding. With turkeys the breeding begins based on the hens internal sun dial. Different areas will have different starting times due to when the best potential laying time occurs. The genetic trait for that timing was carried and passed down through generations. In south Florida, turkeys can breed earlier than Turkeys in north Missouri. Therefore the season can begin earlier.

Very interesting. So in north Missouri of 1984 during a fairly late spring with no green up and colder than usual temps. Observing toms together in groups paying no attention to hen calls. With a long 2 week season for hunting that was one tough season for many of the experienced hunters ,many who lived on farms and watch them a lot . Then again in 1996 many of us observed large hen flocks after a cold front came through and this was after a good amount of gobbling before the season and during the first two days . The first day I called 4 nice toms in together and shot only one! Of course in Missouri now you got to wait til the next Monday but by Wednesday the weather turned colder by 20-30 degrees .I still went to the old farm to hang out and do some fishing. The 7 others there didn't have much luck along with others in the area and observed hen flocks and tom groups that didn't want to play the game. The cold cloudy weather hung out and during the last weekend I went to a 400 acre piece I recently was giving permission to hunt . Started out on the south end and thought this is easy here as no less than 75 turkey flew to the ground. Ya but not a tom in the bunch? Later that morning went to the north boundary road and found 10 long beards crossing a pond dam so snuck in the draw ahead of them and gave my most seductive hen calls , no return gobbles or even a tail raise. Moved over to get ahead of them and with a gobble tube got 2 to break off and lean my way . Shot one and left scratching my head. What to you think??

[super mag]

I have not been hunting turkey as long as most of you guys 8yrs.  Indiana does not come in until april 27. march 5 I saw a strutter with several hens I believe this is the earliest I have seen this. My grass is getting ready to mow which normaly does not happen til turkey season comes in. This will be another learning experience for me. Is weather a factor or not ? I am sure I will have an opinion after this season.

[HogBiologist]

I have not been hunting turkey as long as most of you guys 8yrs.  Indiana does not come in until april 27. march 5 I saw a strutter with several hens I believe this is the earliest I have seen this. My grass is getting ready to mow which normaly does not happen til turkey season comes in. This will be another learning experience for me. Is weather a factor or not ? I am sure I will have an opinion after this season.

Dominance displays do not equate to breeding. The breeding is caused by a hormonal change in the females that is influenced by photo period. The same thing with deer. The does control when they breed.

[nativeks]

I have not been hunting turkey as long as most of you guys 8yrs.  Indiana does not come in until april 27. march 5 I saw a strutter with several hens I believe this is the earliest I have seen this. My grass is getting ready to mow which normaly does not happen til turkey season comes in. This will be another learning experience for me. Is weather a factor or not ? I am sure I will have an opinion after this season.

Back when I fall hunted we used to see birds strut and gobble on warm mornings.nthe pecking order is always evolving.

[TauntoHawk]

Im not sure how many times I've heard birds gobble and strut during deer season but its a LOTTTT. But most of that is happening in the timber. I think the weather effects when the birds start hanging in more visible areas such as fields. Ive seen late springs and a lot of guys said it was horrible because they werent seeing their usual numbers of birds out in fields. Well the fields werent that green and the bugs werent out yet but we killed a ton of birds back in the timber those years. Warm springs like this one the birds hit the fields early and become more visible they'd probably be strutting about in the timber this time of year if there was snow on the ground.

what I dont like is unseasonably warm temps during season, the heat can shut them down early and bring out the bugs and just make it tough hunting.

[triune]

I've enjoyed reading this thread.  Let me first say that I am not a wildlife biologist, just one who observes and takes a note now and then.  I do believe that length of daylight would be the most influencing factor in nesting activity, but believe it can be influenced by temperatures and habitat a little as well.  One thing that I also think is something to consider is ground temperature.  With the harsher winters the farther north, the longer it takes the ground temperature to reach a point when the hens know when her eggs will have the best chance for survival.  So, could this be another contributing factor to nesting starting south and moving north?  I think it could be.