STRUT REPORT 2013

anyone seeing or hearing any good news? taking a couple kids on the youth hunt, hopefully they will be going by then!

Well, some changes in the last 4 days or so. No, there's still lots of snow cover. Well over a foot in general. And no, the birds still look smaller. But they are starting to change behavior. The large flocks seem to have broken up. Seeing lots of groups of 2-3 toms and the hens have scattered. Even lots of single hen sightings. Seeing them at all times of the day. I had 2 large groups that were like clock work in the morning and evenings. 30+ birds in each flock are now split up. With the warming temps coming this weekend making travel easier, I'm guessing it could really get going soon. No gobbling around the house yet, but this lady started showing up a couple days ago. Solo hen, comes and goes all day. Have heard some fly-ups and fly-downs near by, but no gobbles yet. Until this snow cover goes down some, best areas I've found so far are in areas of pine tree groupings. Less snow for easier movement and easier access to "food" on the ground.

3" of snow. I wish!! Still close to 18" of snow cover here in northern Jackson Co. Saw my bachelor group today. They were on the road picking at what ever they could get. Nice mature birds, but small weight. 2 weeks till me and the daughter head out for her last youth hunt, but nothing close to breeding behavior around here yet. Although it may be good for the drought conditions, it's setting up to be a pretty rough spring for turkey and deer around here.

did some scouting today in vernon county. man o man. didnt get a chance to see them but got out at 6am did owl call nothin so pulled out the turkey call did a yelp and man. toms gobblin from every direction. cant wait till april 10. hopefully get warm weather soon still a good 3" of snow out there.

Was driving around today looking for some flocks and right next to the road their was a nice tom that was all fluffed out and was fired up.

So the local flock by my dads place is 38 birds this year and the in-fighting is going strong. Strutting, fighting all the good stuff. 17 Toms, 9 jakes and the rest hens. I have to try to get a picture posted on here. We saved an old deer rib cage from gun season and hung it up for the woodpeckers. To make a long story short, it was all dried up so dad put it on the ground to see if a fisher or coyote would drag it off and the next morning a big red tailed hawk was on it and he was surrounded by Toms, turkeys were'nt backing off and neither was the hawk, but he had his feathers pretty fluffed up. Lots of snow yet though so unless it warms fast the breeding won't happen anytime soon.

Been watching this group latley set a trail camera up on them and this is what I got.

I was out last week fishin at the dells last week. launched boat at rivers edge and headed up river. saw 3 real nice toms along the river. cant wait till april 10. :-) :-) :-) :-) zone 1 period A

There maybe some truth to the length of day but without a doubt, weather has something to do with it. I remember the last week of February of last year, I was seeing Tom's strutt'n all over the place. And I usually always see them in the same place strutt'n. I have yet to see one strutt'n this year. I don't know if the cold has as much to do with it as the snow cover does. I doubt hens can nest with this base of snow. I sure hope by the end of next week we have much of the snow melted!

saw one bird strutting last weekend. All by himself with no hens around at about noon. All the birds i have been seeing seem very spooky, anyone else realizing this? I pull over on the side of the road sometimes 400 yards away and they all perk up and get real uneasy. Buddy of mine is noticing the samething with nearly every flock of birds. Anyone know what might be causing this? temp, Food????

saw a robin today. gettin close.

they strut and gobble all the time, usually at fly down

From what I have read the primary trigger is the length of daylight with tempature and food being secondary factors that can slow or speed up breeding activity.

I believe it's the length of day.

do turkeys start strutting by temperature or length of day?

All I have been seeing is big groups of long beards. Seen 2 groups of 20+ long beards east of Green Bay. I doubt you will see much until they start breaking down in to pairs and singles. Couple weeks out.