Birds bunched early

[baldopepper]

I don't know if it's a precursor to an early winter, but the birds are sure in their big winter flocks now.  I took a little drive around yesterday morning in the southern part of 121 and saw mostly massive flocks (quit counting on one flock when I got to 200).  I don't remember seeing them this bunched up when theres really been no snow or bad weather.  Flocks looked very good with a high percentage of birds being this years poults.  If we don't get a hard winter it should be a good season next year, but I suspect there will be a lot of jakes to content with.

[PA BEN]

I see them bunched up each year the first of Oct.

[turkeydancer]

Yeppir - has more to do with temperature than snow/ice ... starts getting colder and they bunch up in (Oct) and gets warmer in (March/April) and they start breaking up.
 

[BOWHUNTER45]

 

Yeppir - has more to do with temperature than snow/ice ... starts getting colder and they bunch up in (Oct) and gets warmer in (March/April) and they start breaking up.
 

Look out ! Al just woke up from his long winter nap  Happy New Year Al ...Gobble Gobble !

[turkeydancer]

    You too there JB ... been busy, but going to be even busier here soon when my aircraft carrier comes in ... suggested to Cabelas Tulalip that they ask you if you'ld do the turkey hunting clinic this year 
... if you do let me know if you want my subject outline ....

[splitshot]

with this warm weather the turkeys will be done mating by the time the season rolls around.   mike w

[turkeydancer]

They'll still be looking for love in all the wrong places when season does start .......   

[baldopepper]

I don't know how it is elsewhere, but the birds around my  place in Stevens county are still in their large winter groupings and not really showing much sign of breaking up yet.  Drove around a bit over the weekend and the big flocks looked to be in great shape.  Going to be a ton of jakes running around and they're making a ton of noise before coming off the roost, wish I'd had a recorder Saturday morning.  Sounded like the 12's at a Seahawk game, about 30 jakes in the flock and a few toms and from about 100 yards away it was plenty noisy.

[PA BEN]

The groups of large toms are breaking up, hens are fighting and toms are strutting. But the big flocks haven't broke up in to smaller groups yet.

[Jonathan_S]

with this warm weather the turkeys will be done mating by the time the season rolls around.   mike w

I wouldn't worry about it.  The weather has minimal effect on WHEN they mate.  Hens don't accept a Tom until she is in lay and she won't go into lay until there is enough hours of daylight. 

[PA BEN]

I've seen breeding the first week of March.