Lots of snow still low

[PA BEN]

Looks like the breeding will be a little delayed this year. I haven't seen one turkey around my place. Normally they are roosting above the house gobbling by now.

[Henrydog]

Yup, the melt is slow this year, I just checked the NWS website all of Eastern Wa will be in the teens overnight and high 30's for high temp.  I have not seen any birds in my normal places yet.  This reminds me of the spring 10 years ago when we still had snow patches during Youth season.

[jasnt]

Yup the youth season may be a little slow this year.  Opener too for that matter.  But if it melts too fast we will have flooding again

[Karl Blanchard]

Meh. I've shot birds standing on snow pack.  I've shot em in blinding snow.  Snow is not uncommon in many areas of washington.  Birds are gonna breed regardless.   Heck there was some stutters in medical lake the other day.  Its gettin close gents

[nwwanderer]

Day length gets them going, gobbling yesterday standing on more than a foot of snow

[jasnt]

They gobble year round and strut year round. 

[Big game archer]

Day length gets them going, gobbling yesterday standing on more than a foot of snow

  Day length is the most important factor

[Karl Blanchard]

They gobble year round and strut year round.

I'm fully aware 

[Bango skank]

They gobble year round and strut year round.

Yeah, but ive been seeing a lot more of it lately.

[hunter399]

I do agree they will breed etc.I can see a lot of public lands blocked off due to snow or muddy roads come april.Better bring your snowshoes , and a good set of chains.If you got permission in a field or low level land you might be fine.But even low level public land may be plowed in by county plows.

[Jonathan_S]

Two years ago today is memorable to me because I was leaving town for a while. We got a big bad snow on this exact day two years ago.  I was doing a timing belt kit on the 4Runner and remember the gobbles coming from the "springtime" roosting areas. Yesterday evening I was working on brake cylinders and noted the gobbles were again coming from Spring locations (higher on the ridges). 

Kind of like the whitetail rut, it basically happens the same timeframe every year.

[PA BEN]

Meh. I've shot birds standing on snow pack.  I've shot em in blinding snow.  Snow is not uncommon in many areas of washington.  Birds are gonna breed regardless.   Heck there was some stutters in medical lake the other day.  Its gettin close gents

Hens don't nest in snow

[Karl Blanchard]

Meh. I've shot birds standing on snow pack.  I've shot em in blinding snow.  Snow is not uncommon in many areas of washington.  Birds are gonna breed regardless.   Heck there was some stutters in medical lake the other day.  Its gettin close gents

Hens don't nest in snow

no they dont but they will nest in tree, wells, vine maple, ceanothus, and other dense brush that will be free of snow. Nature has been doing this a lot longer than we have been around. Where there is a will there is a way wild animals always have a will to live and to reproduce.

[jasnt]

Jme but I have not seen hens in the mood when there is snow on the ground. When the hens ain’t in the mood the older toms aren’t responding like they will when hens want to breed. 
When a hen gets bred she has about 9 fertile eggs or about 11 days till she needs bred again.  They don’t breed if there is no nest site picked out. 

I’m no expert by any means but I’m surprised so many of you disagree.
I’m typically tagged out first week of the season but I’ve noticed I have to work harder when “spring” is late. Jme

[TheStovePipeKid]

I'm headed over to the NE corner first two weeks of the season. I guess I'll have to get some snowshoes and pack some extra wooly socks. I'm pretty stoked.

[Karl Blanchard]

I hunt higher elevations every single year.  Most openers I'm post holing through snow.  I havent come out of an opening weekend without a bird in a long time.  Lot of snow is gonna go away in the next month.

[buckcanyonlodge]

20+ gobblers fanning and gobbling in my driveway this morning.. They do gobble and strut year round but there is a different meaning-intensity as the spring rolls on.

[MtnMuley]

I havent come out of an opening weekend without a bird in a long time.

You just jinxed your self...…….How about an opening Monday?

[vandeman17]

I have seen tons of turkeys around our property in over a foot of snow. Doesn't seem to bother them at all

[Karl Blanchard]

I havent come out of an opening weekend without a bird in a long time.

You just jinxed your self...…….How about an opening Monday?

  bahahaha! Man I did jinx myself

[huntnphool]

The late snow has helped our snow pack, we are now at 93% of average, it was dismal for a while.

[PA BEN]

Picture from yesterday a good 14" still on the valley floor just north of Chewelah

[kevinlisa06]

I will be out early May, that my new opener for the Spring season.


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[roderickweise]

So if the hens breed later does that mean the beginning of May could be real good since most hunters will be out for opener when they are not breeding?

[oldleclercrd]

A little snow doesn't bother them..

[Dan-o]

A little snow doesn't bother them..

That looks bad.

Need any help thinning them out?

[oldleclercrd]

A little snow doesn't bother them..

That looks bad.

Need any help thinning them out?

Trust me, I have a very eager 13 year old with the same offer.

[Dan-o]

A little snow doesn't bother them..

That looks bad.

Need any help thinning them out?

Trust me, I have a very eager 13 year old with the same offer.

Perfect!

There's a limit for both of us in that picture.    ;-)

[Fl0und3rz]

Saw about 20 today along 395 and Sand Canyon.  A large group was scratching up stuff under a pine where snow was melted.  I've never been Turkey hunting.  I might have to check it out.

[PA BEN]

So if the hens breed later does that mean the beginning of May could be real good since most hunters will be out for opener when they are not breeding?

It depends. Breeding should have started by now, but with the snow the hens will be late with the nesting. The flocks will follow the snow line and eat the green shoots coming up. The birds are thin and will be putting on the wt. as soon as they can move around.  Toms might be real hot to come in because the hens are not full on breeding or the tom will be henned up because the breeding is full on. Springs like this is a crap shoot. The south facing slopes are just starting to open up but everywhere else has lots of snow left.

[Russ McDonald]

So if the hens breed later does that mean the beginning of May could be real good since most hunters will be out for opener when they are not breeding?

It depends. Breeding should have started by now, but with the snow the hens will be late with the nesting. The flocks will follow the snow line and eat the green shoots coming up. The birds are thin and will be putting on the wt. as soon as they can move around.  Toms might be real hot to come in because the hens are not full on breeding or the tom will be henned up because the breeding is full on. Springs like this is a crap shoot. The south facing slopes are just starting to open up but everywhere else has lots of snow left.

I would expect the late April early May is going to be the prime time.  Unless this warm weather helps but I see rain starting up this weekend.  Still have lows below freezing over night from what I am seeing on extended forcasts.  Hope things starting melting out.  I have a active duty Navy guy I am bringing out during that first weekend of the opener

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