Question

[Tball77]

Just curious if anyone has seen a decline in population in the north east.  Also if you have heard less vocalization from the Tom’s.  Completely different hunts this year from years past.  Birds were coming to calls but silent all the way in for the most part and where in years past we would see upwards of 100 birds a day we seen less than 20.  What was your experience?

[jrebel]

Early on, I would have agreed that the bird population was low.  Two weeks ago, they lit up and all the birds I wasn't seeing are now running rampant.  Sat in one area the day I shot my first bird and had 5-6 different birds gobbling around me.  I think the population is better than it was last year, but still lower than it was 4 to 5 years earlier.  Regardless....lots of birds to still be had. 

I have noticed that they gobble coming out of roost an then shut up.  Super quiet all day long....until about 5 pm when the gobbles start up.  They gobble and are pretty responsive from 5 pm till they go to roost again.  I have found the afternoon hunts to be the most productive.  I still have one tag to fill so hopefully they stay active for another couple weeks. 

[Russ McDonald]

The last couple of years the weather has been different.  This year again different.  A lot warmer a drier so I think the nesting is a head of schedule.  Starnge thing is a camp this last weekend quite a few me tors were seeing 5 to 8 hens together with no jakes or toms in tow.  Saw ine field with a dozen toms and jakes as I was headed home Sunday.  Right on the Kalispell reservation line.  In my opinion from what I have seen and heard from mentors and land owners the population is pretty healthy.  Youth season was lights out this year.  It hasn't been this good in the past few years.

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[bearpaw]

Due to the warm weather in March we are about two weeks ahead of schedule with brush leafing out and with turkey behavior. Some hens were nesting on the opener, most hens are now nesting. Every year toms gobble much less toward late May, this year it's already here a week ago.

[Tball77]

Thank you.  That all makes sense. 

[LDennis24]

Yeah I was driving through Turnbull a few days ago and 6 Tom's were hanging out together and ahead of them about 30 yds was one lone hen and a big old Tom strutting his stuff. The other Tom's were acting like it was just another day. This is unusual as there are plenty of hens to Tom's in the area but most must be nesting already. The thorn in the side is that almost all the Tom's had beards dragging in the dirt. They get old on Turnbull.