The weather!?

[Whitenuckles]

 Ive been looking at the weather for the Northeast and its not looking good. Lots of rain and colder weather is going to be pushing through almost till opener.
Im wondering how this is going to effect the birds? Or even the eggs they have already started to lay? I know of one nesting site, and last week she already had 7 eggs laid. Hopefully it doesnt effect our hunting or the birds!

[Tom Tamer]

I think thing's will be alright, I've been worrying about what these last couple hard winters would do, and the two times I've been able to scout I've seen a lot of Jakes and jennies, so that tells me last year with all the snow they still got out a good hatch. They did look a little younger than usual....showing a later hatch but there were a lot of yearling turkeys. So with  little milder winter I don't think we'll be too bad off.

[HoofsandWings]

In the Seattle Times today, Chewelah and Colville are specifically mentioned as places where the turkeys have come roaring back. There are turkeys everywhere according to the article.
Also, Haller Creek and Arden had the highest turkey counts. If you are in those areas, you will have lots of company.

[yelp]

Ive been looking at the weather for the Northeast and its not looking good. Lots of rain and colder weather is going to be pushing through almost till opener.
Im wondering how this is going to effect the birds? Or even the eggs they have already started to lay? I know of one nesting site, and last week she already had 7 eggs laid. Hopefully it doesnt effect our hunting or the birds!

Was the nesting site on the westside or eastside?

[yelp]

In the Seattle Times today, Chewelah and Colville are specifically mentioned as places where the turkeys have come roaring back. There are turkeys everywhere according to the article.

That's awesome...

[Whitenuckles]

Ive been looking at the weather for the Northeast and its not looking good. Lots of rain and colder weather is going to be pushing through almost till opener.
Im wondering how this is going to effect the birds? Or even the eggs they have already started to lay? I know of one nesting site, and last week she already had 7 eggs laid. Hopefully it doesnt effect our hunting or the birds!

Was the nesting site on the westside or eastside?

Eastside, just north of Colville.

[yelp]

That is pretty early for a hen..she would have a full clutch by now and if successful..poults by end of April.

[Whitenuckles]

That is pretty early for a hen..she would have a full clutch by now and if successful..poults by end of April.

Im hoping see hasnt started incubating them yet. Hopefully she will let them sit for a bit longer, then start her incubation stage. It would really suck if the weather gets to eggs spoiled by the weather.

 My buddies Easterns "on the wetside"  have also started laying. One of his hens is sitting on 6 right now.

[yelp]

Just some facts for you guys out there...got it off another site..gives a good account for the mating, laying process...The other thing I remember is most eggs are laid an hour or two later than the eggs the day before..that way the chicks all come off in a 24 hour period and an hour apart..I read that somewhere. Environmental conditions like wet weather can affect chick survival..but most chicks can fly up into a roost soon after being hatched..which keep them off  of the ground.  What I notice up in NE Washington is that the snowberry (buckbrush) starts to leaf out I notice more nesting hens..in other words there is more security and hiding cover.  Read pasted info below...(From Wild Turkey Zone)

Once the mating season is fully underway, hens seek out nesting areas to lay eggs. Laying generally begins in late March to early April through most of the country. Turkeys usually nest in areas (old fields, cutovers, pine forests, stream edges) with a well-developed under story that provides some bushy/vine concealment. One egg is laid daily until a clutch averaging 9 to 11 eggs is completed. Incubation takes 28 days, and all poults hatch within a 24-hour period. Depending on weather, the brood hen and poults leave the nest within 24 hours of hatching. Peak hatching period is from about May 20 to June 10. If the first nest is destroyed, some hens attempt a second nest. Hens that have to re-nest lay fewer eggs.

Generally, less than half of all nesting attempts are successful. The fact that wild turkeys nest on the ground and require a total of 6 weeks to lay and incubate eggs makes hens and their nests vulnerable to predation and human disturbance (destroying nests by burning, mowing, and discing). Common predators of turkey eggs include raccoons, skunks, opossums, crows, and snakes. Mortality rates of poults generally range from 70 to 80 percent or higher, especially during their first 2 weeks of life, when they are unable to fly and roost under the hen on the ground.

Poult predators include mammals of which raccoon and bobcats cause the greatest loss. Foxes and coyotes are also important predators. Birds caused 13 percent and reptiles were responsible for 4 percent of the loss. Feral dogs and cats also will prey on hens/eggs when the opportunity arises. Fortunately, turkeys have a high reproductive potential, and one good hatch can significantly increase populations and offset previous poor hatches.

[Gringo31]

One other odd fact about turkeys is that they lead the pack in time between a breeding and how long they can lay fertilized eggs.  This goes back to Animal Science Repro 350 that was an odd fact they threw out there, but I believe it was 72 days after a breeding she can still lay fertilized eggs.

[yelp]

One other odd fact about turkeys is that they lead the pack in time between a breeding and how long they can lay fertilized eggs.  This goes back to Animal Science Repro 350 that was an odd fact they threw out there, but I believe it was 72 days after a breeding she can still lay fertilized eggs.

True..A hen can be bred once and still fertilize eggs months later.

[Dustin07]

also, baby turkeys are cute.

Baby turkeys are noisy!

good thing they get ugly later.

[Hangfire]

These nests that are being observed by you and your friend, are these wild birds and sites or captive birds?  If captive birds that could make a difference.

I drove around this morning in lower Stevens county. The large flock I had been seeing disappeared when the farmer started tilling his land. I have not heard a gobble  yet.  I finally found a different large flock, on posted land today.  From the road they gave no responce to my calling.  I did see a couple birds fanned out, but they do that year around. I then took a 3 mile walk looking and listening.  I also did some box calling.  I never saw a track, dropping or heard a thing. In the area where I was at, I don't think they have broke up from winter flocks at all. The area I walked, I have never walked with out seeing sign or hearing birds.

Our weather in NE is cooler and rainier than it has been.

[turkeydancer]

You're not using turkey calls and educating the birds prior to the season are you ?  That's detrimental to your success during the season ...   

[NWTFhunter]

I went out this past weekend in Goldendale, never heard or saw a single bird.  Very unusual for the area I was in.

[Machias]

They have been gobbling up a storm the past two weeks in the West Plains area outside of Spokane.  They have just started breaking into smaller groups.

[MuleyontheWall]

Seems like its just depending who you talk with...some are saying bird counts are way down..some are coming back...some gobble some dont...dont think any of us are going to know anything till we hit the call april 15th.

[Hangfire]

Turkeydancer-- Very few and discrete calls, no attempt to call in, and using a call I will not hunt with.  I don't feel a remote problem

[turkeydancer]

Good deal HangFire and good luck .... 

[Whitenuckles]

These nests that are being observed by you and your friend, are these wild birds and sites or captive birds?  If captive birds that could make a difference.

I drove around this morning in lower Stevens county. The large flock I had been seeing disappeared when the farmer started tilling his land. I have not heard a gobble  yet.  I finally found a different large flock, on posted land today.  From the road they gave no responce to my calling.  I did see a couple birds fanned out, but they do that year around. I then took a 3 mile walk looking and listening.  I also did some box calling.  I never saw a track, dropping or heard a thing. In the area where I was at, I don't think they have broke up from winter flocks at all. The area I walked, I have never walked with out seeing sign or hearing birds.

Our weather in NE is cooler and rainier than it has been.

Both.