Scouting

[MerriamMagician]

I had a chance to go scouting last saturday around fruitland, cedonia, and daisy. We saw a lot of birds, but they didn't seem to be in the breeding phase yet. Saw several large groups of hens and lots of bachelor groups of gobblers. The only birds that were strutting/gobbling at all were down low right on the river. Think the activity will kick up within the next week? My normal spot is still layered in snow and no birds or sign were around. Traditionally there is always birds there that roost on the exact same ridge location year after year. I'm a little worried. Hopefully things are back to normal within the final three weeks before the opener. 

[baldopepper]

Looks to be a late year in that area alright.  I've seen years there where the birds were still pretty much in their winter bunches until the week before the opener, and one year when they were still pretty bunched up on opening day.  Kinda like humans, two things drive what they do: sex and food.  They don't seem to really break up until things start to green up over there and that means the temps have to warm and the snow has to get out of there.  I think any true scouting will have to be done the week right before the opener and I suspect they'll still be breaking up and moving that week. If your "roosting ridge " is higher elevation you may not see birds there until the 2nd or even 3rd week this year. 

[turkeydancer]

     We've had years that they didn't reach our landowners until the night before the opener.   Good news for me this year if there's still large, riverside bachelor groups is that I'm hunting 2100 acres on the river, have a brand new "Killer B" full strut decoy, and I know how to gobble call.   

However, you may have to wait until the first shots are fired, and then prepare for the "breakup" stampede     

[yelp]

I had a chance to go scouting last saturday around fruitland, cedonia, and daisy. We saw a lot of birds, but they didn't seem to be in the breeding phase yet. Saw several large groups of hens and lots of bachelor groups of gobblers. The only birds that were strutting/gobbling at all were down low right on the river. Think the activity will kick up within the next week? My normal spot is still layered in snow and no birds or sign were around. Traditionally there is always birds there that roost on the exact same ridge location year after year. I'm a little worried. Hopefully things are back to normal within the final three weeks before the opener.

I wouldn't be too worried..lots of birds lots of time to hunt..When you were up there where was the snowline? How much snow?

[buckfvr]

Im above Daisy Station at 2450ft elevation, and they had been gobbling like mad up until this very wet weather settled in on us.  No gobbling last night or this morning, this will certainly put things on hold until the storms pass.

I still feel as though the overeall bird numbers is down from recent years because of liberal opportunities and zero enhancement efforts, but still decent numbers, just not as good as recent past.  There were not as many birds in with cows feeding late this winter as there have been last couple years.  I check a few places where they feed alot of cows and usually alot of birds as well........

[MerriamMagician]

I had a chance to go scouting last saturday around fruitland, cedonia, and daisy. We saw a lot of birds, but they didn't seem to be in the breeding phase yet. Saw several large groups of hens and lots of bachelor groups of gobblers. The only birds that were strutting/gobbling at all were down low right on the river. Think the activity will kick up within the next week? My normal spot is still layered in snow and no birds or sign were around. Traditionally there is always birds there that roost on the exact same ridge location year after year. I'm a little worried. Hopefully things are back to normal within the final three weeks before the opener.

I wouldn't be too worried..lots of birds lots of time to hunt..When you were up there where was the snowline? How much snow?

Between 2500 and 3000 feet but that area also receives less sun. I was at higher elevations and there was no snow at all. I bet all this rain this week has pretty much melted the snow around there.

[yelp]

I like your neighborhood buckfvr! 

[buckfvr]

I like your neighborhood buckfvr!

Its a fun place to live......

It snowed last night above 3k and will probably do the same tonight.  I can see the Kettles from the living room, and Kentry Ridge from the back,  provided theres no fog.  Right now its rain as far as I can see.  Down right wet, windy, and very miserable.

[Moose22]

buckfvr, same thing a little father north. The weather has not been very nice. No gobblin' for the past three mornings.

[buckfvr]

Yep.....their all holed up in the timber, probably complaining about the weather.

[Limhangerslayer]

Like yelp said lots of time, that was three weeks before even the opener.  A lot will happen in three weeks.  Wait and see the youth season reports.  That will give you a better idea.  My guess would be they will be split up a lot more.  If not play it week by week.  besides you shouldn't be worried you are the merriam magician