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Interesting observation...

This one was in one if my fields this afternoon when i cane in. He was the biggest fattest turkey i have ever seen. He was alone. The field beside it had 4 strutters in it but they werent as large
 

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redblood said:
This one was in one if my fields this afternoon when i cane in. He was the biggest fattest turkey i have ever seen. He was alone. The field beside it had 4 strutters in it but they werent as large
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It's not often I notice body size on a gobbler, but that dude is plump!!
 
megalomaniac said:
Weight and fat reserves are probably most determined by fall acorn crop, but it does make me wonder whether that severe snow/ice may have also had an impact.
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There is no doubt it had an effect on gobbling activity, flocks busting up, and spring green up throughout MS. I'm in a position where I stay in contact with turkey hunters throughout the state and the consensus/reports were pretty much the same statewide. Trees are currently 7-10 days behind where they were last year at this point in north MS. But last year green up was a bit early.... Which all this is one of my favorite things about turkey hunting. Thanks to Mother Nature, no two springs are ever the same!
 
th88 said:
There is no doubt it had an effect on gobbling activity, flocks busting up, and spring green up throughout MS. I'm in a position where I stay in contact with turkey hunters throughout the state and the consensus/reports were pretty much the same statewide. Trees are currently 7-10 days behind where they were last year at this point in north MS. But last year green up was a bit early.... Which all this is one of my favorite things about turkey hunting. Thanks to Mother Nature, no two springs are ever the same!
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My area of Hickman County looks way behind as well.
 
Interesting enough, I hunted two farms in SW TN this past weekend. One in eastern Fayette County hill country that looked like early March in the woods, very little greenup and cover. The other, bottomland hardwoods in southwest Haywood County just 10 miles to the northwest looked like end of April there so much greenup and foliage. A ton of variation between the two farms to be so close in proximity. We've had plenty of rain and numerous 70 degree days since the cold spell in mid February. All in all, I would say our my area is right on track with greenup, and some areas ahead of schedule to some degree.
 
Another 5 this trip, same as before with very little fat in the breast sponge. All healthy as can be, but underweight from prior years. One had been previously shot before last year with lead 6s.

Winter flocks broken up this week and many adult hens were on solo midday trips, I assume to their nests which had been initiated.

I just can't figure these birds out... opening week they seemed to be behind schedule as far as breeding timing from past years, but this week seemed to be far ahead of schedule compared to past years. I even killed a field bird day before yesterday that I sat on for a long while that bred all his hens who then broke off to lay before he moved to the timber and gobbled 30 times to my call on the way in to me.

Way more gobbling this year than in the past few years, making for a much more enjoyable hunting experience.
 

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