Predictions for a 2014 Bad Turkey hatch?

[Thicketmaster]

The way the weather has been this year what's everyone's opinion on this years hatch? With all the ice up north I think most major river bottoms will see flooding once the ice starts thawing. plus with the season opening this weekend and everything being so late I don't think much breeding is taking place now? I've heard that its TWRA Plan to not open the season every year till most the hens are bred then once the season opens if every male bird was killed we would still have the next generation because once a gobbler breeds a hen she stays breed to him for I think it's 28 days? So her whole clutch of eggs are fertile even if she's only bred once.i hope we have a good hatch this year I don't think we did last year in my area I never saw a single poult.

 

[deerhunter10]

I think itll be a good hatch. we had a good one here last year. just as long as no major flooding happens I think itll be good.

 

[Setterman]

At this point nothing has occurred to have a bad hatch, and vice versa. Way too early to be making prognostications.

 

[Final steps TC]

You won't know anything until late May as far as a hatch goes and IMO you really won't know well until August

 

[mountain man 71]

I just hope for the best.

 

[FARMTOFIELD]

You can never really tell, I wasn't expecting much of a hatch last year but we have seen a load of Jakes where we hunt

 

[redblood]

At this point nothing has occurred to have a bad hatch, and vice versa. Way too early to be making prognostications.

true. a prediction now would be nothing more than a guess.

 

[SKFOOTER]

The hen's desire to breed is somewhat dictated by the increasing length of daylight regardless of the weather. I've had reports of turkeys breeding as much as 30 days ago so I would worry more about nest predation and flooding than I would the weather.

 

[Boll Weevil]

Just a theory and I don't know if it's backed up by science, but have long thought that ground temperature may have some impact on actual nesting (vs. breeding). Since hens can store sperm for quite some time, if breeding is underway (which I belive is indeed the case), there's hens waltzing around right now that are physiologically ready to begin laying. But, they might not start in earnest until ground temps rise/stabilize.

As I type this, it is 39 outside.

 

[Andy S.]

Just a theory and I don't know if it's backed up by science,

It's been a few years, but I have read one scientific article/research paper where the results suggested ground temperature did in deed play a role in nesting dates.