The weather here good for poults

[woodsman04]

I don't know what it's doing across the state. But last week, this week, and next week will probably be peak hatching week. If there is anything good about it being hot and dry, this is it. Hot and dry in middle southern Tennessee.


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[Andy S.]

Re: The weather here good for poults

Agreed, hot and dry is great for poult survival/recruitment.

 

[Quailman]

Re: The weather here good for poults

Agreed, hot and dry is great for poult survival/recruitment.

True that it's good for poult survival, but it's also pretty tough on them at the same time. I knew it was inevitable, but this hot dry weather has made it perfect conditions for cutting hay. Farmers have been running wide open for the last week+. it makes me cringe to see those hens start wandering around in open fields right after hay cutting has started. We know why.

 

[catman529]

Re: The weather here good for poults

Yep I was just thinking the same thing the other day. Great weather


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[catman529]

Re: The weather here good for poults

Agreed, hot and dry is great for poult survival/recruitment.

True that it's good for poult survival, but it's also pretty tough on them at the same time. I knew it was inevitable, but this hot dry weather has made it perfect conditions for cutting hay. Farmers have been running wide open for the last week+. it makes me cringe to see those hens start wandering around in open fields right after hay cutting has started. We know why.

at least the hens are still alive and can make a new nest. They always cut hay this time of year. Luckily hens like to nest a lot of other places than hay fields as well.


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[elknturkey]

Re: The weather here good for poults

Only heard of a few nests being hit so far but been several fawns hit. Buddy has hit 5 and saved one cause he just happened to see it

 

[Andy S.]

Re: The weather here good for poults

I was in NW TN today and the hay rakes were busy everywhere I looked, they were definitely making hay while the sun shines.

 

[Roost 1]

Re: The weather here good for poults

Hay cutting is wide open in western KY as well....

 

[Goodtimekiller]

Re: The weather here good for poults

Have a friend who has already hit 12 nests[emoji17]


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[AT Hiker]

The weather here good for poults

at least the hens are still alive and can make a new nest. They always cut hay this time of year. Luckily hens like to nest a lot of other places than hay fields as well.


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I don't think they made new nest in this scenario? Yes, luckily hay fields are not the only place they nest.

True that this is hay season but it's not black and white on the dates, meaning people dont cut hay on May 20th every year. It's weather dependent and can fluctuate widely. So one week delay on hay cutting could literally save countless nest.

To give you a better example that might be more relatable is this years corn planting progress. We are about 45% of last years progress. So even though it's "planting season" nationwide we are still very far behind. However, in TN we are doing pretty good. Just to give you an idea on the weather, here is the current corn planting progress map, each number represents the %.

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[megalomaniac]

Re: The weather here good for poults

Only 2 nests hit by us this week, both hens made it out alive. That's about average. No fawns hit. No poults seen.

I have seen a couple hens who have lost nests and are walking around solo. Saw 1 gobbler and 5 jakes together this morning.

Worked on predators yesterday evening after I got to TN... managed 1 coyote, 2 skunks, and 1 possum.

Ponds don't seem to have any sizable frogs on them unfortunately.

Oh and Catman, hens usually will not renest once they have been setting for over a week. They absolutely will renest if they lose their clutch during laying.... but most hens should have completed laying mid May around here.

Very good weather for all the little ones that do hatch right now. Hopefully we will see hens with 10 or 12 poults, and not hens with 1 or 2 poults

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[megalomaniac]

Re: The weather here good for poults

Oh, and I heard a bobwhite this morning, that was a treat!

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[Southern Sportsman]

Re: The weather here good for poults

We'll lose plenty of nests to hay cutting, but that's true every year. At least we're not dealing with massive flooding like many places.

 

[Andy S.]

Re: The weather here good for poults

At least we're not dealing with massive flooding like many places.

Midwest is getting hammered, with some areas receiving 10-15" over last week. :shock:

 

[TheLBLman]

Re: The weather here good for poults

In my primary turkey hunting areas, I'm currently feeling kinda fortunate in terms of nesting and young poults.
Relatively few nests are in hay fields here (compared to most Middle TN counties),
and the weather has been pretty good overall for both the nesting and the young poults.

We don't have as many turkeys as in times past, but they're not going extinct either.
At present, looking good for a few more turkeys next year.