Turkeys already laying eggs

[71silverbullet]

I went mushroom hunting saturday, (found none) but I did find a turkey nest full of eggs, the hen was not there but I did go back sunday and she was sitting on them.
This seems very early for them to be laying eggs already. Could be a tough year for hunting if the mating season is already ending and still over two weeks before the season opens.
Could also be a bad year for hatching since they are calling for a freeze the next couple of nights.

 

[selinoid44]

On the contrary, if all the hens are bred when the season comes in, then when we call to the toms they will come looking. Could be to our benefit. The toms won't be henned up. At least its been dry and that is good for young turkeys. They won't be flooded out and they won't drown.

 

[Mike H]

I agree, it will be extra thick, and maybe more patience will be required, but they should come to the call pretty easy.
BTW the IDNR schedules turkey season to take palce after peak breeding so that hens will be on the nest and less likely to get shot.
The nice thing about hen turkeys is that if the nest is destroyed the can lay another clutch of fertile eggs w/o having to be bred again. So all is not lost.
Wet cold weather after hatching can be detrimental to turkey poults. Mama can keep em warm if they are not wet.
Good luck to all INGO turkey chasers this spring.

 

[71silverbullet]

I agree, it will be extra thick, and maybe more patience will be required, but they should come to the call pretty easy.
BTW the IDNR schedules turkey season to take palce after peak breeding so that hens will be on the nest and less likely to get shot.
The nice thing about hen turkeys is that if the nest is destroyed the can lay another clutch of fertile eggs w/o having to be bred again. So all is not lost.
Wet cold weather after hatching can be detrimental to turkey poults. Mama can keep em warm if they are not wet.
Good luck to all INGO turkey chasers this spring.

I've never heard that about laying a second clutch without being bred again, very interresting.
There have been 6 hens on my property all spring, and I stopped seeing them last week, now I know why. Also haven't been hearing much gobbling in the mornings either.

 

[sepe]

I've seen plenty out in the fields up this way for the last week or so. Saw 5 last night. Might head out past my grandparents old place (aunt owns it now) and see if there are any in the yard, use to see 15-20 quite a bit lots of big deer too as there wasn't much hunting pressure for decades.

 

[Yeah]

I was seeing flocks of 60+ in my fields when it was cold, but they appear to have broken up a bit. I watched a couple of nice gobblers fool around on an edge for a couple of hours today and neither broke into a strut. They'd look to calls but not come, but could've been the copious shooting in between kee kee kees gave them pause.

 

[Mike H]

I've never heard that about laying a second clutch without being bred again, very interresting.
There have been 6 hens on my property all spring, and I stopped seeing them last week, now I know why. Also haven't been hearing much gobbling in the mornings either.

Yeah, I don't know what the proper word or term is but once a hen has been bred once.....thats all she needs. Hen turkeys have the capacity to store sperm and use as needed. I know it sounds wierd, but it's natures way of propagating the species. Now granted, a hen might breed more thn once, but once is all it takes.
Mike

 

[HICKMAN]

they've been strutting around at Crane for the last few weeks. I see at least 2 every day at full strut. Never really hunted them, but it is cool to see.

 

[spearheadersarge]

Two more weeks till the season is in and breeding season will be done. Smetimes the DNR ain't to smart. Most vegetation will be fully leafed out by then and a bird could be right on top of you before you could even see it. I predict a lot of frustrating turkey hunting this year. Don't be surprised if the overall harvest numbers are down.