Breeding Early Hurt Season???

Bmac313 · 03-15-2006, 08:42 AM

Went scouting the other day and saw 9-10 toms strutting in a field. Even saw 2 of the toms breed some hens. Will breeding this early hurt the upcoming season?

countrymudder · 03-15-2006, 08:56 AM

i really dont think it should hurt the season. Especially if there is a lot of hens to breed. They just got off to an early start.

wholelottagobble · 03-15-2006, 08:58 AM

I haven't looked up when you start in Kentucky, but our season always opens on the 2nd Saturday in April here in NC. I would generally be elated if the turkeys were just starting to strut and gobble about the 3rd week of March. So that leaves about a 3 week window for them to get cranked up and breed before season.

Last year was a perfect season as far as I am concerned. The turkeys acted right all year long. The gobbling activity was great for the whole season. I didn't hear my first gobble while scouting till about 2 1/2 weeks before season and Ihad goneto the woods to listen about 3-4 times and heard nothing.

RayC · 03-15-2006, 09:24 AM

Could end up helping if you don't want 'henned up' conditions.

Campo · 03-15-2006, 10:21 AM

I second this...
About six years ago, New York had really warm and really dry conditions for about two weeks before the season.
Alot of breeding got done early, which led to alot of hens being on nests early...
I can recall five or six times I had 5+ birds coming in to one location, gobbling their heads off.
I have a theory that the warmer the weather and drier before the season, the less henned up the gobblers will be, due to the fact that alot are bred and on nests.
Also, the warmer the sooner the woods get vegitated, which means more cover for nests, another reason that early warm and dry are good for you freezer

Widow_Maker · 03-15-2006, 07:02 PM

While the above posts are sometimes true, early breeding made it tough for me last season. For some reason the turkeys around my house near Springfield, MO start gobbling in late Feb or early March. I was watching 9 or so longbeards before season, but by the time season rolled around they had bred most of the hens and left the area searching for more hens. They would pass through every few days again, but you had to stick with em to kill em. They have been gobbling for a few weeks already this year and I've got a pic of 14 longbeards together. We'll see if they stick around!
WM

Hunter06FlKy · 03-15-2006, 07:07 PM

i wouldn't think it would affect your hunting too much. by the time your season comes around and if the hens are bred you won't have to deal with gobblers being henned up. then you'll be in the part of the season where the birds are looking for that one unbred hen.