How was your 2012 season?

[Ack]

Just wondering how everyone would sum up their 2012 spring season.

With the early warmup here in Michigan birds were done and bred by the beginning of April. By the beginning of May, which is right smack dab in the middle of season birds were practically in summer mode. Made for some tough hunting, but as usual if you could find that one bird that was still in the mood they would march right in. Also heard of more guys having to stalk birds later in the season, which tells me they were not interested in calls much. What did you experience?

[BigHunt]

best season ever for me!!

[Ack]

Can't argue about your season BH....congrats!

Maybe you could share some of your observations of what the birds were doing when, were they easy to call, and so on.....things about the spring season in your area in general.....that's kind of where I'm going with this one.

[UPbowhunter]

It was actually pretty normal for me. We had that march warm up here and there was some real early polts during the season, but there was good action right through the season. I could have killed birds that I called in every time Ihunted if I hunted with a shotgun. I shot my best bow bird, and had action all season long not a bad year here.

[chad]

My season was non existant! I had back surgery and was not able to get out, I'm just now starting to get out and about.. My public spots I go to had birds all over and still is pretty much left alone, so next year I plan to get back out there. Congrats to everyone who had a great season!

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[Mountain Man]

I had a good season and I would say it was on par with past seasons for me as far as getting on birds, hearing gobbling, and overall numbers. Actually the numbers were probably better than normal as I saw a lot more jakes this year (at least 2x - 3x more than I usually see).

With the early warmup here in Michigan birds were done and bred by the beginning of April.

I have to disagree with this Ack. It's my understanding that turkey breeding is controlled by photoperiodism just like deer. I suppose sunnier weather could result in earlier breeding but overall I don't think the early warm up really affected the timing of breeding.

[bonemonger]

early warm put a damper on gobbling activity, but i still had a great year calling 9 birds into the gun for my wife,friends and myself. the last part of season the birds would gobble but they didnt want to commit. i am hoping that we have a good hatch as we only shot one two year old bird.

[Black Squirrel]

Both my kids shot nice birds, I went turkeyless for the season. I saw three toms strutting by a single hen early this am.

[UPbowhunter]

Mountain, I dont beleive the photo thing with birds. This year there were birds breeding in March early March. We had 75 degree days for a week and they went to breeding, I kicked hens off of nests in early March. I think the colder days that followed in april and May kill some eggs, and kept them breeding throught most of May. There is no doubt in my mind the bioligists dont have that pinned down yet. To ME its a temp thing.

[BigHunt]

I think the warm winter had them all screwed up for a wile , and i believe they were breeding in late feb already... in western Wisconsin in march they were rocking like it was the first two season. i thought for sure when my hunt came they would be all shut down and back in feeding mode. fortunately, some cooler weather came in and put a damper on things a little bit....there was a lot of colder mourning's with Frost in April, pushing the hens off on nesting. so when it came time for my hunt during the 4th and 5th it was as close to perfect as you could get, a little late but there....i did not see one gobbler with a hen during those nine days of hunting. Even the toms were roosting alone for the most part. there was a pretty big flock thought that would come around that had several toms in it , but i never seen it on my hunt....both of the turkeys that i shot in western Wisconsin were alone on the roost and ready to come in....they seemed relay gullible the one i shot over in southeast Wisconsin, it was strutting away, but i didn't have to call to him....roosting them was relay easy, i could just wisle at them and they would gobble!! it is easy to get on birds this time of year, they were gobbling all day every day. ive hunted the yearly season multiple times and ya its fun when there hot and gobbling 100 times before they fly down but then shut up , but its nothing like the late season when they gobble all day and answer to your calls ..if there not pressured ive shot my share of turkeys and had my good season's, but this season tops them off hands downs , with out a doubt!! I was fortunate enough to introduce my girl friend Jodi in to the outdoors 4 years ago, and she has respectfully understood why i hunt from the beginning....this year was her first spring hunt, and she was able to put the smack down on a 25 pound hill country gobbler, and i couldn't be happier!! between the both of us we were able to kill 4 toms, best season ever.....

[BigHunt]

i might add that the turkeys are different around here then they are over in western Wisconsin ...must be the predator thing...around here they seem real dumb! why i don't know they just do. there REALLY GULLIBLE here.... in western Wisconsin there just gullible....there always on alert out there, must the coyotes and foxes....there's absolutely no moving out there or your done....

during the second season over here in SE Wisconsin, me and my freind was packing stuff up after he shot his bird and we looked over and heres this hen walking right at us and we both turn around and she just stood there . i even swung my arm and she just kind of bounced up in the air came back down and just stared, multiple shot opportunity ......and after awhile she slowly walked off that would of never happened over there....

[Haus86]

I had a good season and I would say it was on par with past seasons for me as far as getting on birds, hearing gobbling, and overall numbers. Actually the numbers were probably better than normal as I saw a lot more jakes this year (at least 2x - 3x more than I usually see).

With the early warmup here in Michigan birds were done and bred by the beginning of April.

I have to disagree with this Ack. It's my understanding that turkey breeding is controlled by photoperiodism just like deer. I suppose sunnier weather could result in earlier breeding but overall I don't think the early warm up really affected the timing of breeding.

I may be wrong, but I believe turkeys go by temperature and not daylight. Turkeys are cold blooded just like other birds and fish, which breed or spawn based on temperature.

[Mountain Man]

I may be wrong, but I believe turkeys go by temperature and not daylight. Turkeys are cold blooded just like other birds and fish, which breed or spawn based on temperature.

All birds, including turkeys, are warmblooded.

[Ack]

Good stuff guys. As far as the breeding goes, I was hearing of hens being bred in March and some guys were even seeing poults in the middle of April here in Michigan. Definitely a goofed up spring, but as usual it was still possible to get on toms late in the season. I think that most birds in general were winding down their breeding urge by the beginning of May, but there's always a few toms who still want some action later in the month. Heck, I remember seeing toms strutting for hens on the 4th of July a few years ago!

[Haus86]

I may be wrong, but I believe turkeys go by temperature and not daylight. Turkeys are cold blooded just like other birds and fish, which breed or spawn based on temperature.

All birds, including turkeys, are warmblooded.

Thanks for the correction. Photoperiodism makes sense then. I did see some toms breeding hens in early March. Either way, it was a weird Spring for me. The turkeys were quiet and didn't respond to calls.