Long, Long Winter

 

This trail camera shot is taken ten days before turkey season opens here in the northern edge of the wild turkey’s habitat.  A 5 inch snowfall has this hen saying with the rest of us, ‘Where is that global warming they keep promising?”

This clearing is normally a favourite spot for hens to scratch in the leaves for bugs and seeds by now and also a strut zone for toms. In spite of a long hard winter she looks to be in good shape.  She is truly a survivor and will eventually mate and nest successfully to pass on those incredible genetic traits. It’s hens like her that enable the the turkey to exist in the northern regions.

If spring is slow coming to your region, opening day may see turkeys still in winter flocks, focused on feeding more than mating. So a set up near a reliable food source may get you close to a tom following feeding hens.