Mild winter again

[MNhunter4ever]

I was looking at the Minnesota winter severity index, and as we roll through March, it's crazy to think about how mild this winter has been, especially after a mild winter last year too! The pheasants (and other wildlife) should really benefit from the mild weather over these past several months, and if we have a nesting/hatching season that isn't too crazy with wet conditions, we could be looking at another banner year of pheasant hunting next year!

We turkey hunt in the spring, and some have been showing up on trail cameras lately, walking through brown grass with no snow in sight, which is good for them too.

 

[gim]

Hunting season was tough for this guy because of all the snow. I hunt in Central MN and by the third week of November, the snow was already very deep. It was like that through the end of the season.

It was very cold in January for about 2 weeks straight but snowfall has tapered off significantly since December.

I'm also planning to turkey hunt in April. Just bought my license today actually.

 

[Goosemaster]

I was looking at the Minnesota winter severity index, and as we roll through March, it's crazy to think about how mild this winter has been, especially after a mild winter last year too! The pheasants (and other wildlife) should really benefit from the mild weather over these past several months, and if we have a nesting/hatching season that isn't too crazy with wet conditions, we could be looking at another banner year of pheasant hunting next year!

We turkey hunt in the spring, and some have been showing up on trail cameras lately, walking through brown grass with no snow in sight, which is good for them too.

Yeah turkey is really take a hard hit when there's a bad winter. When they can't get to the chow,it's an issue.

 

[Bob Peters]

Yeah turkey is really take a hard hit when there's a bad winter. When they can't get to the chow,it's an issue.

I asked my buddy, "if I've got a really good turkey spot do I leave it in order to give myself more of a challenge?" He told me absolutely not.

When it comes to picking a date to go out doesn't really matter, the turkey gobbler lives in the woods and meadows every day of his life.

 

[gim]

Pheasants are more susceptible to winter conditions than wild turkeys are. I watched that unfold last December in person right after I quit hunting for the day and started heading home. A mile down the road, after a big snowfall, I saw a large open field with about 100 pheasants and 25 wild turkeys on it. I pulled over to watch them for a few minutes.

The turkeys could easily dig in the snow and find food with their powerful feet. The pheasants, not so much.

Then there's the size comparison too. Bigger bodies and more feathers help with insulation in bitter cold temps. This also favors the turkey.