Early start for turkey?

Jakes absent this spring

By Craig Nyhus, Lone Star Outdoor News

South Texas turkey hunters have wondered the past few years whether the earlier opening day of the spring season was a good thing. With a midMarch start, cooperative toms have been hard to come by.

This year could be different, according the Jason Hardin, the wild turkey program leader for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

“South Texas got rain — not a lot, but rain — and things greened up,” he said. “Then it got hot.”

Hardin said turkey flocks are breaking up in time for the opener on March 18.

“Gobblers are strutting,” he said. “I expect better early season hunting.”

Hardin said hunters shouldn’t expect to see ju venile birds.

“We had almost zero nest success last season,” he said. “In all the trapping we did throughout the state, we caught only one juvenile. There are virtually no jakes or jennies out there, but the adult hens are in pretty good shape.”

Although the early season could be better than in the past, early April should be the best for hunt ers, Hardin said.

“The gobblers are ready and the hens are just breaking up,” he said. “Some hens will be ready to start nesting, but I think the best times will be in early April.”

North Texas hunters will have to wait until April 1 for the Spring Season, and Hardin said hunters can expect an early start to gobbling activity in the North Zone as well.

“They have had a few timely rainfalls and the birds will be in better shape,” he said. “It’s warm already, though, we don’t want a May with triple-digit heat.”