# Tough winter on some turkey flocks



## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

Tell you guys what,
Spent some time the last couple weeks looking some normally heavy
populated turkey areas in central Utah.

Not good,
lots of dead birds, and not finding very much fresh sign.......

Looks to me like winter was just hard enough in some areas to do some real
damage to what, was, some great turkey areas.


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## 2full (Apr 8, 2010)

Took 4 wheelers up into our usually best area last weekend. 
Never even saw a track. 
Usually see a bunch in the area this time of year.


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## Iron Bear (Nov 19, 2008)

So good deer weather is bad turkey weather? 


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## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

Saw a tom with a 10" beard hit at the ready area on hey 6.-------SS


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## Kwalk3 (Jun 21, 2012)

Birds where I hunt seem to have made it through well. Big groups of birds and lots of toms. I can see how it would be hard on birds in other areas of the state though.

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## Lonetree (Dec 4, 2010)

In Northern Utah, several places where I normally see them this time of year, we are not seeing them at all. And in other places it looks pretty normal. Talking with my brother and a few other people, they are seeing lots in nearby areas. One particular property in Cache valley that is normally over run at all times of the year, has not had a turkey on it in two months. February was warm and wet, not cold and dry like it should have been.


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## chuvak (Dec 26, 2014)

Interesting. It seems like I'm actually seeing more turkeys this year but they're lower than they usually are this time of year than in years past. I don't keep a spreadsheet though so my results aren't worth much.


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## Kwalk3 (Jun 21, 2012)

I should temper my earlier comment with the detail that the turkeys that I watch and hunt are at a relatively low elevation year round, and therefore probably aren't quite as susceptible to die-offs as a result of snow levels.


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

Such is the life of upland game birds. Next year might be better, or, it might be worse. Just remember, you're only hunting one Tom at a time.
Big game guys worry about winter kill cause it can take years to get things back up and running, not so with upland game birds. That's why they have such big broods...sh*t happens.


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## #1DEER 1-I (Sep 10, 2007)

Lonetree said:


> In Northern Utah, several places where I normally see them this time of year, we are not seeing them at all. And in other places it looks pretty normal. Talking with my brother and a few other people, they are seeing lots in nearby areas. One particular property in Cache valley that is normally over run at all times of the year, has not had a turkey on it in two months. February was warm and wet, not cold and dry like it should have been.


Are you not seeing them in areas because they haven't got there yet? Or do you think they've had a bad winter kill? I've seen a few but not as many in some areas.


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## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

Springville Shooter said:


> Saw a tom with a 10" beard hit at the ready area on hey 6.-------SS


That was a bad problem on both hwy 6 and 89...

End of January in to February HEAVY snow cover EXCEPT plowed highways.

The turkeys were using these road ways to escape deep snow.
I saw at least 40 that were hit by traffic.


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## tigerpincer (Dec 5, 2009)

The really sad and infuriating part is I'd bet ya many of those road kill birds were hit on purpose. Over the years I've heard numerous numbskulls brag about how awesome they are for plowing their trucks through flocks of turkeys.


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## PBH (Nov 7, 2007)

tigerpincer said:


> The really sad and infuriating part is I'd bet ya many of those road kill birds were hit on purpose. Over the years I've heard numerous numbskulls brag about how awesome they are for plowing their trucks through flocks of turkeys.


any of those guys have to pay for truck repairs? Or are they driving dad's truck?

I hit a turkey vulture once. I tried to miss it, but it flew right in front of me from out of the sage brush. It missed my grill but slid right up my hood and smashed my windshield. It killed the bird, and left me with a busted windshield. Scared the hell out of me.

Hitting a turkey would easily bust your grill and maybe do even more damage. Anyone intentionally hitting a turkey with their truck would be a complete moron.


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