Outside Iowa: Iowa’s Spring Turkey Outlook
I believe this year will be one of the better turkey hunting springs that we have experienced in a long time.
Last year during some of my preseason scouting efforts, I watched a group of 27 jakes come out of a roosting area and raise some Cain.
This year, all of those birds will be two-year olds and like many of you, I will happily take a gobble-happy deuce every season.
I must give this discloser: things are not the same all across the entire state. There will still be a few spots that are not as populated as they used to be.
Again, there is speculation as to why, but predation is not the primary cause. Iowa’s turkey population is on the recovery and there will be plenty of birds to chase around this year.
Hopefully we will have a warmer and dryer spring than in years past and those areas will bounce back in short order.
Over the past few years, survey efforts conducted by the Iowa DNR show the north central part of Iowa has been experiencing the most growth. There is a lack of traditional cover and public land, but if you can secure permission on some private property in that region, you shouldn’t have too much trouble locating some birds.
As a whole, Iowa experienced about a 21 percent success rate during the 2011 season and this reflects of the difficulty of being successful rather than the population. With seriously advanced senses, turkeys just aren’t an easy animal to kill.
Therefore, if you fill both your tags, you have really accomplished something worth being proud of. From my experience, persistence and a willingness to experiment are critical for success.
New to the turkey calendar this year is an extended youth season. Previously, it was a three-day season taking place the Friday, Saturday and Sunday immediately prior to Iowa’s First Season. Now Iowa’s youth will have a nine-day season allowing them more of a window to be successful and not be restrained by a short season that could be negatively impacted by weather. The season begins April 7 and runs through the 15; this is a perfect opportunity to introduce a young person or new hunter to the game of spring turkey hunting.
With this change, there has been speculation that the season has been pushed back a week, rather the calendar is to blame for what seems like a later season. It’s the same as it always has been, but because April begins on a Sunday, the dates are later.
However, take the numbers off the calendar and everything is the same. First Season runs April 16-19, Second Season is April 20-24, Third Season begins April 25 and ends May 1 and Fourth Season opens on May 2 and finishes up May 20.
With this oddly warm winter and spring we have experienced, some hunters feel the breeding phase will be nearly over by the time the seasons begin.
The reality is their breeding phase is largely dependant upon the photoperiod. Creation was designed this way to ensure poult survival as they need warm dry weather during their first 12-15 days of life. The only challenge hunters might have to overcome is preliminary foliage build up. The dense understory can make it harder to see, hear and call birds.
Remain persistent and hunt traditionally bird-pregnant areas and you will increase your odds of filling your tags. It’s just about time, and to say that I’m fired up is an understatement!
If you have any questions, I would be happy to help in any way I can! tha481@gmail.com
Live It Up!
Thomas resides with his wife and two children in Guthrie Center, Iowa. He is a professional outdoor writer, photographer, videographer, and outdoor talk radio show host; for more information visit www.outsideiowa.com