# Decent Hatch This Year



## NATTY BUMPO (May 12, 2001)

It looks to me that there was a very decent hatch this year in the West Shore area (Mason Co). I was doing some spraying this morning on our property and came across 2 hens and at least 19 poults out in a clover plot. The older poults were about the size of a patridge and the younger ones a bit smaller, but I'm sure they could fly. A week earlier there was a hen and ~ 10 baby poults seen in another food plot some distance away. This is one of the best years in recent memory on this farm.

Natty B.


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## Linda G. (Mar 28, 2002)

We got stuck with a fall season we didn't want...the DNR didn't believe us about losing a lot of birds this winter, due to people being afraid to feed because of the deer ban, I guess. So Area J is once again open to fall hunting, and it shouldn't be. Especially with the fact that it appears we're either going to have a very late hatch or not much hatch at all...I saw my first hen with a chick today. That's right, one chick. That's the first poult I've seen. July 2. It looked to be about a week old.


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## jeepfxr (Nov 28, 2008)

I've been to Roscommon Co. and Ogemaw Co. 3 times in the last 2 weeks. I have seen about 10 hen turkeys in the middle of the day and not one of them had any young with her. I hunted the first week in Roscommon Co. with 4 other hunters for 5 days and 1 of us heard one gobbler one time. This doesn't look good for the Northern population of birds


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## Linda G. (Mar 28, 2002)

Cold, cold, cold. I'm going to wait at least a month before I push the panic button, but even so, if we go into winter with really young poults, well...


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## koz bow (Nov 18, 2006)

Linda G. said:


> We got stuck with a fall season we didn't want...the DNR didn't believe us about losing a lot of birds this winter, due to people being afraid to feed because of the deer ban, I guess. So Area J is once again open to fall hunting, and it shouldn't be. Especially with the fact that it appears we're either going to have a very late hatch or not much hatch at all...I saw my first hen with a chick today. That's right, one chick. That's the first poult I've seen. July 2. It looked to be about a week old.


I have seen one hen down here in Southern MI with chicks - 4 of them - but am still seeing hens without chicks. There was not a lack of mating going on here, and last year we did not start seeing hens with their chicks until mid-July. That is in Southern MI, so don't push the panic button yet!


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## jafurnier (Jun 7, 2008)

I think we're in trouble. I live in turkey heaven so to speak. In any given year, I would have two or three hens feeding around the house with lots of chicks. Last eyar...with a cold wet spring...ZERO. Right now...ZERO.

The farm next to me always had a minimum of 200 turkeys wintering there. Some years over 400. Last year...75 birds. This is a bad trend.


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## PaleRider (Oct 24, 2007)

I saw one hen with five poults yesterday (Oakland County), numbers are down though.


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## beervo2 (May 7, 2006)

Been watching a group of 5 hens in the field out back this week, seen em everyday but not one poult, not looking good around here...:sad:

Mike


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## Luv2hunteup (Mar 22, 2003)

I had 2 hens with a combined 18 poults in my back yard a couple of days ago. They look to be bugging or eating clover. My lab pup is very interested in their scent after they pass through the yard. It looks like that I'll be able to field run him in a few days so we'll see what comes of that.


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## timbrhuntr (Feb 4, 2009)

I know this isn't your neck of the woods. But I am seeing lots of poults in my Ontario spot.


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## Firefighter (Feb 14, 2007)

I've been seeing a ton of poults here in Oakland Co, as well as Lapeer.


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## Spartan88 (Nov 14, 2008)

Had to stop for a hen and a dozen little ones drinking from a rain puddle in the middle of the road last week in south Montmorency County.


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## UNCLE AL (Jan 5, 2002)

Been seeing a hen and 7 poults in my backyard everyday for about a week. It's fun 
watching the little ones grow, they seem to get bigger every day. Right now they
are about the size of a grown chicken.


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## Linda G. (Mar 28, 2002)

I heard about a hen and seven chicks about two weeks old, maybe three, from a friend last week, but I haven't seen them nor anything else as yet. 

I'm really glad to hear there's a big hatch in Oakland County, is there anywhere to hunt there anymore, or is it subdivision hunting... I've heard they're all over Macomb, too, at the Tech plant and running down Van ****. I love the DNR's wild turkey management...


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## FireDoc66 (Oct 9, 2005)

> I love the DNR's wild turkey management...


Me too! 

And I don't say that sarcastically either!


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## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

I started taking some rides and am seeing a good hatch in the N country. Lots of hens with chicks and good numbers of chicks with each hen.


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## michgundog (Feb 22, 2008)

Poults spotted in Oakland and Bay Counties. The DNR should do something about the turkeys in Macomb county, I saw 12 near 23 and VanDyke, they're bound to become road kill.


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## UNCLE AL (Jan 5, 2002)

Been watching 3 different groups of poults this year each set a different size. This afternoon the dog starts barking, as he does when he sees the turkeys, and there stands a hen all by herself and I"m wondering where the little ones are, then out of the bushes comes 8 or 10 that look like they have just hatched. They are starting to multiply like rabbits, how many times can these things have babys?


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## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

I am seeing poults all over now. Just last night saw 12 lil ones with two hens which is pretty good survival so far. And on the same property saw a flock of dinks with there mama. 

Kinda sums of the lack of a second gobbling peak this year.


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## badguychaser (Jul 11, 2009)

not sure of all the tech names for them but, THERE LIKE RATS AROUND ME lol. i had at least 40 birds out front the house today. i was walking the back trail last night and got hit in the head with a wing jumping from a tree. i just about **** the pants lol. good luck guys on the season...


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