For those in the upper Midwest, with the extreme cold and constant snow, what are you expecting this Spring? Anybody seeing birds?
I haven't seen if firsthand, but the rancher that I have hunted on in one of the prairie units of South Dakota informed me the freak October storm decimated the turkeys there.
I have been very worried about how anything in the wild could survive some of the weather we've been through so far this winter. I live in northeast Iowa. I can't imagine how a turkey could roost during a night time blizzard perched in a tree while it is snowing and the wind gusts are over 50 mph. But, in the last week, I did see enough to keep me hopeful. I saw a flock of maybe 8 turkeys feeding one evening. I also saw 8-10 Hungarian partridge and a 1/2 dozen pheasants. I haven't seen pheasants along that road in two years.
I tried walking the timber a couple of weeks ago, but the snow / ice pack tired me out before I could see much. Down on my friends southern Iowa farm, he reports over 40 hens feeding in his old food plot one afternoon. I might be hunting south instead of north this year.
Went out today and seen tons of tracks and walked up on a group of 7 Jake's and 7 longbeards and seen some aggressive behavior out of the Jake's and longbeards chasing each other around. So far things are looking ok so far ,Lots of birds. .Side note . A bud of mine called me earlier this morning and the birds on his farm was gobbling.