| Rio Grande Turkey 2
| PredationOne observation about the Rio's tolerance for other animals is its ability to grow large flock size in regions well known for large numbers of coyotes. The general belief is that the coyote is not as much of a threat to the Rio Grande Turkey as is the Bobcat. Western Kansas has not seen the higher Bobcat population density as the more wooded eastern region. Correspondingly, where the Bobcat has higher population densities the turkey flocks are smaller. While that predator/prey correlation may appear a direct one a seemingly inverse correlation is that where the turkey flocks are smaller, eastern Kansas (Eastern Turkeys) have more wooded acreage and far more large grain crop fields. From a turkey hunter perspective the more wooded acreage and more abundant crop fields would make for bigger turkey flocks, but that is not the case. While that food/flock size/wooded habitat observation may seem like good turkey logic the converse is true with nature. A similar observation most can agree with is that where the Eastern Turkey does populate and in spite of the flocks being smaller in members there are more Eastern Turkey flocks in any sized area than that of a comparable sized Rio Grande Turkey region. The impact on the turkey hunter when comparing the Eastern and Rio Grande Turkey flocks is that scouting for Rio Grande Turkey may take some more time for each flock identified. A second impact is that once that Rio Grande Turkey flock is located it is more concentrated in its home range, larger in size giving more tom opportunities and is easier to hunt apparently due to less experience with wildlife predation. With this in mind, it would serve the turkey hunter well to scout out two Eastern Turkey flocks/roosts for each spring season hunt while finding a single Rio Grande Turkey flock/roost would most likely be sufficient. Using this approach as a basic time management plan would indicate the amount of time available for a combination spring season turkey hunt and deer scouting trip. FoodAfter sex during breeding season it is all about where the hens will feed and where the hens feed they will drag the toms. Where crops are found in Kansas Rio Grande Turkey regions they are limited with the prime crop in the early spring a winter wheat field and late spring to not so well defined localities.
A winter wheat field adjacent to a any suitable roosting area is a big plus and easily found in the dryer regions that the Rio Grande Turkey occupies in Kansas. Add to that a dependable pre-existing water source and that is the best that can be hoped for. The point about the water source is that it must have been present in that area long enough to have develop the flock's habitual attendance. This distinguishes the quality of any water source as illustrated by a shallow short term puddle found after a spring rain from a more stable stock pond or waterer overflow. Winter wheat in Kansas Rio Grande Turkey region is prime for another reason that large grain crops such as corn and soybeans as well as small grains such as milo are far more frequently under irrigation. This means several things within this locality.
The first is any crop requiring irrigation will be limited in acreage. The most likely irrigated fields are those that maximize the expense of pivot steer irrigation equipment outlay. That means these fields are in far better row crop topography than that of wildlife areas. For turkey hunting this means that irrigated grain crops are more likely to be away from grass nesting and roost tree areas. Believing that any wildlife group has an absolute requirement for the two part definition of life or that being able to metabolize energy and to reproduce, turkeys like any other creature will only exist where these two requirement are supported. In irrigated crop regions the basic requirements are absent. The second aspect of the limited cattle grazing topography of the Kansas Rio Grande Turkey population overlap region drives that any irrigated crops once harvested are frequently cattle foraged as by fall any available pasture has been exhausted. Come spring turkey season these crop fields had long before given up waste grain to cow mouth and hoof. Under those conditions stated earlier and that most turkey hunters agree the preferred spring turkey food is first bugs, second sprouts and then all other. Added to that the time of the year and that of Kansas' long spring turkey season and thirdly, where the most desired spring foods will be found makes a crop field edge prime scouting and hunting spots. Especially so with near by roost trees and nesting grasses. The early to arrive spring bugs are those first warmed by the sun ruling out shaded areas of wood patches and northern edges. (Rule out acorns as by this time of the year with our limited snow fall they have been cleaned up.) The same early bug areas would have had the most late fall and early spring sunshine to green up the wheat during the early part of the spring turkey season. (More true in the north than south that greens up faster). Turkeys may not understand this natural science, however they will return to where they had the best meal. That best meal is in terms of early spring concentrated bugs and sprouts. A turkey hunter's understanding of this helps focus his effort. This food sources all change by the last week of Kansas spring turkey season. By the end of May, spring is well along as our average late killing frost in the middle part of Kansas is April 8th (again different from south to north). Into May spring planting such as corn, beans, milo and the advent of round up ready alfalfa allowing for spring planting brings a wide range of vegetation food sources. Bugs by this time are in peak spring development and cover a wide range of locations. Add to the effect of large amounts of food spread over a large area dispersing the turkeys to more feeding areas. The hens by this time are more likely to be nest sitting and not otherwise available to the toms. The toms with their continuing reproduction instinctual drive continuing long after hens no longer need their services begin a larger search area in hopes of finding a receptive hen. All this adds up to the experienced turkey hunter not feeling the rush to have to hunt the first week of spring season. The experienced turkey hunter knows full well the success rate on toms is greater in terms of more shot opportunity with fewer hours spent a field during the later season over that of earlier in the spring season. This is driven by the fact that turkey hunting is hard, we have the private land to distribute hunters so as not to overly pressure any one turkey flock, we cater to the self guided turkey hunter that typically is more skilled than the average hunter and our turkey hunters numbers are limited. Even with all these advantages nothing is always perfect. Most turkey hunters agree that even on their best days, their decoys and calling skills cannot rival that of a live hen. With all of this in mind and the progression of different phases of the breeding season along with changing food sources swings to the hunter's advantage that of late over early spring season hunts. Add to all that the weather is more hunter friendly as well later in the season over the cold of early season where on opening week we have had occasional snow flurries and more frequently the crunch of frost covered leaves to walk in on for morning hunts. Perhaps that added value this understanding of when to maximize any turkey hunting vacation time during that portion of the spring turkey season that brings the most turkey hunting success potential will be the remaining Kansas deer scouting time.
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