Will the heavy rains effect nests?

[ticklishtompro]

One thing I have always wondered is if when we have the real heavy rains like we had the last 2 days, if some of the hens nests that they were sitting on got washed out. It is early enough, will they renest? What makes me wonder even more is that late this afternoon I saw more hens with toms than I had been seeing. Where there were 1 or 2 hens with a given tom, tonight I saw 4 or 5 with them. Just curious what others think, we have this disscussion every year.

Randy

[WillowRidgeCalls]

I'm no bio, so take it for what it's worth. From what I've been seeing is that the hens weren't ready for breeding earlier, they are just now starting. Other years most hens were nesting already, and this year they've been late. Toms have been strutting since mid March, but the hens didn't want anything to do with them. All season I'd see toms with toms and hens by themselves, and if a tom would get near a hen she'd run off. You could call to the toms and they wouldn't give you the time of day, not all, but most. These last two weeks the hen have been going to the toms and your calling has gotten a lot more responces. I had a tom come in Weds and then three hens entered the field and that tom headed over by them and they all ran off. Everything seems to be a bit later this year?
To answer your question, yes heavy rains will effect nesting depending on where the nest is, and these last couple storms we've had has had some large hail with them, if a nest is uncovered I'm wondering how much the hail danages a nest? Today there were 6 toms in the field and each tom had about 5/6 hens with him all at the same time, right after the storm passed.

[ticklishtompro]

I know what you are saying, but there have been hens nesting for a while over here. 3 weeks ago the DNR did a controlled burn on some state land and they found 3 nests in the burned out area! Plus we have seen some hens on nests. One has been sitting for at least a week in my brothers yard, and one other person I know has one nesting right by there house. I know the older hens usually nest earlier, so I hope they will re-nest. I am sure it veries a little bit as to locations around the state as to what stage they are in.

[charlie elk]

I've been encountering a good number of nesting hens over the last couple of weeks. Yesterday I saw my first poults of the season!
WDNR should not be doing burns now, I realize burns are beneficial but they need to be done prior to nesting season. It was too dry burn on schedule here so they should have delayed the burns until next year. By doing them now they are doing more damage to wildlife than any weather or predators can.
Heavy rain coupled with cold temps will destroy nesting success. The good news there is plenty of time for hens to renest.

[ticklishtompro]

Yeh Charlie they thought they were plenty early enough with the burn, and the biologists were suprised to even see the nests at that time.