Helium
Old Mossy Horns
Between , VA /NC/SC I saw more Legal birds this year than ever in my last 5-6 years of serious turkey addiction
Could start with not mowing nests down and move to leaving cover on field edges but like you said and quail know all to well a pipe dreamI personally don't think here in NC anyway that the turkey problem is due to over harvest from hunting. I think the problem is habitat and farming practices. The vast majority of the states turkeys live on private land. I would like to see the conservation groups get together and find a way to give private landowners incentives to produce better habitat on their land. I know it's a pipe dream but I think that's the way to help the wild turkey.
Ask biologists they'll tell you its detriminal to take out dominant birds to early university studies in 3 states have shown that and 2 have changed regs because of it. I'm in no way against a kid hunting love to see rhem smiles but a wknd is plenty enough and then they have rest if season. Most birds are killed on private no reason to not take a kid every wkndThats my point. No one argues that is is detrimental to the population. So why does it need to be changed.
i suggest that it is based on this years reported harvest from the piedmont and mountain turkey mgt areas.I keep seeing the word "decline" but does anyone have any data to support that the population in NC is declining other than local observations?
What's strange to me is years ago the piedmont was seen as prime turkey habitat - pasture land and hardwoods. And the introduction of birds to the coast was seen as a waste of time. They can't survive in pine forests and swamps. Or they'll get poached from all of those ag fields. Yet they are flourishing.i suggest that it is based on this years reported harvest from the piedmont and mountain turkey mgt areas.
We had perfect weather most of the entire season. Plenty of time for covid workers and school aged folks to hunt.
I think the reverse is true as well.
Does anyone have data to support the population Growing besides coastal numbers and personal experience?
When you limit out in two hunts it would be hard to imagine a problem. LOL.
overall no decline even expanding in some areas but as always even in best times always pockets where birds just aren't at I see no realistic way to resolve that as even in counties where pockets are the overall harvest is still reasonable.I keep seeing the word "decline" but does anyone have any data to support that the population in NC is declining other than local observations?
That was a giant false assumption in all of turkey restoration that they needed continuous forest to be successful.What's strange to me is years ago the piedmont was seen as prime turkey habitat - pasture land and hardwoods. And the introduction of birds to the coast was seen as a waste of time. They can't survive in pine forests and swamps. Or they'll get poached from all of those ag fields. Yet they are flourishing.
I did limit out in two hunts but I'm not foolish enough think that's the norm. There is usually a fine line between tagging out and getting skunked. I would say it was a normal year of gobbling and bird sightings this season (although no jakes) on the 200 acres I have access to. Thankfully the birds decided to roost on the property this season.
A steady growth only in coastal. But overall piedmont and mtns to me are stable. Turkeys are one one animal that can fluctuate the most even miles apart one guy could be loaded other hearing crickets. If people want more birds I just keep preaching brood range but I know its out of most control as what is done on landi suggest that it is based on this years reported harvest from the piedmont and mountain turkey mgt areas.
We had perfect weather most of the entire season. Plenty of time for covid workers and school aged folks to hunt.
I think the reverse is true as well.
Does anyone have data to support the population Growing besides coastal numbers and personal experience?
When you limit out in two hunts it would be hard to imagine a problem. LOL.
Its too early is exactly that argument.Thats my point. No one argues that is is detrimental to the population. So why does it need to be changed.
I don't think there is a decline statewide, but I don't think it's smart to wait until there is a decline to start looking at potential opportunities to stop a decline before it starts.I keep seeing the word "decline" but does anyone have any data to support that the population in NC is declining other than local observations?
As Oldest School suggested, give Chris Kreh, the Upland Game Bird Biologist, a call. He's a great guy who's been with the WRC for many years. I guarantee you he will shed some light on most of the misconceptions stated in this thread.
WRC biologists are the most dedicated folks I have ever had the opportunity to work with. I was a WRC wildlife biologist for 32 years so I know of what I speak. When someone states that WRC employees don't care and all they do is sit around in air conditioned offices thinking of ways to screw up your hunting, I get pissed off. I'll excuse your ignorance once, but not the second time. So, before you condemn these folks, give them a call. You can find their contact information on the ncwrc website under contacts.
I would be more worried if this were the last week of May or early June. I think most eggs are still incubating.Love this thread and the conversations that have come from it. I know one thing, this weather we are having today is a killer for the poults. It is mid 40's and a cold rain in my area and all I can think of is the poults that will not be able to take this weather. Seems like the last few springs we have really had some cold springs.
I would be more worried if this were the last week of May or early June. I think most eggs are still incubating.
If there are turkeys in proximity, and they donât âfill inâ, itâs simply because the habitat is lacking something they want/need.
We have to realize that âperfect habitatâ isnât perfect after all. Because if it was, thereâd be birds using it.
I have to laugh at the whole âIâve been hunting here XX years, and the habitat hasnât changed but the birds are goneâ. Uh...yea, the habitat has changed... The only constant, is change.
I love to hunt those big hardwood bottoms and ridges, but danged if the bulk of my time anymore is spent around some ratty cutover thatâs full of turkeys...
âHunt em where they are, not where you want them to beâ-DA
âHunt em where they are, not where you want them to beâ-DA
BaitSome of my questions as well.
I can use a specific 350 acre piece in Yancey Co. as an example also.
Man has a piece of property there that he lets me hunt. Prime place with everything a bird could want. Good year round food sources, water, secure roosting sites, great nesting and brood range for poult rearing. It really looks like a piece of heaven, except for no birds.
I can get up high in the morning and hear birds on other properties for quite a fair distance. Turkeys surround this property on all sides, not in huge numbers but I can hear 7-8 different toms on a good morning. In all fairness, the property that I can hunt is in better shape than the others that surround it but the turkeys absolutely will not, under any circumstance, spend any significant time on this property.
I caught 1 tom roosted in there 1 time about 3 years ago with a hen, they flew down and immediately walked over the ridge onto the next property. Never heard or seen one there before or since.....completely baffles me as to why birds will not expand further out across the whole river drainage these properties all lie in.
"Wishful Thinking " arrives in Alabama. Apparently their 2022 regs will be:
4 bird limit- down from five.
No decoys or fans the first ten days-
One gobbler allowed first ten days of season- public land-
Opening day moved back to the 25th of March-
Only two birds allowed per person on any one WMA or NF.-
No afternoon hunting on public- 1pm close.
There it is.
www.aldeer.com
I think SC's solution was simpler but understand the need to try and limit the early / PL kill.
Good point on public strict regs for not that many kills. As far as the enforcing in Bama you have check in and out each day when hunting a public piece and have to tag that kill before move bird most have Bama app on phone and even with no phone service will have bird checked in before walking out woods easy know where you killed it immediately. Of course there will always be ways to skirt law but most will not. I'm good with these changes as non resident hunter will thin woods out some by time I get there but if I lived in state not sure I'd like the public rules at all if you got opening day bird and public is all you got have wait 9 days hunt again would suckI understand the need for changes in Alabama but I have some questions about the changes they are making. How are they going to enforce these new laws and why are the biggest changes targeting public land which accounts for about 5% of the land in Alabama?
theory is that it was a compromise with what their head guy wanted and it will go to whole state soon.I understand the need for changes in Alabama but I have some questions about the changes they are making. How are they going to enforce these new laws and why are the biggest changes targeting public land which accounts for about 5% of the land in Alabama?