TN Turkey changes

nhn2a

Ten Pointer
I haven't seen this posted and hadn't heard about this in advance so was surprised when I read this. I figured I'd pass this along for anyone else who may hunt turkey in TN. TN used to allow you to harvest 4 turkey in a season and dropped to 3 a few years back. Apparently they're now dropping to 2 and only 1 can be a Jake. Also banning fanning on public.

IMG_20230322_210111.jpg
 

Lucky Clucker

Old Mossy Horns
You can thank the thp guys for.making it a popular out of state hunt,I enjoy watching there.videos but since they went to Tn turkey and deer hunting killing a pile.of Turkey and deer the states.public land out of.state license went through the roof. We are the main predators of turkey and they can't survive the booming hunters of today,more.advanced ammo.guns etc. Map.apps all of it .The decline in turkey populations of recent is due to more.hunters than ever. Just look at the permit hunts in nc and how many don't get anything when there are entry drawn for hu ts used.to get drawn for hunts for very week. My opinion would be a 2 week season ,and a later start date .This would help.make.sure.most hens are bred and.very little time to take gobblers would have a good roll over in turkey for the next season and to ban taking bearded hens and jakes for adults.
 

30/06

Twelve Pointer
Seems like more states are going to a later opener. While SC is early as is ours most of the Midwest states including TN and KY are mid-April
 
Considering the drop in turkey populations all over the southeast, I am totally in favor of TN trying to be proactive. I am good with later start dates to allow breeding, and a 2 bird limit seems pretty reasonable. I am also extremely happy about a ban on fanning on public. This is such a dangerous practice that I can't believe anyone would be willing to do it. I am nervous about even putting out a few decoys within 20 yards of me! The new emphasis on "run n gun" turkey hunting also makes safety tougher. A bunch of guys sitting in one place calling are a lot less likely to shoot each other than a bunch of creepers moving through the woods calling and carrying a fan on their shotgun. The only thing worse is in WV where they still allow rifles for turkey hunting.

With all the talk about bigger predators, meso predators, habitat loss, nesting habitat loss, increase in number of hunters, we are all looking at deeper restrictions on seasons and bag limits.
 

woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
I am also extremely happy about a ban on fanning on public. This is such a dangerous practice that I can't believe anyone would be willing to do it. I am nervous about even putting out a few decoys within 20 yards of me! The new emphasis on "run n gun" turkey hunting also makes safety tougher. A bunch of guys sitting in one place calling are a lot less likely to shoot each other than a bunch of creepers moving through the woods calling and carrying a fan on their shotgun. The only thing worse is in WV where they still allow rifles for turkey hunting.

You should give it up for your own safety 👍

The facts:

The number of hunters with firearms in 2017.​

In 2017 there were over 17 million hunters with firearms according to the NSGA (National Sporting Goods Association), and only 35 injuries occurred per 100,000 participants of which a vast majority were non-serious injuries.

The same compilation of data calculated the following versus hunting:

  • 130 times more likely to be injured playing football
  • 62 times more likely to die in a car accident
  • 58 times more likely to be injured playing basketball

Halfway through the spring 2021 turkey season four people had been injured by weapons

One was a sound shot with potentially alcohol involved

One was an accidental self-inflicted wound

And two including one fatality, caused by bowhunters

No one shot with rifles, no one shot while reaping etc.

Any accident is unfortunate but lets not overreact

Now back to the regular scheduled broadcast on saving the turkey numbers
 

CRC

Old Mossy Horns
Yeah they like to claim using decoys, rifles and pistols in the spring is unsafe
 

Moose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
Yup a guy walking across a field with an umbrella with a turkey printed on it looks so much like the real thing...... 😳 very dangerous..... if you can't figure that out maybe you should just stay in your safe space till the season is over 😉
 

Brad_Colvin

Eight Pointer
Tn just conclude an extensive research program on season dates and the results of the project showed no impact whatsoever. The wild turkey science podcast had an episode with Dr. Craig Harper where they went in depth on the results of the study.
 

turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
Even more extreme is their ending date. Memorial Day or there abouts.
It is but it goes along with some of theory about allowing dominant birds breed then shoot away. I still don't know how it addresses the bigger issue to me of increased hunter numbers except lower bag limits but only very small percentage killed 4 anyway. The open date will relieve some pressure early though cause all surrounding states will have already started or Ky same start time that will make some diff. I used be able hunt Tn nearly 2 weeks before NC open. But its gonna get hotter than fire last time I hunted west Tn it was hitting 85 1st week April
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
It is but it goes along with some of theory about allowing dominant birds breed then shoot away. I still don't know how it addresses the bigger issue to me of increased hunter numbers except lower bag limits but only very small percentage killed 4 anyway. The open date will relieve some pressure early though cause all surrounding states will have already started or Ky same start time that will make some diff. I used be able hunt Tn nearly 2 weeks before NC open. But its gonna get hotter than fire last time I hunted west Tn it was hitting 85 1st week April
Yes I understand why just hope it helps. Their kill decline by county is ugly.
Not as ugly as Memorial Day hunting in parts of TN but prettty bad.
 

turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
Yes I understand why just hope it helps. Their kill decline by county is ugly.
Not as ugly as Memorial Day hunting in parts of TN but prettty bad.
Tn is peculiar some them counties dropped like rock then couple neighboring ones stayed consistent still killing big numbers birds. They say parts east Tn is actually on upswing. Well decreasing them early start hunters has gotta help little. Several states also doing the only 1 bird can be shot on a wma also trying help public ground looks as they just went the only 1 can be Jake rule. Of course if you were good enough of a fall hunter and kept switching counties you could kill 40ish gobblers a year legally. Always found that one interesting better than was though
 

nchunter2

Eight Pointer
Considering the drop in turkey populations all over the southeast, I am totally in favor of TN trying to be proactive. I am good with later start dates to allow breeding, and a 2 bird limit seems pretty reasonable. I am also extremely happy about a ban on fanning on public. This is such a dangerous practice that I can't believe anyone would be willing to do it. I am nervous about even putting out a few decoys within 20 yards of me! The new emphasis on "run n gun" turkey hunting also makes safety tougher. A bunch of guys sitting in one place calling are a lot less likely to shoot each other than a bunch of creepers moving through the woods calling and carrying a fan on their shotgun. The only thing worse is in WV where they still allow rifles for turkey hunting.

With all the talk about bigger predators, meso predators, habitat loss, nesting habitat loss, increase in number of hunters, we are all looking at deeper restrictions on seasons and bag limits.
Yes, more laws. That'll fix everything. Turkeys, like many bird populations go through population cycles. Turkeys started down a few years ago in my unscientific observation. Reaping and increase of hunters isn't the primary cause of declines. This ain't the early 2010's anymore lol
 

Brad_Colvin

Eight Pointer
Im wondering if these changes are going to have a different outcome than what the biologists expect. I would imagine,in TN anyway the majority of dominant gobblers are extremely henned up early in the season making them very hard to deal with unless a hunter challenges his dominance. I would bet most of the early season harvest is made up of less dominant gobblets. By delaying the season I would think they are going to have an onslaught of hunters starting to hunt when the older gobblers are the most vulnerable. I know that it has been said that if the harvest is timed right it doesn't matter how many males get removed,but I find that hard to believe. I guess only time will tell and I hope these changes will help the populations,but I have my doubts.
 

turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
Im wondering if these changes are going to have a different outcome than what the biologists expect. I would imagine,in TN anyway the majority of dominant gobblers are extremely henned up early in the season making them very hard to deal with unless a hunter challenges his dominance. I would bet most of the early season harvest is made up of less dominant gobblets. By delaying the season I would think they are going to have an onslaught of hunters starting to hunt when the older gobblers are the most vulnerable. I know that it has been said that if the harvest is timed right it doesn't matter how many males get removed,but I find that hard to believe. I guess only time will tell and I hope these changes will help the populations,but I have my doubts.
My most curiosity is taking all the early out state hunters out the picture will that make diff? I have no clue but will be following I like to hunt TN
 
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