Turkey Hunting - How Easy Do We Want It To be?

turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
That is valid. Again, I'm no expert. Just think about things as we read articles and such.

In your experience, is there anything else you might think it could be ? Predators ? Raccoons and skunks getting to the eggs ? Some type of mite (or something else) weakening eggs leading to decreased numbers in clutches ?
I find this a very interesting topic and am just trying to learn more.
I think its a combination of several factors. I think the people factor is overrated there are tons of cases where turkeys make a nuisance out of themselves in neighborhoods. Some factors I do believe in are the more advanced tactics removing to many gobblers and older better gene gobblers to soon, some seasons opening to early, loss of nesting and lack of predator control by that I mean on eggs and poults. Turkeys are so different than say deer their numbers are totally dependant on a successful hatch and poults surviving the summer. Its reason some states have adjusted their opener and others are opening certain public lands or counties later to research. You can also add poaching as small factor lot people don't like how much corn they eat
 

Hunting Nut

Old Mossy Horns
Thanks for the added info. I sure would like the numbers to increase. Always willing to learn something new, too.
 

turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
Thanks for the added info. I sure would like the numbers to increase. Always willing to learn something new, too.
Hey in eastern NC they are on upswing enjoy while here I know I'm going to ride the wave as long as it lasts. I do same for other states hit while they on their high. If you'd heard Neb and Ks 15 years ago you would went crazy trying figure out which direction to go in. And places will still have peaks like with Ohio cicada hatch that provided me with some birds recently
 

Hunting Nut

Old Mossy Horns
@ turkeyfoot
Yeah, I live and hunt in Lincoln Co. Eastern NC is a long way from me.
And, my going anywhere just got curtailed.
 

turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
@ turkeyfoot
Yeah, I live and hunt in Lincoln Co. Eastern NC is a long way from me.
And, my going anywhere just got curtailed.
I'm not to far from you in Alex county. Lincoln actually has decent numbers for the area. I got feeling my days are gonna get seriously cut as well
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
I think its a combination of several factors. I think the people factor is overrated there are tons of cases where turkeys make a nuisance out of themselves in neighborhoods. Some factors I do believe in are the more advanced tactics removing to many gobblers and older better gene gobblers to soon, some seasons opening to early, loss of nesting and lack of predator control by that I mean on eggs and poults. Turkeys are so different than say deer their numbers are totally dependant on a successful hatch and poults surviving the summer. Its reason some states have adjusted their opener and others are opening certain public lands or counties later to research. You can also add poaching as small factor lot people don't like how much corn they eat
On the older gobblers getting killed and affecting the hen's breeding and the viabilty of the hatched turkeys.
The bio was asked this thru a call in today by saying it certainly might be a factor but turkey reproduction has so many unknown factors that it can be determined. but everything that might help populations is on the table in GA.

And i think (others here may know) that that is a rationale on the weird (to hunters) SC's new (one turkey in the first ten days) regulation

SC has done more than the other SE states. Alabama and GA and Miss have such old traditions that the politics seem to be keeping real change from happening, TeNN too.

you read their forums and it"s downright ugly at times.
one more thing:
Oneil asked her to rank predators as a negative to turkeys. possums, coyotes, racoons.
She said racoons citing their egg finding abilities.
 

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Coons are hell on turkeys, but the bad thing about them is they will actually kill a hen once it is setting at night. I would rank a black snake right up there at the top for raiding nests of eggs. But they aren't going to take the hen out.
 

turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
On the older gobblers getting killed and affecting the hen's breeding and the viabilty of the hatched turkeys.
The bio was asked this thru a call in today by saying it certainly might be a factor but turkey reproduction has so many unknown factors that it can be determined. but everything that might help populations is on the table in GA.

And i think (others here may know) that that is a rationale on the weird (to hunters) SC's new (one turkey in the first ten days) regulation

SC has done more than the other SE states. Alabama and GA and Miss have such old traditions that the politics seem to be keeping real change from happening, TeNN too.

you read their forums and it"s downright ugly at times.
one more thing:
Oneil asked her to rank predators as a negative to turkeys. possums, coyotes, racoons.
She said racoons citing their egg finding abilities.
Its definitely not just one or even 2 things. My one thought on the more dominant gobblers is coons and snakes and others been around but what hasn't is blinds advanced shells and walking up to dominant birds and shooting them behind umbrellas. But also I put lot stock into the big increase in participating turkey hunters may be the populations were just to fragile to handle the pressure. Turkey hunters are at all time high. Then again I'm no biologist I'm just pondering. It could just all be leveling off numbers that were to high at least for some. But not all Arkansas definitely had one the most serious declines even in areas with prime habitat so something had be going on they made some big changes as well only time will tell
 

agsnchunt

Old Mossy Horns
I want it to be a fair chase hunt, but I would like some things easier than they are today.

I would like access to all the land I had access to as a kid.
I would like all the time I had to find birds and hunt them.
I would like to have one of the greatest turkey hunters you’ve never heard of still around to take me with him and sit beneath a tree and talk about life while calling and waiting.
I would like an abundance of birds, time, and space to roam so my son can experience a smidgen of what my dad’s sons did.
 

BigBow

Ten Pointer
Contributor
Regarding someone blasphemously suggesting using rifles on Wild Turkeys in NC. So called tradition or not, if that were ever to happen, I think with much regret, I would never hunt Wild Turkeys on public land again. Perish the thought of even bringing up such a ridiculous comment. Me thinks you know nothing!
 

BigBow

Ten Pointer
Contributor
Screw this cat and mouse game or trying to out smart them BS . I'll take a off the roost , 5 minutes after legal shooting time any day.
Sometimes that happens & sometimes it doesnt & may take hours. That is why I love hunting Turkeys, because mostly you are in it the whole time. Unlike most flash deer kills, where the deer is here a couple of seconds & dead the next.
 

BigBow

Ten Pointer
Contributor
What does tradition have to do with setting game laws?

It was fine prior to 1985 to use rifles for turkeys in NC.

Previous generations had no problems with hunting turkeys with rifles in the fall.

Today's hunters do.

If we set regulations according to "tradition" in NC it would be fall only hunting, either -sex, rifles legal and no Sunday hunting.

Bring back tradition, allow rifles for turkey hunting again!
Sorry, but I say "NUTS" to that last sentence!
 

CRC

Old Mossy Horns
Rifles are legal on public land during turkey season.

You just can't use them for turkeys.

But non game animals with open seasons and foxes with open seasons, sure.
 

Wv67

Ten Pointer
I don’t like the idea of rifles for turkeys because when I was 17 I was shot in the face head and neck at 35 paces and knocked plum senseless and couldn’t see color for three days Damn near blinded me if that would of been a rifle the fool was using I wouldn’t be typing this
 

BigBow

Ten Pointer
Contributor
Rifles are legal on public land during turkey season.

You just can't use them for turkeys.

But non game animals with open seasons and foxes with open seasons, sure.
I get it, you are trying to be practical & open-minded. I still say "nuts" to spring Turkey hunting on public land. Picture an army of "KILL ORIENTED TURKEY HUNTERS" and I use that so called term "hunters" loosely, on public land going after Turkeys. Ok, your right, non-game animals can be hunted w/ rifles, but I personally have never run into anyone doing that on public land in the month of April.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CRC

CRC

Old Mossy Horns
Not necessarily arguing for rifles for turkeys on public land but you can be on public land during turkey season with a rifle.
 

CRC

Old Mossy Horns
I don’t like the idea of rifles for turkeys because when I was 17 I was shot in the face head and neck at 35 paces and knocked plum senseless and couldn’t see color for three days Damn near blinded me if that would of been a rifle the fool was using I wouldn’t be typing this

How many turkey hunters in the spring are shot with rifles compared to shotguns?

I bet WV and VA have to have data on this.
 

BigBow

Ten Pointer
Contributor
Not necessarily arguing for rifles for turkeys on public land but you can be on public land during turkey season with a rifle.
So the comment you posted & I quote: "Bring back tradition allow rifles for turkey hunting again!" is tongue in cheek? I hope so, because then I might not "go off" quite so quickly in the future. BTW, to Wv67, I am sorry to hear about your harrowing experience when you were 17.
 

BigBow

Ten Pointer
Contributor
How many turkey hunters in the spring are shot with rifles compared to shotguns?

I bet WV and VA have to have data on this.
Probably not a lot of rifle accidents, because I think most "ethical Turkey Hunters" would choose not to hunt Turkeys with rifles in states where they are legal.
 

CRC

Old Mossy Horns
NC was a state that "traditionally" allowed hunters to use only shotguns and rifles for wild turkey.

Thats all I was referring to.
 
Last edited:

BigBow

Ten Pointer
Contributor
I get it, you are trying to be practical & open-minded. I still say "nuts" to spring Turkey hunting on public land. Picture an army of "KILL ORIENTED TURKEY HUNTERS" and I use that so called term "hunters" loosely, on public land going after Turkeys. Ok, your right, non-game animals can be hunted w/ rifles, but I personally have never run into anyone doing that on public land in the month of April.
Correction: meant to say spring RIFLE Turkey hunting.
 

Firedog

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
How easy I want it to be and how easy you want it to be are likely different and the beauty of it is you can make it as easy or difficult as you want and so can I. Not unlike deer hunting trophy debate. So long as you do not mandate I do it your way, we can all choose.
 
Top