2 predictions for 2019 turkey season

[Bone Collector]

Up to us, land managers and conservationist, if you are able, create suitable nesting and brood rearing habitat. I say it on this forum every dang spring. If all you can do is plant a winter wheat or rye field, then so be it. But if you can do more do so. Cater your land to quail, turkeys, and rabbits rather than deer. Deer can live anywhere and have few predators or other issues. Turkeys and quail don't. If you can grow turkeys and quail, your deer will thrive too.

But what if you can't plant anything? how do you make nesting habitat for turkey and quail?

My land backs to 22 acres of cedar broken up by fields. All the fields are never cut and the grass is 2-3 feet high. my land is all woods, except for the power line break. I mow one small area before turkey season. Other than that if the TVA doesn't mow, it doesn't get mowed. Grass ranges from hip high to neck high and I am 6'2".

2 years ago during deer season, I saw 20-25 quail. First I have seen since I can remember. I saw them again that spring spring, but I have not seen them since. I have not seen any turkey poults since 2013.

I try to do stuff to help them, but honestly I don't know what to do.

They don't roost on my land too much, so I don't know if they are nesting there. My other neighbor behind me has 30 acres and doesn't really do anything with it. It has two fields, and a bunch of woods.

 

[woodsman04]

Up to us, land managers and conservationist, if you are able, create suitable nesting and brood rearing habitat. I say it on this forum every dang spring. If all you can do is plant a winter wheat or rye field, then so be it. But if you can do more do so. Cater your land to quail, turkeys, and rabbits rather than deer. Deer can live anywhere and have few predators or other issues. Turkeys and quail don't. If you can grow turkeys and quail, your deer will thrive too.

But what if you can't plant anything? how do you make nesting habitat for turkey and quail?

My land backs to 22 acres of cedar broken up by fields. All the fields are never cut and the grass is 2-3 feet high. my land is all woods, except for the power line break. I mow one small area before turkey season. Other than that if the TVA doesn't mow, it doesn't get mowed. Grass ranges from hip high to neck high and I am 6'2".

2 years ago during deer season, I saw 20-25 quail. First I have seen since I can remember. I saw them again that spring spring, but I have not seen them since. I have not seen any turkey poults since 2013.

I try to do stuff to help them, but honestly I don't know what to do.

They don't roost on my land too much, so I don't know if they are nesting there. My other neighbor behind me has 30 acres and doesn't really do anything with it. It has two fields, and a bunch of woods.

Sorry, I wasn't telling everybody to do everything, and I understand people that cannot don't. Everybody don't own their own land

But what I do, is try to get rid of all grass that is undesirable. (Fescue, Bermuda, orchid,)
Strip disc areas from early spring until fall, with rotating areas different years. Bush hog areas and leave other areas tall . Rotate this as well different years. When I bush hog, I do not bush hog the thick stuff during the nesting/fawning season, I wait until September.
I do bush hog this time of year, but it's stuff that I have kept maintained and somewhat short so that I know there are no turkeys in there, but I'm always tipsy that I may screw up. I bush hog my clover fields and keep my lanes mowed low through my thick stuff so that the poults can have areas to chase grasshoppers in, and thick stuff to hide from if a hawk flies over, but not so thick at the ground level (fescue is quail and poult poison almost) that they don't get stuck if a bobcat is chasing them. It's really finicky, and it takes time.

For anyone that would like, look at the programs the NRCS in your area may help do.

I believe native warm season grasses are the best turkey nesting/brooding habitat of all.

It also helps to burn, and everyone talks about how good it is and how cheap it is, but I've come to the conclusion that if you don't have a huge amount of land and a lot of money burning isn't for you. I can't do it where I'm at..


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[MickThompson]

Planting is completely overrated. Spend that seed money on chemical and chainsaw fuel. Kill the junk and make room for the good natives.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[AT Hiker]

If someone went ape crazy with a chain saw at LBL and threw out some lit cigarettes which burnt a few huge sections, the turks and deerski's might have a chance.
Then again prison time might not allow for reaping the benefits of those actions.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[MickThompson]

If someone went ape crazy with a chain saw at LBL and threw out some lit cigarettes which burnt a few huge sections, the turks and deerski's might have a chance.
Then again prison time might not allow for reaping the benefits of those actions.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Dress like you know what you're doing and are supposed to be there, and no one will ask the first question...

Burning and timber harvest have been under siege up there recently.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Bone Collector]

Up to us, land managers and conservationist, if you are able, create suitable nesting and brood rearing habitat. I say it on this forum every dang spring. If all you can do is plant a winter wheat or rye field, then so be it. But if you can do more do so. Cater your land to quail, turkeys, and rabbits rather than deer. Deer can live anywhere and have few predators or other issues. Turkeys and quail don't. If you can grow turkeys and quail, your deer will thrive too.

But what if you can't plant anything? how do you make nesting habitat for turkey and quail?

My land backs to 22 acres of cedar broken up by fields. All the fields are never cut and the grass is 2-3 feet high. my land is all woods, except for the power line break. I mow one small area before turkey season. Other than that if the TVA doesn't mow, it doesn't get mowed. Grass ranges from hip high to neck high and I am 6'2".

2 years ago during deer season, I saw 20-25 quail. First I have seen since I can remember. I saw them again that spring spring, but I have not seen them since. I have not seen any turkey poults since 2013.

I try to do stuff to help them, but honestly I don't know what to do.

They don't roost on my land too much, so I don't know if they are nesting there. My other neighbor behind me has 30 acres and doesn't really do anything with it. It has two fields, and a bunch of woods.

Sorry, I wasn't telling everybody to do everything, and I understand people that cannot don't. Everybody don't own their own land

But what I do, is try to get rid of all grass that is undesirable. (Fescue, Bermuda, orchid,)
Strip disc areas from early spring until fall, with rotating areas different years. Bush hog areas and leave other areas tall . Rotate this as well different years. When I bush hog, I do not bush hog the thick stuff during the nesting/fawning season, I wait until September.
I do bush hog this time of year, but it's stuff that I have kept maintained and somewhat short so that I know there are no turkeys in there, but I'm always tipsy that I may screw up. I bush hog my clover fields and keep my lanes mowed low through my thick stuff so that the poults can have areas to chase grasshoppers in, and thick stuff to hide from if a hawk flies over, but not so thick at the ground level (fescue is quail and poult poison almost) that they don't get stuck if a bobcat is chasing them. It's really finicky, and it takes time.

For anyone that would like, look at the programs the NRCS in your area may help do.

I believe native warm season grasses are the best turkey nesting/brooding habitat of all.

It also helps to burn, and everyone talks about how good it is and how cheap it is, but I've come to the conclusion that if you don't have a huge amount of land and a lot of money burning isn't for you. I can't do it where I'm at..


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

No worries. I do own my land, i just don't own any equipment and won't in the foreseeable future. I am just looking for ideas of things I can do. My land is 95% woods, and 5 % open (power line).