2013 Harvest Comparison

Another animal that I just thought of, the Great Horned Owl. I started seeing these a few years ago too. I am pretty observent while I hunt, whether its deer or turkey or whatever. I have hunted these places for years, I can remember a few years ago while in a deer stand I heard a noise that sounded like some sort of owl I have never heard before. It eventually flew next to me and it happened to be a great horned owl.
I am not a scientist of any kind, but I thought these lived up in the northern Appalachians? I wonder if those are killing turkeys? If so, I still don't think it could be the one and only main factor.
Anybody else seen or heard of these?
 
You make mention of habitat but do you have some thick cover for nesting? On some of my places the turkeys shift from feeding areas in early spring to nesting areas closer to the end of season, in some instances this shift in pattern will cause some of my places to not have any birds either at the beginning or the end of season depending on the habitat on that particular place. Ideally you would like to have both so the birds would not leave.....I am not sure what is going on in your area but I am really surprised no one from the twra has chimed in on any of these threads.
 
Yes there are thickets around. I agree that the key to a good turkey place is having good nesting habitat. I have about 30 acres of pasture that I have cows in just to help make some money. We are thinking about selling the cows, and planting pines instead of using cows for some sort of income. If we planted pines it may help with more suitable nesting habitat.
I don't know why TWRA hasn't stated anything.
 
Same Argument, different species. Same people or people with the mindset to trophy hunt making the argument. I guess i should mention I'm not surprised. That being said, I believe that there are ares in this state that the limit needs to be dropped. Maybe even on both deer and turkey, but not the entire state.

The only real option IMO is to do like others said and make units based on species densities, hunter density, and available hunting land. Davidson, Rutherford, Sumner, Williamson, and Wilson County for instance should not be changed. JMO. those areas have tons of deer and turkey and not as many hunters, nor do the hunters have as many places to go. WHY SHOULD WE SUFFER because your area that is covered up with hunters (most of them seasoned) is now suffering because you shot all the birds, nature was unkind, or a combination of those things???

and before someone says that Williamson's kill #'s aren't that high, I would bet money it is because the land is being deer hunted, but not turkey hunted. I see more turkeys on the way to work than you can imagine. I personally turkey hunt Wilson and Rutherford though and can't remember, aside from opening day, not seeing a bird (yes i am counting hens as seeing a bird), but most times I saw male birds too.
 
You know we are starting to get armadillos real bad in my area, there seems to be a correlation with them and the drop in turkeys. Not saying its a cause and effect, just an observation.

I also have not witnessed many good hatches in the past several years, but we have had some cattle farms around us turn fallow which is good because of the extra cover, so the young critters may hang around them more. Our deer numbers have gone up but turkey numbers are down.
 
Our area has a great all around habitat as far as feeding roosting and nesting but its not getting any better. WHY SHOULD WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO suffer because a lot of hunters are greedy.
 
I do but I shouldn't have drive an hour and a half to hunt, since I'm looking formore spots, when you taking me?
 
Rockhound said:
I do but I shouldn't have drive an hour and a half to hunt, since I'm looking formore spots, when you taking me?
Click to expand...
Surely there must be some public land in these counties that has turkeys to hunt.
 
curdogtn said:
Rockhound said:
I do but I shouldn't have drive an hour and a half to hunt, since I'm looking formore spots, when you taking me?
Click to expand...
Surely there must be some public land in these counties that has turkeys to hunt.
Click to expand...

WRONG! We are not exaggerating this, there are no turkeys. Yes we have public land, LAurel hill wma , 14000 acres of hardwood paradise with some great turkey habitat.

Laurel hill WMA harvest 2006= 44 birds
Laurel hill WMA harvest 2013= 14 birds

Can you see what I'm talking about??

The turkeys in these counties are gone, and the biggest reason nothing has been done is. Because we get no support from the rest of the state. People are ignorant as to what is going on or the fact that they do not care because they have turkeys to hunt And do not care for the rest of the state. People would listen if everybody would "worry" about it and not just the ones that it affects directly. Thats not gonna happen just based on several attitudes we have here. Maybe yall wont have to experience it, i hope you dont.

Access to thousands of acres of prime habitat joining and some not and no birds, but i need to find some better areas? Pure ignorance is the fact as why we cant get anything done to fix it.

But anyway while im looking for "better areas" when will you take me? You must have more birds than you have tags?
 

Latest posts

Back
Top