2019 Success Rate

[String Music]

I don't know the numbers, but my success rate was pretty dang low. I know people who hunted the same areas I did and they called in multiple birds while I struggled to find one that would answer a call. One area in particular I hunted a bunch and did not kill a bird, but I know a guy who tagged out there this year and others who called in multiple birds. I hunt more than most people. I'm not sure if I just had a streak of bad luck or if I need to take a step back and learn a thing or two. The birds were there but I had a tough season.


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You might want to add a few more calls to your arsenal. The wingbone is a nice call but it has its limitations.


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[Levee Jumper]

Appreciate all those that have chimed In. It seems as many of you had very good seasons.

Honestly I was wanting to hear from a few people that said they hunted hard for 30 or 40 days and killed two or three birds but felt that the seasons and limits should remain the same. Most seemed to leave out the part about how they felt about the season dates/lengths and the bag limits.

 

[catman529]

I don't know the numbers, but my success rate was pretty dang low. I know people who hunted the same areas I did and they called in multiple birds while I struggled to find one that would answer a call. One area in particular I hunted a bunch and did not kill a bird, but I know a guy who tagged out there this year and others who called in multiple birds. I hunt more than most people. I'm not sure if I just had a streak of bad luck or if I need to take a step back and learn a thing or two. The birds were there but I had a tough season.


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You might want to add a few more calls to your arsenal. The wingbone is a nice call but it has its limitations.


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I usually carry a pot call and a mouth call but lost mine so I will be buying a couple new ones for next year.


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[megalomaniac]

Appreciate all those that have chimed In. It seems as many of you had very good seasons.

Honestly I was wanting to hear from a few people that said they hunted hard for 30 or 40 days and killed two or three birds but felt that the seasons and limits should remain the same. Most seemed to leave out the part about how they felt about the season dates/lengths and the bag limits.

I don't think there are many left on this particular forum that want things unchanged from current management.

That being said, many of us have just about given up hope, and will just hunt under this 'new normal' until there is no longer a huntable population.

 

[Gad Father]

Hunted 13 full days this year, and hunted a few mornings before I had to be at work at 10:00. Killed 6 long beards 4 in Tennessee 2 in Oklahoma and called up 2 more longbeards for a buddy. I think the population is ok the year was a little messed up as far as the green up and turkey behavior. Had the chance to be done a lot earlier, but those dang property lines tend to get in the way. Looking forward to next year called up 9 different Jakes throughout the last day I hunted!

 

[woodsman04]

Appreciate all those that have chimed In. It seems as many of you had very good seasons.

Honestly I was wanting to hear from a few people that said they hunted hard for 30 or 40 days and killed two or three birds but felt that the seasons and limits should remain the same. Most seemed to leave out the part about how they felt about the season dates/lengths and the bag limits.

I hunted pretty hard, maybe not thirty mornings but probably close to 40 midday or afternoons when I'd get off work. I've hunted Tennessee and Alabama about equally throughout my life. This was one of the handful of years Alabama was better than Tennessee so I spent most of my time down there.

There are no turkeys in southern Wayne, southern Lawrence, and Southern Giles county.

I think that the bag limit is ok, but I'm in the minority because most people think bag limit is most important, but if the hens are allowed to be bred sufficiently it doesn't matter if you kill a gobbler. One gobbler can service many hens. They are born at a 50/50 ratio, and hen mortality is about equal to or more than gobblers because they incubate eggs at night.

I think the best thing they can do is delay season 10 days or so, do brood surveys in August-October to see how many poults made it to nearly adulthood, and establish seasons and bag limits according to each zone.

This is also unpopular, but I wish full strut decoys and fans were illegal. It isn't fair chase and it also is destroying population and perhaps the most mature breeder gobblers.

If I was turkey czar, I'd out law them. But me being in a democracy, I would allow decoys but only after the first 2 weeks of season. Only people that are physically handicapped may use decoys and blinds first 2 weeks of season. Fanning completely outlawed because one day some idiot is going to ride down dirt road with a case of natty light in his old rusty truck and the ought six and shoot a boy behind a fan in a field from the road in someone's private cow pasture. Thats an entire different subject.


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[woodsman04]

Appreciate all those that have chimed In. It seems as many of you had very good seasons.

Honestly I was wanting to hear from a few people that said they hunted hard for 30 or 40 days and killed two or three birds but felt that the seasons and limits should remain the same. Most seemed to leave out the part about how they felt about the season dates/lengths and the bag limits.

I don't think there are many left on this particular forum that want things unchanged from current management.

That being said, many of us have just about given up hope, and will just hunt under this 'new normal' until there is no longer a huntable population.

I agree. I hope they don't become like the bobwhite, but I don't think they will because once they reach adults predation drops dramatically, and they do have a little more money and support to keep going over the quail.

My entire land management strategy is based on turkeys, quail, and rabbits. Deer can live anywhere so I don't help them.


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[Rakkin6]

Concerning the season dates/bag limits etc. I am fine with where they are for where I hunt ( only have access to Fort Campbell unless i want to drive three hours east to Morgan County every weekend). Fort Campbell dropped the limit for birds from four birds down to two birds two seasons ago. I would not be opposed to them making opening day a week later and adding it to the back end of the season. But other than that I have no complaints really since they lowered the bag limit. I think this will help out tremendously. Also you can only hunt on post Wednesday thru Monday all hunting is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Not sure what the reason behind that is but I am assuming it is for management reasons.

 

[Rakkin6]

Sorry meant Thursday thru Monday no hunting allowed on Fort Campbell Tuesday and Wednesday

 

[Harold Money jr]

I hunted 7 times never more than 2 hours and never before 8:30a. During juvenile season hunted once with son we saw 9 gobblers, 6 Jake's and a couple dozen hens. None were impressed with my calling. I called in 6 gobblers and 7-8 hens, killed one gobbler At chuck swan. Killed a Jake after I missed a gobbler and he stood in front of me in Meigs county I had plenty of action, turkeys were everywhere I hunted. I hunted chuck swan Wma, Roane and Meigs counties.

 

[SKFOOTER]

Hunted 13 full days this year, and hunted a few mornings before I had to be at work at 10:00. Killed 6 long beards 4 in Tennessee 2 in Oklahoma and called up 2 more longbeards for a buddy. I think the population is ok the year was a little messed up as far as the green up and turkey behavior. Had the chance to be done a lot earlier, but those dang property lines tend to get in the way. Looking forward to next year called up 9 different Jakes throughout the last day I hunted!

And where exactly did you hunt in Tennessee to have this kind of success???

 

[volsrock]

Appreciate all those that have chimed In. It seems as many of you had very good seasons.

Honestly I was wanting to hear from a few people that said they hunted hard for 30 or 40 days and killed two or three birds but felt that the seasons and limits should remain the same. Most seemed to leave out the part about how they felt about the season dates/lengths and the bag limits.

I hunted pretty hard, maybe not thirty mornings but probably close to 40 midday or afternoons when I'd get off work. I've hunted Tennessee and Alabama about equally throughout my life. This was one of the handful of years Alabama was better than Tennessee so I spent most of my time down there.

There are no turkeys in southern Wayne, southern Lawrence, and Southern Giles county.

I think that the bag limit is ok, but I'm in the minority because most people think bag limit is most important, but if the hens are allowed to be bred sufficiently it doesn't matter if you kill a gobbler. One gobbler can service many hens. They are born at a 50/50 ratio, and hen mortality is about equal to or more than gobblers because they incubate eggs at night.

I think the best thing they can do is delay season 10 days or so, do brood surveys in August-October to see how many poults made it to nearly adulthood, and establish seasons and bag limits according to each zone.

This is also unpopular, but I wish full strut decoys and fans were illegal. It isn't fair chase and it also is destroying population and perhaps the most mature breeder gobblers.

If I was turkey czar, I'd out law them. But me being in a democracy, I would allow decoys but only after the first 2 weeks of season. Only people that are physically handicapped may use decoys and blinds first 2 weeks of season. Fanning completely outlawed because one day some idiot is going to ride down dirt road with a case of natty light in his old rusty truck and the ought six and shoot a boy behind a fan in a field from the road in someone's private cow pasture. Thats an entire different subject.
finally someone agrees with me !!! they are no turkeys in south wayne county. the habitat has not changed!!!! the farming practices have not changed!!! the only thing that has changed is the explosion of chicken houses and chicken manure being spread on pastures!!!! what is your take on the decline!!!
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