2020 Wild Turkey Report

[Southern Sportsman]

In years past the TWRA has published a "Summer Poult Survey" documenting the best available data on reproductive success in wild turkeys. Since the early 2000s, we have been in a downward spiral. Despite recommendations from leading wildlife biologists, Tennessee has refused to acknowledge that we start hunting turkeys too early — before most hens are bred. That combined with the ease and efficiency with which turkeys are now killed is taking a serious toll. In 2018, the Fish and Wildlife Commission met to set seasons and regulations for the following two years (2019 and 2020). They made no significant changes. Last year— despite reproduction numbers dwindling for the past 15+ years, we killed an unprecedented number of turkeys.

Those opposing delays to the season dates or limitations on manner and means argue that killing gobblers had little or no impact on reproduction. There is nothing to this "dominant gobbler" theory, and the recommendations by Dr. Michael Chamberlain and others are "just unproven theories."

If that were true, last year's record kill numbers should have had no real impact on reproduction.

Here is the "Annual Report" just released by the TWRA. Kill numbers were at an all-time high. Reproduction numbers were at an all-time low.

We can keep ignoring the problem. But it really hurts me to think of what turkey hunting will be like when my son is old enough to do it.

https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/twra/documents/hunting/wild-turkey/2020-wild-turkey-status-report.pdf

 

[poorhunter]

Whatever the cause, doing nothing about ain't working at all. I don't see any real downside to making decoys illegal so it would be an easy thing to do. Pushing the season later would help I would think, but back 10-15 years when poult production was good the season started early too so I don't necessarily think that would be the answer. Could be some kind of disease causing hens to be infertile but that would need years to study but is a real possibility. Weather last year was awesome for nesting and young turkeys so not weather. Some have said it's because turkeys reached carrying capacity and the population has naturally declined. I don't think holds any water since animals don't know what their carrying capacity is and there's no way they were overpopulated and eating their way to decline. Chicken litter is possible but it's not state wide.

Lots of other possibilities but one very easy thing to do that is a plausible way to solve the problem is to outlaw decoys. Why not give it a try for a couple years?

 

[Southern Sportsman]

Pushing the season later would help I would think, but back 10-15 years when poult production was good the season started early too so I don't necessarily think that would be the answer.

10-15 years ago the seasons started just as early, but there were a pot fewer people hunting and it was a lot harder to kill a turkey.

 

[Rockhound]

I'm proud to see Lawrence and Wayne back on the upward trend.

 

[AT Hiker]

10-15 years ago the seasons started just as early, but there were a pot fewer people hunting and it was a lot harder to kill a turkey.

according to the chart, that time period is when "poults per hen" had a 15% drop and hasn't recovered.
Compound that over 10-15 years....

Seems logical to delay season to ensure more are bred so we can increase poults, hopefully. Of course, if those poults are not growing up then that's another issue, right?

 

[TheLBLman]

10-15 years ago the seasons started just as early, but there were a pot fewer people hunting and it was a lot harder to kill a turkey.

We also had a 2-bird limit.

Considering we had more turkey hunters & more turkey hunting in 2020 than maybe, ever, perhaps the best "solution" would be to go back to a 2-bird limit, AND open our season next year a week later?
Keep it simple.

 

[DeerCamp]

according to the chart, that time period is when "poults per hen" had a 15% drop and hasn't recovered.
Compound that over 10-15 years....

Seems logical to delay season to ensure more are bred so we can increase poults, hopefully. Of course, if those poults are not growing up then that's another issue, right?

The numbers don't lie.

I know some folks that kill their limit of turkeys the first week. By week 3 of 4 its pretty slim around these parts.

 

[Southern Sportsman]

I'm proud to see Lawrence and Wayne back on the upward trend.

I certainly hope you're right. But I would be cautious equating higher rates of observation with improvements in reproduction success. I suspect there is a higher rate of observation in the southern middle TN counties because there are more people looking for turkeys in those areas due to the ongoing study.

Even in Region II, where they had the highest number of observations reported, the poults per hen was still below 1.6.

 

[Wrangler95]

I think there are several reasons but the most sensible problem is nest predators.I live on a farm out in the country and see very few to no poults in my fields and I drive the roads alot in my neighborhood and no poults with most hens!Seems most people around here in Clay county have quit coon hunting and no one hardly traps anymore!

 

[megalomaniac]

I can tell you for sure that setting season opening dates that coincide with bred hens having already broken off from the flock results in better hunting and healthier population numbers.

Just got back from south central Florida. Opening March 20th, yet most hens were already nesting. Gobblers were on the prowl, and more susceptible to calling. And population was STRONG. But they also have a 2 bird limit.

 

[Setterman]

This is all so dam simple. We have a few choices at the moment. First it is a known fact there are more hunters killing more birds than ever before. Second, we have tactics now that make killing birds far easier than it's ever been In the history of this sport.

First the elimination of the tactics that make killing turkeys far too easy especially for the the inexperienced and lazy hunters need to be removed. This could save thousands upon thousands of birds each year. Leaving those birds in the flock only benefits the future of our sport. This alone is the easiest and less painful for all.

If we don't do that, what's next 2 week long seasons with a 1 bird limit? No hunting after Noon? No jakes?

it's baffling to me that the decoy fairies are so tied to this tactic that they cannot fathom hunting without them. The shear idea is terrifying and sends them into a fall in the floor fit.

If any of the tactics I employ were eliminated I'd adjust and learn a new way. This isn't the case for the decoy fairies or DF's from now on.

so what's it going to be? Lose the decoys or lose most of our season and limit?

No one can deny that there isn't something horrible happening, and just sitting back watching it unfold isn't acceptable

 

[timberjack86]

Agree, way to easy to kill turkeys than it was before decoys, popup blinds and 60 yard turkey guns. Theres no telling how many people take a shot with a load of tss and wound a gobbler at 60 yards only to die alittle while later.

 

[muddyboots]

Easy fix. Put limit back to 2. We got lots hens. Not many gobblers.

 

[Setterman]

Agree, way to easy to kill turkeys than it was before decoys, popup blinds and 60 yard turkey guns. Theres no telling how many people take a shot with a load of tss and wound a gobbler at 60 yards only to die alittle while later.

We've all had a hand in this issue. Myself included. I was one of the most outspoken about the 4 bird limit, but sure killed 4 every year.

sacrifices must be made.

 

[Stumpsitter]

I agree. Something has to be done. Maybe a split season with a week or 10 days between them, 1 bird limit per season. Maybe that would help.

 

[woodsman04]

The poult age class is very telling to me. It is a steadily downward trend through the last several years.
Appears that maybe it is sowing that hens could be attempting a renest or two way too often. Telling me that the gobblers are being killed too quick to service the hens.

 

[TheLBLman]

Telling me that the gobblers are being killed too quick to service the hens.

If that is the case, in terms of hunting regs,
what would be the simplest best way to delay the killing?

 

[Southern Sportsman]

The simplest would be to delay the season 2 weeks. IMO, the best would be to hold the juvenile hunt on the 1st Saturday in April, regular season 2nd Saturday in April, and restrict decoys until April 21 (allowed for juvenile weekend).

 

[Andy S.]

Just finished reading the 2020 Annual Wild Turkey Status Report, as well as the Spring Turkey Harvest Survey Report 2020 performed by UTK.

Southern Sportsman - thanks for sharing with the group. First and foremost, kudos to Wild Turkey Management Program Coordinator Roger Shields and all volunteers who poured their time and effort into producing these reports. Without them pushing these documents over the finish line, we would not have a fact based scientific document to review and reflect on, like has been the case numerous years over the past two decades. I think every hunter/outdoorsman/conservationist who values the opportunity afforded to us by managing the wild turkey resource should contact Roger and thank him and his team for their hard work toward these efforts. For those who are not aware, Roger has only been with TWRA for a few years. His email is [email protected]

As previously stated, our minimally renewable resource has not fared well in recent years with poult production, but the kill/harvest/take continues to climb as more hunters go afield with higher odds of killing a turkey than ever before. Simple math tells me this cannot go on forever if we want our kids and grand kids to have the same opportunity we have. TWRA and TFWC made some subtle changes last year in the favor of the wild turkey, and I hope and pray they will stay in-tune and continue to perform a pulse check of the resource with each passing season.

 

[Shooter77]

Last year I seen the least amount of poults in my neighborhood since we moved there in 2015. I seen 2 hens with a group of 9 poults in Sept. 3 were size of a football while the others looked the size of chicks you see at tractor supply in the spring. they could barely fly across the road. My trail cams on my hunting property showed 1-3 poults per hen. very scary data! I've had years with 10-12 poults with a hen in Oct. We have to do something to even have a chance.

Easy thing would be to cut out the numbers of birds that can be killed. Cut us back to 2 bird limit, only 1 the first 7 days of season. Move season back to the closest Saturday between the April 10th & 15th and 4 week season. Maybe even do Noon hunting the first 2 weeks. It's time to get drastic so we have birds 5 years from now and can begin going back to old regs.