Adjust season start date?

[Boll Weevil]

I was reading an article about the health of Alabama's turkey flock and it mentions several states (including TN) are considering moving the season start to a later date. The change is in an effort to reduce human intrusion/pressure on hens during a crucial time in the nesting cycle. I like the current dates but there's been so much talk lately of declining turkey populations is it worth considering?

Article here: http://www.aonmag.com/article.php?id=4498&cid=158

 

[Andy S.]

Great read BW, thanks for sharing. I'll be anxious to read the final report once it is published.

In short, I would support ANYTHING that takes a step in the right direction to not only improve, but sustain the turkey population in TN.

 

[Southern Sportsman]

I'm all for it. This is not intended as a knock against decoys, but there is no question that the improvement and increased popularity of hyper-realistic decoys and strutter decoys makes it easier to kill some turkeys, especially boss turkeys strutting in fields with harams of hens. 20 years ago, many of those turkeys were damnnear unkillable early in the year and all those hens were bred in a timely fashion. Now a LOT of those birds are the first to go on opening day. I dont see strutter decoys going away anytime soon, so pushing the start date back seems like a logical way to address it.

 

[Andy S.]

^^^^^I could not agree more.

 

[poorhunter]

^^^^^I could not agree more.

X2 any Elmer can kill em now.

 

[Shooter77]

I would support moving the dates back some. A issue I don't see discussed much is habit loss. I read a article a few years back about the decline of turkeys in SC because of much of the clearing of the land had stopped because of demand for wood product and environmental issues. Said the paper companies had stopped a lot of clear cutting that was used by the turkeys for nesting and bugs. I've seen this with deer and turkey on National Forest lands. I remember it also talking about how great of a impact Hurricane Hugo was for the coastal & middle parts of SC as it knocked down lots of trees and opened up the Forrest floor.

 

[cowhunter71]

I believe most hens are already bred before season even starts here in East Tn mountains, as it should be, regardless of how early or late "Spring" is. With that being said, i would have no problem starting a week later, as long as it ran a week longer Bama better not change anything between now and daylight Thursday morning because I'm heading that way tommorrow.

 

[PickettSFHunter]

Alabama has already moved several WMA seasons back.


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[Bone Collector]

I'm all for it. This is not intended as a knock against decoys, but there is no question that the improvement and increased popularity of hyper-realistic decoys and strutter decoys makes it easier to kill some turkeys, especially boss turkeys strutting a fiels with harams of hens. 20 years ago, many those turkes were damnnear unkillable early in the year and all those hens were bread in a timely fashion. Now a LOT of those birds are the first to go on opening day. I dont see strutter decoys going away anytime soon, so pushing the start date back seems like a logical way to address it.

This^^^

 

[woodsman04]

I'm all for it. This is not intended as a knock against decoys, but there is no question that the improvement and increased popularity of hyper-realistic decoys and strutter decoys makes it easier to kill some turkeys, especially boss turkeys strutting in fields with harams of hens. 20 years ago, many of those turkeys were damnnear unkillable early in the year and all those hens were bread in a timely fashion. Now a LOT of those birds are the first to go on opening day. I dont see strutter decoys going away anytime soon, so pushing the start date back seems like a logical way to address it.

This makes lots of sense. I would be more than happy if they'd make decoys illegal, but it ain't happening because all the money they make off of the big decoy companies.




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[woodsman04]

I would think lots of breeding is done by the opener here in Tennessee, but they continue to breed all season long.

I would be pro move the date back to April 10th or so. Same with North Alabama. South Alabama from my experience doesn't have as big of a population issue as us.


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[woodsman04]

I would support moving the dates back some. A issue I don't see discussed much is habit loss. I read a article a few years back about the decline of turkeys in SC because of much of the clearing of the land had stopped because of demand for wood product and environmental issues. Said the paper companies had stopped a lot of clear cutting that was used by the turkeys for nesting and bugs. I've seen this with deer and turkey on National Forest lands. I remember it also talking about how great of a impact Hurricane Hugo was for the coastal & middle parts of SC as it knocked down lots of trees and opened up the Forrest floor.

I think habitat is the key issue that no one talks about. Turkeys benefit from clear and select cut, as well as burns. This creates optimal nesting and/or breeding habitat.

Besides residential/commercial land, the worst land for turkeys is big ag fields. No turkey is benefitting one bit from a big desolate ag field, except maybe right after harvest and right at planting.


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[TN Whitetail Freak]

Alabama has already moved several WMA seasons back.


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So has west tn WMA season doesn't start until April 14 and closes a week early on May 6. So a 3 week season for me

 

[muddyboots]

Well of course they are.

 

[Coker]

I say we move to a 1 buck....I mean, 1 turkey limit :stir: oke:

 

[muddyboots]

If they move season to a later date it would prolly ruin it for me. I won't say I want go but it sure wouldn't be a priority.

 

[bloodtrailing]

I think the problem is the 4 bird limit plus fall hunting. Make it a 3 bird spring limit 1 fall, total 4 no hens

 

[FARMTOFIELD]

I would think lots of breeding is done by the opener here in Tennessee, but they continue to breed all season long.

I would be pro move the date back to April 10th or so. Same with North Alabama. South Alabama from my experience doesn't have as big of a population issue as us.


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What about parts of extreme north Alabama? They have a 5 day season and still no Turkey's.

 

[Setterman]

Whatever helps the birds is fine with me, but the start of the season isn't the issue

Alabama had a million turkeys then legalized decoys. Nothing made those gobblers using large ag fields easier for basically anyone to kill. If you want more gobblers eliminate the plastic turkeys. Harvest numbers will decline in a big way leaving more gobblers at the end of each season. This isn't rocket science and the decoys alllow tons of hunters who wouldn't normally have success to fill tags

 

[woodsman04]

I would think lots of breeding is done by the opener here in Tennessee, but they continue to breed all season long.

I would be pro move the date back to April 10th or so. Same with North Alabama. South Alabama from my experience doesn't have as big of a population issue as us.


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What about parts of extreme north Alabama? They have a 5 day season and still no Turkey's.

Have no idea. There have never been turkeys in Morgan county that I know of. It isn't on the state border though but has s five day season. Jackson, Madison, limestone, and lauderdale are the border states and for the most part they have a thirty day season. Jackson is a 45 day season.
Limestone and lauderdale are the two counties bordering Giles, Lawrence and Wayne, and they are in the same shape turkey number wise as southern tn


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