Harvest numbers

[poorhunter]

My thinking is the slower than normal dispersal of winter flocks has led to the perception of fewer turkeys.
Again, we do seem to have fewer turkeys, but it may not be as bad as the initial perceptions.

B I N G O !!!

Most hunters, myself included, only want to hunt gobbling turkeys. Look at how many people have posted about not hearing anything early, but stuck it out and finally got on one around lunch or so. Most people have already given up and gone to the house by then.

With that said, I do know that the number of birds has declined, and in some areas, drastically. However, I have no faith in the check-in system.

I hesitate to post this, as it will just turn into a TWRA bashing. But, that is not my intention, just what actually happened early last week.

I called the number listed for the wildlife division and told the lady I wanted to speak with someone concerning the harvest numbers being reported with the online system. She didn't know who I should speak with, and transferred me to someone else in a different division. This lady, also, did not know who I should speak with and suggested that I call the Wildlife division. I told her that they sent me to her. She then tried to figure out who might could help me, but I told her that was OK not to bother. They were both very nice, but how can they not know who would have the answers?

Why is this year different than any other year concerning gobblers being quite in the mornings? Every year I read about birds not gobbling in the roost, especially this time of year. I live in a place where I walk out of my house and can here gobbling turkeys. I get to watch them daily as I leave for work, come home for work, drive around the area, every day all year long, and it is crazy what has happened. Why has the check-in system all the sudden gone bad? As I've said before, I can only speak about where I live and hunt, and the numbers of turkeys is about 30% of what it was 3 years ago. This is reflected in the county harvest and the statewide harvest, so one can make a logical conclusion that the statewide population is down. That doesn't make it true, but it is a logical conclusion especially when lots of other hunters are reporting that as well.

 

[Andy S.]

I'll agree that turkeys are running behind and SOME turkeys are still flocked up, but this isn't the first year that turkeys have still been flocked up on April 5th. The FACT that SOME are still flocked up is just ANOTHER reason to allow them to breed in peace and open the season later. I'd be fine if TWRA baby stepped into the changes and pushed it back for ONE week to show they care about the future of the resource, evaluate for 2-3 years (if mother nature and harvest numbers allow us that much time), and then make minor tweaks as needed. Another thing worth mentioning is the turkeys in the south western counties are further along than turkeys in central and northern middle TN, which are most likely further along than turkeys in the NE corner (Bristol, etc). Managing the entire state under one sweeping regulation seems ludicrous to me.

 

[megalomaniac]

The decline has been happening in my area for many years, not just the last couple.


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That's exactly what I've seen and talked about for the past decade. A slow steady decline, to the point where after 10 years they finally disappeared completely.

Very few hens around on my farms. Itll be several years before they can recover, but more likely they will disappear completely before they have a chance to recover

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[SJS]

Even though I got one in southeast Houston County, I spend a week down here turkey hunting. Lowest numbers I have seen in the 18 years I've been hunting the first week of the season. Had to work super hard to get this one. Not complaining, just comparing to previous years. Not sure what's going on but why in the world would you take 2, 3 or 4 birds?? Fall hen season doesn't make sense either. I'm in Michigan and guess I'm used to one bird a year. More than one bird is plenty especially when bird numbers are declining. Just my opinion.

 

[CATCHDAWG]

How many of you complaining about the turkey population are putting steel in the ground after deer season? I'd be surprised if ONE person involved in this thread does any trapping. Is it really about how many turkeys hunters kill or is it more about the lack of people doing NOTHING to control nest raiders.

 

[Shanman]

Managing the entire state under one sweeping regulation seems ludicrous to me.

Well put Andy! I agree 100%, not just on turkeys either. As I see it, as long as politicians hold the gavel over game management....we are screwed. Each part of our state has specific needs that should be looked at individually, by the people (Landowners, biologist, sportsmen, TWRA) that are familiar with that area/region. If an emergency order needs to be applied overnight, then do it, don't wait two years to look at the situation. Our state is a great state to hunt/fish in compared to most, TWRA does a good job most of the time in my opinion, but they are dropping the ball bigtime when dealing with our turkeys. Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't Alabama or Georgia already have different regs in certain counties so they can run a 2-3 year case study on those individual counties, to see what works and what doesn't. Sure would have been nice to have such a program started here several years ago in counties with declining populations, look how much more data TWRA would have by now.
Just my 2cents.....probably not worth that.

 

[Boll Weevil]

I'd be surprised if ONE person involved in this thread does any trapping.

Chalk me up as #1.

 

[Shanman]

How many of you complaining about the turkey population are putting steel in the ground after deer season? I'd be surprised if ONE person involved in this thread does any trapping. Is it really about how many turkeys hunters kill or is it more about the lack of people doing NOTHING to control nest raiders.

Your spot on with predator control, trapping is one of the best control tools when talking about turkey populations. I hear alot about how yotes are devastating on turkeys and I know they get their fair share, but cats are the real hunter killer when it comes to adult and young turkeys. The bobcat population will rise and fall with the turkey population, they are very much linked together. I would say the main damage though comes in the form of egg eaters....coon, possums, skunks, fox, yotes. Even if you don't trap, everyone that has property should find a trapper and allow them access to thin the predators every year. The longer they can keep steel in the ground the better! Traps run 24/7 so it's a no brainer. Even if an individual will run a few cage traps, they will slowly and over time make a difference. Honestly, predators are just one hole in the bucket, something needs to be done with the season, strutter decoys, and bag limit......overnight preferably.

 

[poorhunter]

How many of you complaining about the turkey population are putting steel in the ground after deer season? I'd be surprised if ONE person involved in this thread does any trapping. Is it really about how many turkeys hunters kill or is it more about the lack of people doing NOTHING to control nest raiders.

You may be surprised, but you'd be way wrong.

 

[poorhunter]

How many of you complaining about the turkey population are putting steel in the ground after deer season? I'd be surprised if ONE person involved in this thread does any trapping. Is it really about how many turkeys hunters kill or is it more about the lack of people doing NOTHING to control nest raiders.

Your spot on with predator control, trapping is one of the best control tools when talking about turkey populations. I hear alot about how yotes are devastating on turkeys and I know they get their fair share, but cats are the real hunter killer when it comes to adult and young turkeys. The bobcat population will rise and fall with the turkey population, they are very much linked together. I would say the main damage though comes in the form of egg eaters....coon, possums, skunks, fox, yotes. Even if you don't trap, everyone that has property should find a trapper and allow them access to thin the predators every year. The longer they can keep steel in the ground the better! Traps run 24/7 so it's a no brainer. Even if an individual will run a few cage traps, they will slowly and over time make a difference. Honestly, predators are just one hole in the bucket, something needs to be done with the season, strutter decoys, and bag limit......overnight preferably.

There is no doubt that the biggest threat (besides habitat loss) to turkeys are nest raiders...by far. To suggest that in the last 5 years those that used to trap all the sudden stopped trapping is just plain wrong. I would say there are more people trapping now just for control of nest raiders than any time in the last 20 years. I kill every possum skunk and raccoon I see.

 

[megalomaniac]

How many of you complaining about the turkey population are putting steel in the ground after deer season? I'd be surprised if ONE person involved in this thread does any trapping. Is it really about how many turkeys hunters kill or is it more about the lack of people doing NOTHING to control nest raiders.

I'm up to nearly 20 coons, 5 possums, and 3 skunks so far since November. In fact, I got 3 more coons just last week (nuisance animals- not trapping).

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[muddyboots]

My lease is way down but been going down for years. So sad. Back in the hay day I would hear 12 to 15 gobblers a normal morning. Yesterday I heard 3. 2 gobbler 1 time a piece and the other about 8 times. Depressing.

 

[Setterman]

After starting out with a couple decent hunts, it's hit rock bottom. I haven't heard a bird gobble in the last 4 hunts. Prior to this season I never would go a hunt all season with silence. There's no sign any where.

I think I'm going to hang it up as far as TN is concerned. I just don't feel right taking another bird.

I'll hunt KY and Virginia and hope they have better prospects. If not I'll head to ga a couple of times and call it good.

It's beyond sad to see what has happened with what used to be an awesome state to hunt turkeys each spring

 

[Setterman]

Look at these numbers! I hope everyone sees this and takes a full breadth of what's occurring. We've all got a stake in this and probably all share some blame to an extent. I'm not innocent for the record as I've killed my limit each year sicne we went to 4 birds and even though it was spread over several counties does not obsolve me of some guilt.

TWRA as the managing entity of our flock deserves to be eaten alive for over seeing this decline. They've sat back and done absolutely nothing. Excuse me, they're doing a study :livid: that's what we need is a study, any idiot sees something has to change. We are on pace to have a sub 15,000 bird harvest. Hell it'd be a miracle if we hit 15,000 at this point.



2017- 15,624 birds

2018- 10,693 birds

2019-6170 birds

 

[elknturkey]

Setter I agree. I average prob 40 days in the woods and I use to never go a day without hearing a bird even in bad weather. I killed one opening day and haven't heard a bird since. That's in 3 counties! Seen several on private tho. More than usual actually and a lot of Jake's so the hatch must have been pretty good. Just none in the mountains. I've yet to find the first scratching. Lots of people hunting but I haven't heard another shot. I miss the 90s and early 2000s. Don't think we'll ever see those numbers again. Not just Tenn but anywhere.

 

[megalomaniac]

3 more skunks removed this evening.

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[Rockhound]

I guess the Lawrence, Wayne county guys were on to something when we told yall 12 years ago, that yugo was happening

 

[Setterman]

I guess the Lawrence, Wayne county guys were on to something when we told yall 12 years ago, that ****** was happening

I can say that I never questioned anyone and a review of my posting history goes way back to when the limits were raised and so much more.

There's no hiding from it now, we are in a serious situation.

Who will recognize it and not make excuses any longer? This isn't about nest raiders, etc they've been around even back when we were killing 30,000 plus birds. It's time to stop being selfish and stand together to force the changes that must be made, all of us must suffer something we won't like to hopefully preserve our sport

 

[poorhunter]

I guess the Lawrence, Wayne county guys were on to something when we told yall 12 years ago, that ****** was happening

I can say that I never questioned anyone and a review of my posting history goes way back to when the limits were raised and so much more.

There's no hiding from it now, we are in a serious situation.

Who will recognize it and not make excuses any longer? This isn't about nest raiders, etc they've been around even back when we were killing 30,000 plus birds. It's time to stop being selfish and stand together to force the changes that must be made, all of us must suffer something we won't like to hopefully preserve our sport

When I first read about those Lawrence county folks, I did poo-poo their complaints. Then after the first reaction I began to say "glad it'll never happen here in Hickman County, way to many birds". Boy was I wrong. There were a couple guys in a couple threads really poo-pooing the drop in populations in places, very arrogantly I might add. Haven't heard from them this year yet and wonder what their farms are like this year. If it's as bad as the harvest reports are saying, we need to yugo it down on our own as hunters. I've determined that I won't kill one at all unless I have a few on one of my farms, and can take one with there still being other toms left over.

 

[Rockhound]

I guess the Lawrence, Wayne county guys were on to something when we told yall 12 years ago, that ****** was happening

I can say that I never questioned anyone and a review of my posting history goes way back to when the limits were raised and so much more.

There's no hiding from it now, we are in a serious situation.

Who will recognize it and not make excuses any longer? This isn't about nest raiders, etc they've been around even back when we were killing 30,000 plus birds. It's time to stop being selfish and stand together to force the changes that must be made, all of us must suffer something we won't like to hopefully preserve our sport

Nope I remember, most of who did and who didn't, and I know you wasnt one of them. I will say I've seen more Lawrence county turkeys this year than I have in 12 years, there has really been an uptick in the population the last 5 years. With that said, people continue to slaughter the few we do have for nothing but greediness. I could have filled a tag with one the other day but I didn't, I even spooked him on purpose hoping to educate him lol.