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I’ll take my crow done!

PickettSFHunter said:
I'd say a lot of folks better be contacting commissioners and telling them to leave the later start alone.
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i was very apprehensive to this. I think weather played more of a role than the actual date, but that was the best turkey hunting i have ever had. The bird i finally connected with was absolutely suicidal.
 
PickettSFHunter said:
I'd say a lot of folks better be contacting commissioners and telling them to leave the later start alone.
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I agree 100%. I wish TWRA would just admit they set season too early back in the 80s based on the best info they had at the time.

Now with the radio/ GPS collared data proving average nest initiation isn't until end of April, we have the science that season was opening too early. Sure, it's just a bonus the hunting is better chasing unpressured birds mid April... but the MOST important thing is allowing hens to breed before we mass kill the gobblers.
 
And what's worse... they are going to push season back AND raise the limit... a double whammy before hens get bred.

If you want to push season back, lower limit to 1. Or move season to May 1st and raise limit to 10.

It's not how many birds are killed, it's WHEN they are killed that is critical
 
Lets not forget this years giant crop of 2 year olds came from 2022 when the majority of the state had the standard opener. And lets not also forget that last year, with a delayed season statewide, had some of the poorest turkey production in the past 7-8 years. If you like the season delay from a responsive gobbler and killing efficiency standpoint, thats one thing. But beware thinking its going to give you a ton more turkeys. I had a great weekend myself south of the TN border on birds that have been getting boogered to death the past week. But the weather was PERFECT for some gobbling and turkey killing!
 
All the birds people are talking about were hatched during the non delay except in 3 counties . I knew this would happen there has been good hatches all over the state the last 3 or 4 years dry weather was key and 22 was really good but it has to be the delay that made it possible when there wasn't even a delay when the great hatches happened .What is happening right now , most people used to quit after a couple weeks and " go fishing" henned up birds they say. Your actual turkey hunters would hang in and kill turkeys after others cleared out and hens went to nest. Birds have always been this way mid April. The TN study will be put in a scientific journal soon, 7 years worth of data , I checked into the matter. It will clearly show that nest success was actually higher some years before the delay than after in the study counties. It fluctuated each year up and down due to weather, predators and habitat but the date had nothing to do with it. Thing is no one is losing a delay if the new regs pass it's still at least a week or more later than our old opener. Some years it will be April 10 before we open with the new regulations . Guys on here talking about all the birds they are hearing have just cemented start date didn't matter as all those birds are from 21 22 hatches before the delay (except in 3 counties). Now if your seeing and hearing Jakes that would be the 23 delay hatch and I hope we had another good one . Either way I will hunt when they tell me and follow what regs are passed. If hens weren't getting bred how do we have all these gobblers people are talking about right now all over the state? Remember there was no delay when they hatched.
 
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deerfever said:
The hatches the last few years have been really good
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This is the DIFFERENCE around my parts. 2021 good hatch, 2022 great hatch and 2023 another great hatch. I am not a fan of HOT and DRY weather for me personally, but poults and young turkeys thrive in it, especially May - July like I have seen last few years. It absolutely amazes me how many seasoned hunters and folks on social media really believe ONE YEAR of regulation changes is why they had a great opening weekend this year. Unless they are shooting jakes this weekend, not sure how they can come to that conclusion, but so many have. Congrats MB, hope you and your crew keep on having some great hunts.
 
th88 said:
Lets not forget this years giant crop of 2 year olds came from 2022 when the majority of the state had the standard opener. And lets not also forget that last year, with a delayed season statewide, had some of the poorest turkey production in the past 7-8 years. If you like the season delay from a responsive gobbler and killing efficiency standpoint, thats one thing. But beware thinking its going to give you a ton more turkeys. I had a great weekend myself south of the TN border on birds that have been getting boogered to death the past week. But the weather was PERFECT for some gobbling and turkey killing!
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Ditto!
 
deerfever said:
All the birds people are talking about were hatched during the non delay except in 3 counties . I knew this would happen there has been good hatches all over the state the last 3 or 4 years dry weather was key and 22 was really good but it has to be the delay that made it possible when there wasn't even a delay when the great hatches happened .What is happening right now , most people used to quit after a couple weeks and " go fishing" henned up birds they say. Your actual turkey hunters would hang in and kill turkeys after others cleared out and hens went to nest. Birds have always been this way mid April. The TN study will be put in a scientific journal soon, 7 years worth of data , I checked into the matter. It will clearly show that nest success was actually higher some years before the delay than after in the study counties. It fluctuated each year up and down due to weather, predators and habitat but the date had nothing to do with it. Thing is no one is losing a delay if the new regs pass it's still at least a week or more later than our old opener. Some years it will be April 10 before we open with the new regulations . Guys on here talking about all the birds they are hearing have just cemented start date didn't matter as all those birds are from 21 22 hatches before the delay (except in 3 counties). Now if your seeing and hearing Jakes that would be the 23 delay hatch and I hope we had another good one . Either way I will hunt when they tell me and follow what regs are passed. If hens weren't getting bred how do we have all these gobblers people are talking about right now all over the state? Remember there was no delay when they hatched.
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I've lived the delayed opener for 4 years in Wayne Co & it's improved every year from the previous. It definitely works imo.
 
tellico4x4 said:
I've lived the delayed opener for 4 years in Wayne Co & it's improved every year from the previous. It definitely works imo.
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It's improved in lots of areas the last few years that didn't have a delay also. I hunt in several different counties and one of them has simply exploded the last several years , never dreamed I would hear what I do now. I am very glad to hear that your birds are back and improving each year.
 
muddyboots said:
Most Amazing opening day I've ever had. I don't know what's different but maybe TWRA are not idiots. I've had 7 longbeards inside 30 yards and seen 4 die. Unreal. I look like a calling whiz. Just wow. God is good!
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There certainly seems to be more this year. Idk if it's the TWRA's plan or just good hatches in the last 2-3 years. When scouting I have seen 11 toms in one group, 6 in another and I heard no less than 8 different birds this morning. Called one in and he flew off a hill and nearly landed on me. I'm a righty so of course he landed on my right side. He saw me as he was landing and ran off.
 
CrossVolle said:
i was very apprehensive to this. I think weather played more of a role than the actual date, but that was the best turkey hunting i have ever had. The bird i finally connected with was absolutely suicidal.
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There have been some suicide birds about. There seem to be a lot of 2 yr old birds and they just lock in and come on in.
 
Bone Collector said:
There have been some suicide birds about. There seem to be a lot of 2 yr old birds and they just lock in and come on in.
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The bird i killed was out of his mind. He was fully mature at 25 pounds. But the 2 year old birds gobbled from daylight till dark it seemed.
 
muddyboots said:
Most Amazing opening day I've ever had. I don't know what's different but maybe TWRA are not idiots. I've had 7 longbeards inside 30 yards and seen 4 die. Unreal. I look like a calling whiz. Just wow. God is good!
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Wait….so you're telling me it's not over by the time the season opens?!!! Well color me shocked!! 😏
 

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