Impact of the regs changes?

[Kyboy]

They are basically changing to Kentucky's regulations, and I can tell you 100% that if you think TN population is in trouble, some parts of KY is way worse. So I don't think shortening the season will help with anything, because Kentucky's population is declining too. Best thing to do is focus on Turkey habitat/environment.

 

[Setterman]

But the limits didt hurt either, the 10% that killed over two had nothing to do with the demise, its the reapers, baiters, poachers and evrything that moves eating eggs and ifcourse no help from the guys in green

The limits absolutely hurt our population. People like me killed 4 birds every single year. I didn't self regulate, and take full responsibility for the damage my trigger finger did to places I hunt.

But I also agree the real enemy and the most controllable is our ability to kill more birds easier today than it was 15 years ago. The onslaught of decoys especially gobbler decoys has been in my opinion one of the single worst things to ever happen to turkey hunting and resulted in much of the population declines we are seeing.

Predators aren't new, poor poult production isn't new, and bad weather years isn't new. The damn tents and decoys are new, it brought a tidal wave of googans into the sport because they could have success. The result was thousands and thousand of birds dying that would've otherwise survived. It's sad, and needs to be eliminated

 

[Setterman]

They are basically changing to Kentucky's regulations, and I can tell you 100% that if you think TN population is in trouble, some parts of KY is way worse. So I don't think shortening the season will help with anything, because Kentucky's population is declining too. Best thing to do is focus on Turkey habitat/environment.

Best thing to do is eliminate the chicken sh1t decoys allowing immediate success to hunters who wouldn't stand a chance without them

 

[deerfever]

The only impact I think you will see with the new regs is less non resident hunters due to the two week delay and the fan ban will possibly prevent a tragedy on public land. You could have put a quota in place or just confined non residents to private lands the first two weeks to have solved that. 90 percent killed two or less anyway and most 65 /70 percent only killed 1 so the limit of two will be a wash. The two week delay? Some say it will help nest initiation/success. I do not believe that at all for one it's an unproven theory and preliminary/posted studies from here in TN show otherwise. This is just my belief/opinion, the weather , nest predators and habitat will dictate our hatch just like it has forever, wether we open April 1 or 15. I realize I am not in the majority on this site and do respect all other opinions, this is just mine. Look at the great hatch from this year, no two week delay required, just the right weather. Get you some dog proofs and pray for the right weather during this year's nesting process, those two are proven to help turkeys. Come on April 15th!