KY harvest has surpassed TN harvest

[Bone Collector]

2 birds a bit stiff when you're used to 4. Make it 3 and no more than 1 or 2 fall hen in select counties and I'm not against 1 jake


Sent from the talk of tap

I think 3 would be okay, but think 2 for a year or two would dramatically improve hunting in some areas

This is a great theory, but the TWRA and the commission, can't seem to set limits for specific areas when it comes to the male of the species. IMO the deer limit should not change.

As for Turkey, most areas probably could use a year or two of 2 turkeys in the spring only, but Mid Tn has plenty of turkeys. They start strutting with Hens sometimes as early as late Feb. and are still strutting with hens and doing their thing here. I'd be ok with 3 but that is it here. Any lower is just stupid here. Also we should still have a fall season here but lower the limit. 6 birds is too many.

 

[Dover_Mike]

I sent my comments to TWRA to reduce the bag limit to 3 and eliminate fall hunting. I hope you all do the same.

 

[ImThere]

2 birds a bit stiff when you're used to 4. Make it 3 and no more than 1 or 2 fall hen in select counties and I'm not against 1 jake


Sent from the talk of tap

I think 3 would be okay, but think 2 for a year or two would dramatically improve hunting in some areas

This is a great theory, but the TWRA and the commission, can't seem to set limits for specific areas when it comes to the male of the species. IMO the deer limit should not change.

As for Turkey, most areas probably could use a year or two of 2 turkeys in the spring only, but Mid Tn has plenty of turkeys. They start strutting with Hens sometimes as early as late Feb. and are still strutting with hens and doing their thing here. I'd be ok with 3 but that is it here. Any lower is just stupid here. Also we should still have a fall season here but lower the limit. 6 birds is too many.

Maybe in upper middle there is tons of birds but we are in serious decline here they need to slide the line with no fall hunts up to include Bedford, Marshall, maury. Imo
Meaning no fall season or 1 Tom and it counts against your 2 bird spring limit

 

[deerchaser007]

2 birds a bit stiff when you're used to 4. Make it 3 and no more than 1 or 2 fall hen in select counties and I'm not against 1 jake


Sent from the talk of tap

I think 3 would be okay, but think 2 for a year or two would dramatically improve hunting in some areas

This is a great theory, but the TWRA and the commission, can't seem to set limits for specific areas when it comes to the male of the species. IMO the deer limit should not change.

As for Turkey, most areas probably could use a year or two of 2 turkeys in the spring only, but Mid Tn has plenty of turkeys. They start strutting with Hens sometimes as early as late Feb. and are still strutting with hens and doing their thing here. I'd be ok with 3 but that is it here. Any lower is just stupid here. Also we should still have a fall season here but lower the limit. 6 birds is too many.

I notice your from the Boro. One day when you have free time on your hands take a drive to the east into cannon county. Start out on 4 lane from boro into woodbury. From there drive south on H53 and check those fields. Turn onto hollows spring rd and drive til you get down to Burt. From there cross back 4 lane at Parsley's and go onto old Boro hwy. From there go up into Locke creek over bridge then north into auburntown. From there, hit H96 down to hurricane, from there go over to H53 north. Then down to stones river rd, up that road to Smithville hwy. Take right out til you hit the new McMinnville 4 lane. Take right back into woodbury and back to boro. Then come back on here and tell me how many turkey you see. Bet ya its less than what can be counted on 1 hand. Get bored, drive some of the backroads in between. Not gonna help ya. The population is just that gone up here.Are people killing birds up here, yes. BUT, they are trespassing and crossing fences and baiting like crazy to get their hands on what few are left.
Don't worry, its coming to Rutherford county too. I have noticed significant decline in the flock in fields on Rutherford blvd, and also the flocks on woodbury 4 lane from pete's hill to boro.I also drive 41 from Boro to beechgrove couple times a week, big drops in population in that area.

 

[Bone Collector]

2 birds a bit stiff when you're used to 4. Make it 3 and no more than 1 or 2 fall hen in select counties and I'm not against 1 jake


Sent from the talk of tap

I think 3 would be okay, but think 2 for a year or two would dramatically improve hunting in some areas

This is a great theory, but the TWRA and the commission, can't seem to set limits for specific areas when it comes to the male of the species. IMO the deer limit should not change.

As for Turkey, most areas probably could use a year or two of 2 turkeys in the spring only, but Mid Tn has plenty of turkeys. They start strutting with Hens sometimes as early as late Feb. and are still strutting with hens and doing their thing here. I'd be ok with 3 but that is it here. Any lower is just stupid here. Also we should still have a fall season here but lower the limit. 6 birds is too many.

I notice your from the Boro. One day when you have free time on your hands take a drive to the east into cannon county. Start out on 4 lane from boro into woodbury. From there drive south on H53 and check those fields. Turn onto hollows spring rd and drive til you get down to Burt. From there cross back 4 lane at Parsley's and go onto old Boro hwy. From there go up into Locke creek over bridge then north into auburntown. From there, hit H96 down to hurricane, from there go over to H53 north. Then down to stones river rd, up that road to Smithville hwy. Take right out til you hit the new McMinnville 4 lane. Take right back into woodbury and back to boro. Then come back on here and tell me how many turkey you see. Bet ya its less than what can be counted on 1 hand. Get bored, drive some of the backroads in between. Not gonna help ya. The population is just that gone up here.Are people killing birds up here, yes. BUT, they are trespassing and crossing fences and baiting like crazy to get their hands on what few are left.
Don't worry, its coming to Rutherford county too. I have noticed significant decline in the flock in fields on Rutherford blvd, and also the flocks on woodbury 4 lane from pete's hill to boro.I also drive 41 from Boro to beechgrove couple times a week, big drops in population in that area.

I don't have that type of time, but I own land in Readyville. Have a flock of 30 or so in my area. I have a place I deer hunt in Cannon Co. I can't turkey hunt it but I see and hear them regularly.


Sent from Tappy Talkie

 

[Bone Collector]

2 birds a bit stiff when you're used to 4. Make it 3 and no more than 1 or 2 fall hen in select counties and I'm not against 1 jake


Sent from the talk of tap

I think 3 would be okay, but think 2 for a year or two would dramatically improve hunting in some areas

This is a great theory, but the TWRA and the commission, can't seem to set limits for specific areas when it comes to the male of the species. IMO the deer limit should not change.

As for Turkey, most areas probably could use a year or two of 2 turkeys in the spring only, but Mid Tn has plenty of turkeys. They start strutting with Hens sometimes as early as late Feb. and are still strutting with hens and doing their thing here. I'd be ok with 3 but that is it here. Any lower is just stupid here. Also we should still have a fall season here but lower the limit. 6 birds is too many.

Maybe in upper middle there is tons of birds but we are in serious decline here they need to slide the line with no fall hunts up to include Bedford, Marshall, maury. Imo
Meaning no fall season or 1 Tom and it counts against your 2 bird spring limit

Maury co. Doesn't need a reduction.


Sent from Tappy Talkie

 

[FARMTOFIELD]

[/quote]
Maury co. Doesn't need a reduction.


Sent from Tappy Talkie[/quote]

The reduction needs to start before the decline.

And unless they kill a bunch of turkeys next week maury county harvest will he down

 

[ImThere]

2 birds a bit stiff when you're used to 4. Make it 3 and no more than 1 or 2 fall hen in select counties and I'm not against 1 jake


Sent from the talk of tap

I think 3 would be okay, but think 2 for a year or two would dramatically improve hunting in some areas

This is a great theory, but the TWRA and the commission, can't seem to set limits for specific areas when it comes to the male of the species. IMO the deer limit should not change.

As for Turkey, most areas probably could use a year or two of 2 turkeys in the spring only, but Mid Tn has plenty of turkeys. They start strutting with Hens sometimes as early as late Feb. and are still strutting with hens and doing their thing here. I'd be ok with 3 but that is it here. Any lower is just stupid here. Also we should still have a fall season here but lower the limit. 6 birds is too many.

Maybe in upper middle there is tons of birds but we are in serious decline here they need to slide the line with no fall hunts up to include Bedford, Marshall, maury. Imo
Meaning no fall season or 1 Tom and it counts against your 2 bird spring limit

Maury co. Doesn't need a reduction.


Sent from Tappy Talkie

I'm guessing you ain't been down here this year. We are way down from past years

 

[deerchaser007]

Bone collector, if you don't have time to drive the next county over, how can you say for certain middle Tn is fine and nothing should be done? On your readyville property, what was your population 15 years ago, 10 years ago, 5 years ago, 2 years ago?

 

[Setterman]

Part of my territory is Woidbury, Smithville etc. 10 years ago I loved traveling over there each spring just to see all the turkeys out in fields. In the last few years the same fields that were full are now empty.

As a side note KY now has expanded their lead to over 2000 birds on TN. Good news is maybe with an extra week we can catch up. It's sad, just freaking sad what has been allowed to happen in this state.

 

[timberjack86]

I am fine with a 3 bird limit and reducing the fall hunts. I have noticed a decline on the properties I hunt. Coffee and Grundy counties.

 

[TN hunter]

I primarily hunt in Maury County and I can tell you that the farms that I hunt definitely have a decline in turkeys and it seems that more folks have been driving here from other counties just to fill their tags. I cannot blame them, but, with all of this over pressure on limited flocks of turkeys, the population has only one way to go... DOWN!!

 

[timberghost3591]

Been seeing a decline here in West TN myself. We don't have a fall Turkey season and i never travel to Mid TN to do it, but this year was a lot less birds than usual. I managed to kill my limit, (2 of which were 2 yr olds) but that was also with 2 draw hunts that counted toward my bag limit. Areas that used to have birds everywhere seem to be getting less and less birds on it year after year. Especially the river bottoms due to recent floods the last 3 or 4 years during spring. But to a good note, on my deer lease i have never seen turkeys on it in the 5 yrs i have been hunting it. Well the other day while out driving, low and behold, i see a lone gobbler in a field on it. Probably just passing through, but still nice to see him there. I would be fine with a 2 bird limit here in the West and dropping the bearded bird clause.

 

[megalomaniac]

good topic Setterman. The more awareness we can raise about our struggling TN turkeys the better.

 

[feathersandfur2214]

I believe the decline is more widespread than people realize. While yes there are many areas where the turkey pops are thriving, there are even more areas that are in a decline. Once you see a trend of declining harvests something must be done to reverse this.If you wait until there is a noticeable difference it is possibly too late. I am for reducing the spring limit, no hens in Fall. Reduce the Spring limit to 2 birds, no age restrictions.

 

[Coker]

2 birds a bit stiff when you're used to 4. Make it 3 and no more than 1 or 2 fall hen in select counties and I'm not against 1 jake


Sent from the talk of tap

You would be very selective if you only could kill 2. Years ago, the limit was only 2. I would be fine with a 2 bird limit and no fall hunting.

 

[catman529]

This spring was also unusual for turkey behavior, I'd like to see the poult hatches and fall flocks and if it still ain't looking good then we definitely have a problem. Twra doesn't seem to be addressing it much other than lowering the fall limit from 6 to 3. If the population is still thriving, then 6 to 3 is fine, but if the population is going down than 3 isn't low enough.


Sent from the talk of tap

 

[xdjay]

Sadly, TWRA is all about that $$. I don't see them changing anything until things are way worse than now. Sad situation we are all going to be in soon as far as birds are concerned.

 

[catman529]

2 birds a bit stiff when you're used to 4. Make it 3 and no more than 1 or 2 fall hen in select counties and I'm not against 1 jake


Sent from the talk of tap

You would be very selective if you only could kill 2. Years ago, the limit was only 2. I would be fine with a 2 bird limit and no fall hunting.

I figured most of us were selective enough shooting a bird with a red head, full fan and long beard. I'd hate going down to 2 unless it was absolutely necessary....3 I'm ok with. Like I said before, I'd rather see no fall hunting than a 2 bird spring limit. And I like fall hunting a lot.


Sent from the talk of tap

 

[Setterman]

The 2 bird limit I hunt in KY is fine and really works on the places I hunt. There's no way we'd have the amazing mornings we do if all of us were killing 4 each year

The biggest advantage to the 2 bird limit is it reduces jake harvests because tags are precious. With 4 tags jakes are fair game as many hunters feel they'll never fulfill all their allotment.

Also for the poaching types that don't stop at 4 and push towards 6 birds here now, they're more likely to push it to 4 if the limit was 2. most won't go past doubling their limit in my experience

Something has to be changed between now and next spring. There's no choice now