Lawrence, Wayne, and giles counties...

woodsman87 said:
I believe the article is right about coyotes. I do not think they are a major problem. I am sure they catch some turkeys. But think about how good at surviving an adult bird is. A coyote would have to get mighty lucky to catch a turkey. I have first hand see a coyote in the same cow pasture with a flock of hens and a strutting gobbler. The Gobbler never broke strut, then hens didn't pay it attention, and the coyote just kind of circled them and then went away. The only turkeys I believe that a coyote, bobcat, or fox could catch are wounded/sick birds, hens sitting on nest, and poults.
The main problem is nest getting animals like skunks, possums, and racoons.
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I agree nest predators are a bigger problem. Wonder if TWRA would consider opening up trapping year around in the hardest impacted areas? I could care less about making moeny off furs, just want to get rid of some of the predators.
 
Jarred525 said:
woodsman87 said:
I believe the article is right about coyotes. I do not think they are a major problem. I am sure they catch some turkeys. But think about how good at surviving an adult bird is. A coyote would have to get mighty lucky to catch a turkey. I have first hand see a coyote in the same cow pasture with a flock of hens and a strutting gobbler. The Gobbler never broke strut, then hens didn't pay it attention, and the coyote just kind of circled them and then went away. The only turkeys I believe that a coyote, bobcat, or fox could catch are wounded/sick birds, hens sitting on nest, and poults.
The main problem is nest getting animals like skunks, possums, and racoons.
Click to expand...

I agree nest predators are a bigger problem. Wonder if TWRA would consider opening up trapping year around in the hardest impacted areas? I could care less about making moeny off furs, just want to get rid of some of the predators.
Click to expand...

I agree Jarred. I don't care about making money of furs, its hard to do now days anyways. I just don't know how well it would work. I don't know of many people that would trap. I would like to give a try, but I don't know if I would be able to catch them daily.
 
woodsman87 said:
Jarred525 said:
woodsman87 said:
I believe the article is right about coyotes. I do not think they are a major problem. I am sure they catch some turkeys. But think about how good at surviving an adult bird is. A coyote would have to get mighty lucky to catch a turkey. I have first hand see a coyote in the same cow pasture with a flock of hens and a strutting gobbler. The Gobbler never broke strut, then hens didn't pay it attention, and the coyote just kind of circled them and then went away. The only turkeys I believe that a coyote, bobcat, or fox could catch are wounded/sick birds, hens sitting on nest, and poults.
The main problem is nest getting animals like skunks, possums, and racoons.
Click to expand...

I agree nest predators are a bigger problem. Wonder if TWRA would consider opening up trapping year around in the hardest impacted areas? I could care less about making moeny off furs, just want to get rid of some of the predators.
Click to expand...

I agree Jarred. I don't care about making money of furs, its hard to do now days anyways. I just don't know how well it would work. I don't know of many people that would trap. I would like to give a try, but I don't know if I would be able to catch them daily.
Click to expand...

It is a time commitment to check traps daily. Luckily my brother and dad live right on the farm so they could probably check them daily. Trapping is not as hard as you might think.

I am scratching my head though on why the northern part of Giles is doing so well why the southern part is struggling?
 
Jarred525 said:
woodsman87 said:
Jarred525 said:
woodsman87 said:
I believe the article is right about coyotes. I do not think they are a major problem. I am sure they catch some turkeys. But think about how good at surviving an adult bird is. A coyote would have to get mighty lucky to catch a turkey. I have first hand see a coyote in the same cow pasture with a flock of hens and a strutting gobbler. The Gobbler never broke strut, then hens didn't pay it attention, and the coyote just kind of circled them and then went away. The only turkeys I believe that a coyote, bobcat, or fox could catch are wounded/sick birds, hens sitting on nest, and poults.
The main problem is nest getting animals like skunks, possums, and racoons.
Click to expand...

I agree nest predators are a bigger problem. Wonder if TWRA would consider opening up trapping year around in the hardest impacted areas? I could care less about making moeny off furs, just want to get rid of some of the predators.
Click to expand...

I agree Jarred. I don't care about making money of furs, its hard to do now days anyways. I just don't know how well it would work. I don't know of many people that would trap. I would like to give a try, but I don't know if I would be able to catch them daily.
Click to expand...

It is a time commitment to check traps daily. Luckily my brother and dad live right on the farm so they could probably check them daily. Trapping is not as hard as you might think.

I am scratching my head though on why the northern part of Giles is doing so well why the southern part is struggling?
Click to expand...

Do not know why either. Go north of Pulaski and it's a different world. I bet out of the 522+ turkeys killed in Giles, 450 were killed north of 64. I have no way of finding that out, just a pure guess off of observations of seeing turkeys and hunters talkin
 
The statement I'm about to make is gonna come off as hypocritical because I'm a data nut. I always trust the research data...well...almost always.

There was a study conducted by Lovett Williams in FL some years ago that showed preator control actually did very little to improve recruitment and survival. I don't mean killing a skunk or coon here and there, I mean they absolutely worked on the furbearers for the duration of the study.

(Insert hipocrisy here) Regardless of what the research says I just cannot believe that killing each and every one of the varmints I can doesn't help. I know it seems like ya'kill 1 and 3 comes to his funeral but for my part...every coyote I see...fire in the hole.
 
I shoot coyotes I see too Boll Weevil, but its the racoons and such that hurt the turkeys so much, not coyotes.
Shooting coyotes may even have a negative impact, since they probably eat lots of racoons, possums, skunks, etc.
 
Boll Weevil said:
The statement I'm about to make is gonna come off as hypocritical because I'm a data nut. I always trust the research data...well...almost always.

There was a study conducted by Lovett Williams in FL some years ago that showed preator control actually did very little to improve recruitment and survival. I don't mean killing a skunk or coon here and there, I mean they absolutely worked on the furbearers for the duration of the study.

(Insert hipocrisy here) Regardless of what the research says I just cannot believe that killing each and every one of the varmints I can doesn't help. I know it seems like ya'kill 1 and 3 comes to his funeral but for my part...every coyote I see...fire in the hole.
Click to expand...

Interesting research data. I spoke with Grant Woods at the last QDMA conference and asked him if he had any research data to show the impact of predator control (specifically nest predators) on the turkey population on his farm. He did not have anything as of yet but without a doubt said it was one of the best things he had done (trapping) along with habitat improvement and his turkey numbers have boomed.

Woodsman, check out growingdeer.tv Love the videos and Grant does a good job with his trapping episodes. The Duke Dog Proof Coon traps are awesome!
 
CAMARO12 said:
8 POINTS OR BETTER said:
Hardin county should be added to the list.
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As well as McNairy and Hardeman.
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I was wondering about those. I have never hunted west of Waynesboro, and I knew that Hardin, Hardeman, and Mcnairy were all three great turkey counties, traditionally.
 
Like I said... Fayette, Hardeman, and McNairy should be added to the list for west TN. I had the pleasure of hunting a new farm in Fayette county this year that should be LOADED with birds. Its the right area, right habitat, everything... One turkey was heard the whole season and I killed him the first week of the season. Kind of regret it now. I had told myself I would take 1 bird of this farm and be done. That is what I did. I did go several other times, just to listen. Silence. Hardeman County is the same way. A dear friend of mine has a place not too farm Ames Plantation. Five or Six years ago, it was nothing to hear 5- 8 birds on daylight. He has heard 1 bird on it this year... No sign, no scratching, nothing. He has not killed a bird on this place in 3 years. McNairy is in extremely bad shape. I hunt a very large tract in Western McNairy close to Big Hill Pond. The place has gone down hill major. Years ago, it was nothing to hear 10+ birds at daylight. Again, we have done everything we could think of to better the property for turkeys. Planting of Milo, Corn, Chuffa, and clover. Again, a bird has not been killed off of it in a few years now.

I have heard more hunters this year very concerned about it. West TN should be BOOMING with birds. The lay of the land, habitat, and food sources are perfect for the wild turkey. In my observations, I know without a doubt we had 3 years of bad hatches. Extremely wet springs and very abnormally cold springs have hurt the nesting hens. Also, you got to remember... For the hens to nest, they have to be bred! If the gobblers/young gobblers are not there, guess what... no breeding.

I believe West TN, as well as a lot of parts of Middle TN are in trouble. I also have friends who hunt North AL and are seeing the same thing.

Guys we have got to do something... I am not saying there will be a complete die off... No. But our flocks are not doing well. Can you imagine? Telling your kids and grand kids about how we "used" to be able to turkey hunt and how many turkey we used to hear? Its not just about us guys, its about our future generations.
 
wwa7 said:
If the gobblers/young gobblers are not there, guess what...no breeding.
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After being overrun by jakes and jennies this spring I got to thinking, "Wonder when they can actually breed?" Did a little studying and everything I've read says jakes CAN breed at 1 year old, it's just that they DON'T because typically an adult bird takes care of that business.

One morning I watched 7 jakes and 3 hens peck and scratch and preen till they finally just wandered off. I sure hope it finally clicked with'em that it was up to them to git'er done.
 
Hope it changes. I still don't think it's disease, varmints, predators. I don't think harvest limit is a big factor, even though if it went down to three it would be good.
I think it has been the abnormally wet April/Mays we have had.
 


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