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Length of Season - TN

Willysman said:
100 birds for 300,00 acres is not many
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they've killed less than 3000 birds in South Cherokee in the last 23 years. In fact, I estimate it about 123/ year. If that's the case, they are ahead this year. I don't think the harvest has changed much over time, and I definetly don't think controlled burns have anything to do with it.
 
Bone Collector said:
I'll play devil's advocate here. Lets say we reduce the season to 4 weeks Mid April to Mid May, keep the limit 2 birds and we have 3-4 years of good hatches (unlikely, but possible). Then let's say they actually use that data and do something that governing bodies hardly ever do and give something back they have taken away, so now the limit is 3 birds again. I mean theoretically there is still enough time to kill 3 birds if there are enough, but maybe not. If by some miracle we ended up with enough turkeys to go back to 4 birds is 4 weeks enough? Keep in mind most people only have the weekends to hunt unless they use vacation, so 4 weeks is roughly 8 days in the field. Do you feel you got your money's worth for 8 days of hunting?

I guess you could say that if the birds came back and we changed the limit we could change the season dates, but if it continues to open Mid April, then you would still be faced with hunting in hot weather and non-gobbling birds.
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I think regardless of the limit, if a person is limited to weekends only and got 8 days of hunting, they would feel they got their moneys worth. Just my .02.
 
Willysman said:
Spent 4 days in the South Cherokee. Lost creek area. Heard one gobble a mile off. No sign could be found. Forest Service has about burned the mountains down during nesting season. By the 3rd week in April you can barely see the end of your gun barrel
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Forest service is run by asshats. Burning the piss out of the Forest during peak nesting season, 2 years in a row now, mid March thru May. Burning was always done in the South January and February and Turkeys flourished because of it. By second week of April, I come across several Hens each year that are already 5 or 6 eggs deep in a nest. For most, this is there 1rst nest, which has been proven to have the best chance at being successful. Lets burn them up and try to convince those of us that know better, that its all in the best interest of the Turkey population. Forest crew told me last week the reason for the late burning regiment was to protect the nesting of a certain f#cking BAT that is almost extinct. Lets save bats that no one cares about, but burn up next years Turkey population. I told their supervisor if i ever came across one of those bats, i was going to shoot it down and flaten it with the butt of my gun. I asked for his number, and got it, so I could send him pics if it happened. Said it would be a federal offense.
 
Stlbaseball1 said:
I think regardless of the limit, if a person is limited to weekends only and got 8 days of hunting, they would feel they got their moneys worth. Just my .02.
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I wish I could hunt 8 days a season LOL. Where do people get the time. Same way with duck season. How do men with jobs wives and children hunt 30-40 days Guess I'm just jealous
 
RoyalPrudent said:
they've killed less than 3000 birds in South Cherokee in the last 23 years. In fact, I estimate it about 123/ year. If that's the case, they are ahead this year. I don't think the harvest has changed much over time, and I definetly don't think controlled burns have anything to do with it.
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I've hunted it every year since 1977 So I know a little bit about how it was then and how it is now so I respectfully disagree with you. we'll let it go at that.
 
Willysman said:
I've hunted it every year since 1977 So I know a little bit about how it was then and how it is now so I respectfully disagree with you. we'll let it go at that.
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everyone remembers the past better than it is. And there are no harvest numbers from the time you've Mentioned, but the early 2000's are generally recognized as the golden age of TN turkey hunting and it wasn't better then than now. And I won't concede for a second that fire is bad for turkeys.
 
RoyalPrudent said:
everyone remembers the past better than it is. And there are no harvest numbers from the time you've Mentioned, but the early 2000's are generally recognized as the golden age of TN turkey hunting and it wasn't better then than now. And I won't concede for a second that fire is bad for turkeys.
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Sounds like you're an expert on everything turkey so I have no more to say.
 
Willysman said:
Sounds like you're an expert on everything turkey so I have no more to say.
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Never argue with an idiot Willy. As stated above, timing of burn is everything. Up until recently, burning in the South by Forest Service, and wildlife managers was always done January and February, and turkeys flourished in these areas because of it.
 
I may be in the minority on this but I like the length of the season has is. With life happening for everyone and a lot of people only getting to hunt on the weekends. If there is some family emergency, severe weather etc. Those that only hunt the weekends due to work are limited to only 4 days. If everyone follows the two bird limit or even limits themselves to one bird (we do have the ability to set our own personal limits lower than TWRA) then a six week limit should be just fine. And it seems like quite a few people will not even be out in late May if temperatures return to normal. This gives the season a decent amount to ensure every legal hunter in Tennessee gets an opportunity to enjoy the season. Just my .02
 
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Rakkin6 said:
I may be in the morning on this but I like the length of the season has is. With life happening for everyone and a lot of people only getting to hunt on the weekends. If there is some family emergency, seer weather etc. Those that only hunt the weekends due to work are limited to only 4 days. If everyone follows the two bird limit or even limits themselves to one bird (we do have the ability to set our own personal limits lower than TWRA) then a six week limit should be just fine. And it seems like quite a few people will not even be out in late May if temperatures return to normal. This gives the season a decent amount to ensure every legal hunter in Tennessee gets an opportunity to enjoy the season. Just my .02
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I'm looking forward to hunting later. I don't hunt fields or even lower elevations. I strictly hunt mountain hardwoods and in the shade of the woods and just being a little higher in elevation makes for some COLD mornings. I don't mind the heat one bit and can dress accordingly. I got my youngest boy 2 birds and now I'm focused on hunting public during the week and later in the season to see how it differs from the last few years. Im just going after one turkey personally but I have a new hunter tagging along so he'll be the first to pull the trigger.
 
megalomaniac said:
personally, I'd prefer the season to be shortened to 4 weeks, mid April through mid May....

That being said, I would much prefer the season opening stay mid April regardless of the length of season. The only reason this year the season was extended to the end of May was to not take any opportunity (number of days afield) away from TN hunters. But with the limit reduction, most hardcore hunters are gonna be tagged out in the first 2 weeks regardless.
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Well, I TOTALLY take this back due to prior lack of personal experience hunting TN in May....

I would much rather them extend the season another 2 weeks, running from April 15th through June 15th. More opportunity adding a couple weeks in June, yet not much harm done to the resource (only 428 birds killed statewide May 27,28). If more opportunity and hunting days could be added without harming the resource, what's the harm? The downside to being open so late is TN may become inundated with OOSers travelling from all over the US here.
 
megalomaniac said:
The downside to being open so late is TN may become inundated with OOSers travelling from all over the US here.
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Please don't give the powers that be any ideas.
I'm more in agreement with your original thoughts.

All good things must come to an end.
A later season wouldn't just attract your more typical "non-resident" hunter,
but instead attract the most accomplished, most "eat up" with turkey hunting ones.
Ones like you! :D

Please, young man, for your own sanity, go fishing.
 

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