Length of Season - TN

[TheLBLman]

My primary TN turkey hunting County of Stewart just reported a 2023 spring hunter harvest of 387 turkeys. That 387 INCLUDES LBL!
Stewart is 459 square miles, or 293,760 acres.
Somewhere more than 85% of this county would be considered "huntable", and at least was considered good turkey habitat.

293,760 acres x 0.85 = 249,696 huntable acres
249,696 divided 387 turkeys reported = 1 turkey per 645 acres

Hate to tell you this, but Stewart is actually better for turkeys than most of TN's 95 counties.
The low harvest is mainly due to a low turkey population,
which is at least partially due to too many years of 1 turkey per 200 acres being killed,
half of them illegally poached, may or may not have been "checked in".

Personally, I no longer turkey hunt as "hard" as I once did, but I did go several days this year in Stewart Co. After several days of hunting, I finally did kill one long-beard. Maybe could have killed another, but would have felt guilty knowing a couple of my hunting buddies (one being SCN) had hunted harder than myself, and still hadn't gotten one. He was just unlucky, as he's a better turkey hunter than I. So was my other buddy who didn't kill one.

With a low turkey population, even avid accomplished turkey hunters can find it very challenging to kill a Tom turkey via the more traditional "hunting" methods (no bait, no decoys, truly wild birds, not acclimated to backyard bird feeders) especially when the 2-yr-old (or older) Tom population is low.

Many will not understand this, but I'll compare traditional turkey hunting to playing golf. If you play golf by the stated rules, it's a bit more of a challenge getting a "hole in one", than merely walking over to the hole and dropping in the ball. Yet either way, you can proclaim you got a hole in one.
"I got one!"

 

[Willysman]

I still say close it statewide for 3 years! If you want to know if WE are the problem, that is the only sure way to find out! CLOSE IT FOR THREE YEARS!

So us older hunters just as well sell our shotguns.

 

[Soft Talker]

Be a cold day in hell before I abide by any season closure, either here or Florida I will save the rest of my comment for when I am ready to get banned again

 

[OffHand85]

What's it matter how long it is? If you don't have a problem harvesting your limit early why care? Some of cant or didn't get drawn for early hunts, there's one non quota wma that closed to adults after 2 weeks of the season being opened, why can't juveniles get a full week?

 

[scn]

What's it matter how long it is? If you don't have a problem harvesting your limit early why care? Some of cant or didn't get drawn for early hunts, there's one non quota wma that closed to adults after 2 weeks of the season being opened, why can't juveniles get a full week?

Juveniles can hunt EVERY day of the season.

 

[knightrider]

What's it matter how long it is? If you don't have a problem harvesting your limit early why care? Some of cant or didn't get drawn for early hunts, there's one non quota wma that closed to adults after 2 weeks of the season being opened, why can't juveniles get a full week?

Juveniles have the longest season of all, all dad has to do is quit being selfish and let the kids shoot till they tag out

 

[Huntaholic]

So us older hunters just as well sell our shotguns.

Maybe so, but is it ALL about you? Its not all about me and I fall into that "old hunter" category as well.

 

[Willysman]

Maybe so, but is it ALL about you? Its not all about me and I fall into that "old hunter" category as well.

You can go ahead and sell your gun. I'm sure not selling mine.

 

[Huntaholic]

I tried to explain where and how I came up with the 3 year suggestion, but it appears to be falling on deaf ears. Whatever, just keep killing and see where that gets us. YES, Ive killed my fair share and then some but Ive been blessed to have PLENTY of places to hunt scattered across multiple counties so I never over hunt a property or even a area. In addition to that, Ive also hunted more states than I can count off the top of my head. I UNDERSTAND not everybody has put the dedication and commitment into it that I have. Notice I didnt say arent able to? Better than 90% of yall ARE ABLE TO, you just dont make it a priority. Instead, you want to stay in your own little area, kill 47 birds a year off a 100 ac property, then fluffy kitten about it when it doesnt happen. Yet most arent willing to do what needs to be done to ensure this resource is still around for our kids and grandkids. \
Can I quit for 3 years? SURE I CAN, just me wont make any difference though.

 

[knightrider]

I tried to explain where and how I came up with the 3 year suggestion, but it appears to be falling on deaf ears. Whatever, just keep killing and see where that gets us. YES, Ive killed my fair share and then some but Ive been blessed to have PLENTY of places to hunt scattered across multiple counties so I never over hunt a property or even a area. In addition to that, Ive also hunted more states than I can count off the top of my head. I UNDERSTAND not everybody has put the dedication and commitment into it that I have. Notice I didnt say arent able to? Better than 90% of yall ARE ABLE TO, you just dont make it a priority. Instead, you want to stay in your own little area, kill 47 birds a year off a 100 ac property, then ***** about it when it doesnt happen. Yet most arent willing to do what needs to be done to ensure this resource is still around for our kids and grandkids. \
Can I quit for 3 years? SURE I CAN, just me wont make any difference though.

But is it all about you sure seems like it

 

[Soft Talker]

But is it all about you sure seems like it

This guy talks more sh#t than Megladongmaniac.

 

[Huntaholic]

This guy talks more sh#t than Megladongmaniac.

Ya think so?? ESAD for all I care.

 

[Huntaholic]

But is it all about you sure seems like it

Ya know I heard once about how you should never argue with an IDIOT because a passerby might not be able to tell which one is the idiot! NOTHING about any of what I posted was "all about me" as some asshats choose to put it. Its more of a credentials list and a resume so to speak. I find with each passing day around here my green strip list gets larger, CONGRATS you and softpuffer just made the list!

 

[knightrider]

Ya know I heard once about how you should never argue with an IDIOT because a passerby might not be able to tell which one is the idiot! NOTHING about any of what I posted was "all about me" as some asshats choose to put it. Its more of a credentials list and a resume so to speak. I find with each passing day around here my green strip list gets larger, CONGRATS you and softpuffer just made the list!

Credentials

 

[Soft Talker]

Yeah, he always came off to me as someone who was just a little too full of themself.

 

[deerfever]

I can provide at least a couple good reasons why we shouldn't (at least in the near term).

In times past there were not near as many accomplished turkey hunters, and only a fraction the non-resident turkey hunters. We also had a 2-bird limit back then (which for the 1st time since, we also have now).

It appears the single best thing we can do to help improve nesting success may be to not kill too many older Toms BEFORE they've bred the older hens. These older Toms know what they're doing & are much more effective at getting the job done (unlike jakes in early April). Also, many young hens are not "ready" to be bred before mid-April (or later), and there needs to be plenty of male birds available to get that job done.

Prior to this year, it appears we were simply killing way too many older Toms TOO EARLY.

Then, compared to times past, not only are there more "accomplished" turkey hunters, but even the average turkey hunters, especially the novice ones, are much more proficient at simply killing turkeys. This is in part the result of online instruction providing "experience" in times past accrued over a longer time horizon. It's also due to the turkey guns' effective ranges increasing as much as 50%.

Lastly, is the issue of killing turkeys over "bait". Generally speaking, baiting turkeys just doesn't work as well after mid-April, since the turkeys by then have an abundance of insects and plants to forage.

Adding to the killing over bait issue has been in the increase in people moving beyond suburbia, many having only a couple acres, but they have a wildlife (or "bird") feeder behind their house. There has been a huge increase in turkey kills over bait from people shooting off their back porches. This, imo, will only continue to grow (despite it being illegal and having nothing to do with turkey hunting).

This last thing about more people with small acreage poaching turkeys over bait from their yards is really huge when put in the context of the sustainable turkey harvest over the surrounding 200 acres. In many good habitat areas we see a hunter harvest of much less than 1 bird per 200 acres, yet we have a growing number of people with 2 acres killing turkeys in their back yards (typically over bait). If over bait, this is poaching, and actually "stealing" from the legitimate hunters.

Not long ago, I heard solid evidence of a father & son who poached 8 Toms over a corn feeder behind their house in early April. They bragged about it in Sunday school. All 8 were "checked in" as "legal" kills. Their attitude was "it's our land & we'll do as we please". That family owned @ 5 acres of land, yet poached more birds than were legitimately hunter harvested that year on the surrounding 1,000-plus acres. I believe that particular problem was nipped in the bud, but it's an ongoing & growing issue all across TN.

That is why I suggested a one week delay , 5 week season compromise with two ways to deal with Non residents. This would probably be satisfactory with most. It covers all you have pointed out. If private landowners feel there needs to be more time for the Toms to breed simply just do not hunt the first week , they still have a 4 week season. The simpler solution to me if you believe the Chamberlain stuff would be to hunt your land but avoid killing the dominant gobbler with all the hens. More than likely any Gobbler you call in will not have hens and not be doing the breeding according to the theory, if he did have hens he is not coming to you to begin with. Chamberlain himself says in the TWRA article " What we don't understand is (what) removing those dominant toms at a particular part of the season does if anything". Baiting and other illegal activity should have nothing to do with season setting as those people have always existed and always will no matter when you have a season. Most of your poachers probably pay no attention to season dates to begin with. The problem is not hens getting bred it's nest being raided and poults being snatched by predators and weather during hatch. Having a later season will not control those factors.We have had a great hatch the last two years under the old dates, hens were getting bred. We just need to hope the weather is right again this year, the poults survive the predators and we will have 3 great hatches in a row! Again just my thoughts, I will not demean anyone for feeling differently and respect other opinions.I will hunt whenever the season is set by the TWRA and commissioners.

 

[Goodtimekiller]

You guys complain about everything, you wanted changes, they made them for you against scientific data, now you complain about the changes they made that you wanted. Most of you guys need to look at the scientific data put out and long term population trends around the country. The good hunters will not be in the woods past the may 1 with a 2 bird limit, the bad hunters have probably given up by then because of heat, ticks, snakes and fishing.

 

[Joe2Kool]

TWRA has made significant changes the last few years. Not everyone agrees with the changes, and that's Ok. The population and harvest trends will determine the next steps. Sure, and unfortunately, there will be some politics, non-scientific inputs, and catering to certain groups. But if the trends continue, seasons will get shorter, bag limits will go down.

Regarding the OP, the length of season was a compromise. Is it too long? IDK. See my comments above.

 

[utbeef]

I'm not going to hunt past mid May And i hunt high elevation mountain birds. At some point the woods get too dang jungle like for my liking. I'm totally fine with a 4 week season.

This has been the worst season I've had since my very first season in 1993. Most morning are silent, I mean zero gobbles. I've worked two birds, both in KY and they're both dead. I haven't had a TN bird answer me yet, nor heard one close enough to even call at. I am in shock how bad hunting is in my area.

I'm with ya on the worst season. Worked a gobbler and killed him first week of season. Had 2 other gobblers on that farm, but didn't want to kill one of the last 2 there. Never heard another gobble on any of the other farms i hunt until mid May. Hoping our turkey population can rebound here in west tn. A four week season would suit me as well.

 

[Grnwing]

To be honest I feel like the season is effectively a 4 week season by default due to the later opening date. I'm sure a few folks will be out wandering around the last week of May but I'm interested to see how many people are still trying at that point that haven't already tagged out and of those folks how successful they are at getting a gobbler that late.

I didnt hunt as much this year but was out the last day of the season and got 3 different gobblers going, I was surprised to have that much action on a hot late May day. That being said, I still rather have those hunts in mid April and not the end of May.