Possible turkey units?

[TheLBLman]

I suspect this will have a cult like following (support). Many of them have requested this for years in the season setting comment period. Time will tell how this pans out.

I agree with you, Andy.
Count me personally as one of those who for years has asked for better turkey management.
But "better" does not mean more confusing & complicated.

For years, I thought, from a game-law perspective, the main thing needing changed was to open our statewide season a week or two later, and have a statewide limit of LESS than 4.

To actually work well, statewide, it needs to be simple.
IMO, where we're at right now, with the season opening later than it did,
with the bag limit going from 4 to 2 birds, we're likely ok, and don't need any new major reg changes.

Now, nothing to do with TWRA or turkey regs, we turkey hunters could do a better job in enhancing the resource by doing simple things like trapping raccoons and improving habitat.

 

[deerfever]

I was in another state last year on a WMA for a juvenile turkey hunt with my son. Same deal different zones, public/ private different dates. As we drove down a road two fellows walking stopped us and ask us if you could drive as I told them yes , just look at you map it shows what roads are open. I quickly recognized these guys both with guns were way over 15. I said to them you realize this is a juvenile hunt? One of them quickly with a puzzled look says this is zone 1 or whatever, yes but it's only open on private lands this WMA is juvenile this weekend . He then replied we are 16 , yes I replied but in this state juvenile ends at 15. Lol, needless to say as we came back truck was gone and the 16 year old whose phone had his wedding photo as a screen saver and his buddy were gone. Yep , both were from TN! Lol, sometimes you can over complicate things but no excuse for not knowing the regulations, especially out of state.

 

[Andy S.]

............ but no excuse for not knowing the regulations, especially out of state.

Concur. Along those lines, you simply cannot regulate carelessness and stupidity.

 

[deerhunter10]

Twra will screw it up. all the time, money and resources going in to study and helping the turkeys this is the best they can come up with?

 

[tnanh]

Total joke as long as they continue to use the online checkin.

Having turkey units WILL NOT work.

People who cheat with online check in will definitely cheat if they have to drive their sorry butts to a checking station. I do understand the argument about them lying about which county they killed an animal in but a liar is going to lie and cheat either way.

 

[megalomaniac]

I just don't see how units would help, honestly (other than potentially opening up season in west TN early March, but keeping rest of state with mid April opening dates to better coincide with nest initiation dates).

The population explosion/ crashes are often not county wide, but rather extremely localized. There are many spots just LOADED with turkeys and could sustain a 4 bird harvest for a few years... but drive just a few miles down the road in the same county and there are virtually ZERO birds (on places that used to have plenty) and any kills by hunters is detrimental to any chance of a population recovery in the future.

IMO, the biggest single change the 'turkey biologists' could push for to give them something to micromanage would be to alter season limits and close fall season hunting in years following poor poult recruitment. Have a great hatch with 4 pph in August, have a more liberal limit 2y later. Have an abysmal hatch, cut the limit the following year and eliminate fall hunting.

 

[th88]

Anxious to see what they do in regards to public lands. If they don't open at a standardized date, pressure could get even worse on some areas.

 

[Kelljp]

Looks like the closest TWRA public meeting to me next week is in Morristown (2hour drive). Be nice if it were closer. Would like to talk to someone rather than get confused with the website. Maybe offer Zoom meeting invites for public? If you can't ask questions before they change it than what they come up with is there for next season. Looks like the regional commissioners would hold some more localized meetings before they meet in the 4 state public meetings.

 

[Madbowh]

I think they need to leave it alone. The place I've been turkey hunting the past 12 years has been a roller coaster as far as turkey population. The first year I counted 98 birds in one field the next year less than 50. 2 years later they were getting close to 100 again. I think the turkey population can fall off or bounce back really quickly.

Like scn said with the current check in procedure it'll never work doing regions. If they do that they are just trusting you to be honest and there's way more dishonest people. I'm sure they will do this for turkey season, they do for deer and it ain't no different. When you check a deer in you can say any county you want, if your willing to risk some trouble if caught.

For me I think it's too easy to just read the regs book and do what it says,I think it's more work fighting and bucking the system than not

 

[Madbowh]

I don't even like listening to them try not to hijack here.... Catoosa deer went from 3 bonus bucks to 1 not a bonus buck and same doe limit. I asked them about it they say harvest numbers being down is why BS. Keep killing the does that'll bring em up. They are idiots. More guys on here know way more than they do

 

[knightrider]

I just don't see how units would help, honestly (other than potentially opening up season in west TN early March, but keeping rest of state with mid April opening dates to better coincide with nest initiation dates).

The population explosion/ crashes are often not county wide, but rather extremely localized. There are many spots just LOADED with turkeys and could sustain a 4 bird harvest for a few years... but drive just a few miles down the road in the same county and there are virtually ZERO birds (on places that used to have plenty) and any kills by hunters is detrimental to any chance of a population recovery in the future.

IMO, the biggest single change the 'turkey biologists' could push for to give them something to micromanage would be to alter season limits and close fall season hunting in years following poor poult recruitment. Have a great hatch with 4 pph in August, have a more liberal limit 2y later. Have an abysmal hatch, cut the limit the following year and eliminate fall hunting.

That sounds good but they would actually have to get out of a chair and see how many or lack there of is on the ground!!! And no their surveys dont mean crap the same people who cant tell a bearded hen from a gobbler are filling out the surveys

 

[david k.]

IMO, policies should be made based on data and local conditions, not as a way to keep people from cheating. Cheaters are gonna' cheat....but because most of them also can't keep their mouths shut or stay off social media, many of the will get caught.

 

[Smells Like Sulfur]

I can definitely see this. Not that it will really affect me any being in west TN, but I guarantee you if we get to open a week or two earlier that people in middle and east TN will be hunting at the same time as me and just checking the birds in online in a west TN county. As much as I was against the pushing back of the season I have to admit it probably helped to make me more successful last year and I'm perfectly fine with it going forward.

I would bet that we we'll see GPS access from the TWRA app soon. They'll know exactly where you checked that bird in.

If they suspect you killed the bird in a different county, they could easily get your phone records, and follow your parh to see exactly where you were hunting. Even if you're not running GPS on your phone, it's possible to track your location.

They'll be able to see somebody spend 6 hours in the woods in a "legal" zone, then all of a sudden they'll drive 4 hours and check in a bird.

I think that digital tagging is in its first stages, and will become much more secure and complex in the coming years. The requirement of a geotagged photo would make it difficult to falsify your location.

The TWRA app already has location permissions by default. They already know where you are.

 

[megalomaniac]

I would bet that we we'll see GPS access from the TWRA app soon. They'll know exactly where you checked that bird in.

If they suspect you killed the bird in a different county, they could easily get your phone records, and follow your parh to see exactly where you were hunting. Even if you're not running GPS on your phone, it's possible to track your location.

They'll be able to see somebody spend 6 hours in the woods in a "legal" zone, then all of a sudden they'll drive 4 hours and check in a bird.

I think that digital tagging is in its first stages, and will become much more secure and complex in the coming years. The requirement of a geotagged photo would make it difficult to falsify your location.

The TWRA app already has location permissions by default. They already know where you are.

View attachment 199636

The scariest person to me in the turkey woods is someone in their mid 40s to 50s who only carries a facemask, shotgun, single call, knife, and ziplock bags. No phone for them. Prob no ID either. They aren't worried about being geo-tracked.

 

[deerhunter10]

T

I would bet that we we'll see GPS access from the TWRA app soon. They'll know exactly where you checked that bird in.

If they suspect you killed the bird in a different county, they could easily get your phone records, and follow your parh to see exactly where you were hunting. Even if you're not running GPS on your phone, it's possible to track your location.

They'll be able to see somebody spend 6 hours in the woods in a "legal" zone, then all of a sudden they'll drive 4 hours and check in a bird.

I think that digital tagging is in its first stages, and will become much more secure and complex in the coming years. The requirement of a geotagged photo would make it difficult to falsify your location.

The TWRA app already has location permissions by default. They already know where you are.

View attachment 199636

There are a lot of people that don't tag til they get home. I'd ge willing to bet if they go that far they will some how end up in another lawsuit. Not exactly what for but I would be willing to bet someone would figure out a way.

 

[MickThompson]

Looks like the closest TWRA public meeting to me next week is in Morristown (2hour drive). Be nice if it were closer. Would like to talk to someone rather than get confused with the website. Maybe offer Zoom meeting invites for public? If you can't ask questions before they change it than what they come up with is there for next season. Looks like the regional commissioners would hold some more localized meetings before they meet in the 4 state public meetings.

I've been involved in public meetings a few times. They go 1 of 2 ways usually and neither is productive- 1) barely anyone shows up, or 2) it turns into open mic night for anyone that ever got a ticket to share their grievances and grandstand.

Have you tried to contact agency staff directly?

 

[MickThompson]

I don't even like listening to them try not to hijack here.... Catoosa deer went from 3 bonus bucks to 1 not a bonus buck and same doe limit. I asked them about it they say harvest numbers being down is why BS. Keep killing the does that'll bring em up. They are idiots. More guys on here know way more than they do

How many does get killed on the short bow hunt and youth hunt? Can't be many on 90,000 acres.

Why shouldn't a Catoosa buck count against your bag limit?

 

[mike243]

I might be wrong but when you ck something in I am pretty sure your gps location is taken, ck something in a county or 2 away might throw a red flag?

 

[Smells Like Sulfur]

I might be wrong but when you ck something in I am pretty sure your gps location is taken, ck something in a county or 2 away might throw a red flag?

And in my opinion, as artificial intelligence gets better at what it does, it will be even harder to dupe the system.

The scariest person to me in the turkey woods is someone in their mid 40s to 50s who only carries a facemask, shotgun, single call, knife, and ziplock bags. No phone for them. Prob no ID either. They aren't worried about being geo-tracked.

I agree, but I think it would be pretty rare to find somebody romping around the woods without some kind of cell phone / GPS these days. 10 or 15 years ago maybe, but not now.

 

[Kelljp]

The scariest person to me in the turkey woods is someone in their mid 40s to 50s who only carries a facemask, shotgun, single call, knife, and ziplock bags. No phone for them. Prob no ID either. They aren't worried about being geo-tracked.

If you added another call, a pack of crackers and a few years older, l would take it personal