Sometimes Science Loses

[Andy S.]

This sounds all too familiar to me, unfortunately. I hope States can soon get away from this and leave the wildlife science to those who dedicate their lives to it, without any political motivation so to speak.

https://www.islandpacket.com/opinion/op ... 62603.html

 

[megalomaniac]

Lol, at least SC acknowledged nest initiation isn't until April 9th there. I havent gotten anywhere with TNs biologists to realize nest initiation averages April 10 thru 14th in middle TN.

But I've given up. Fought the fight too long. I'm just going to enjoy chasing what's left until they are gone.

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[TheLBLman]

. . . . . at least SC acknowledged nest initiation isn't until April 9th there.

Yep,
and the turkey biologist there pretty much said it would be damaging to the resource to open turkey season any earlier than that.

I would assume turkeys nest just a few days earlier in SC than in TN?
This would suggest the TN season needs to open after April 9 to NOT harm the resource?

 

[megalomaniac]

. . . . . at least SC acknowledged nest initiation isn't until April 9th there.

Yep,
and the turkey biologist there pretty much said it would be damaging to the resource to open turkey season any earlier than that.

I would assume turkeys nest just a few days earlier in SC than in TN?
This would suggest the TN season needs to open after April 9 to NOT harm the resource?

SC is incredibly diverse habitat wise.... the low country is similar to west TN and the turkeys prob initiate nests around April 1st. The rest of the state is similar to middle and East TN, and 2nd week of April is when turkeys start to lay

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[woodsman04]

I'd say turkeys start nesting in Giles, Lincoln, Lawrence, and Wayne around April 10 on average.

Ideal season open date should be April 10-14.


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[Bone Collector]

I'd say turkeys start nesting in Giles, Lincoln, Lawrence, and Wayne around April 10 on average.

Ideal season open date should be April 10-14.


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Side question. If TN would finally listen to this line of logic, would you be ok with adding time to the end of season?

Personally I wouldn't mind it opening later and closing later, with a lower limit. I'm personally ok with 3, but would be fine with 2.

 

[woodsman04]

I'd say turkeys start nesting in Giles, Lincoln, Lawrence, and Wayne around April 10 on average.

Ideal season open date should be April 10-14.


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Side question. If TN would finally listen to this line of logic, would you be ok with adding time to the end of season?

Personally I wouldn't mind it opening later and closing later, with a lower limit. I'm personally ok with 3, but would be fine with 2.

Not a biologist so what I said above may not be backed by scientific evidence, but I've hunted and been around and studied wild turkeys long enough to know when they start nesting.

So to answer the side note, I'd be fine with adding on to end of the season because by then most hens have been bred, since they are mostly bred at the beginning of April in the first place. But, hunting in my areas seems to get really tough around May 7th till the close. They have just been hunted too long, too hard, and again it's done got so hot by then. I've seen gobblers be back in bachelor groups at this time, but not always. I still think they are willing to breed but not as willing.

Also, it would not effect population as much because most hens have been bred, they aren't as easy to kill this late in the season, and most outdoorsmen have maybe decided to finally give up and bream fish.

The only negative I could see to this is the more people are in the woods the more likely of a chance to bump setting hens.



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[TheLBLman]

IMO, opening the turkey season later, for the same number of hunting days, then closing "later"
would do much LESS harm to the resource that what is currently happening with season opening around April 1st.

Ideal season open date should be April 10-14.

Side question. If TN would finally listen to this line of logic, would you be ok with adding time to the end of season?

I'd be fine with adding on to end of the season because by then most hens have been bred, since they are mostly bred at the beginning of April in the first place.

Exactly.
Same number of hunting days, but nesting success greatly enhanced by later opening.

But, hunting in my areas seems to get really tough around May 7th till the close.
They have just been hunted too long, too hard, and again it's done got so hot by then.

Opening season a week later, then closing it a week later,
would equal the same number of hunting "pressure" days?

Just because we might open the season a week or two later,
why does that necessarily mean we should therefore extend the season a week or two longer?
Why not just keep the same ending date we've had?

I've seen gobblers be back in bachelor groups at this time, but not always.
I still think they are willing to breed but not as willing.
. . . . . and most outdoorsmen have maybe decided to finally give up and bream fish.

Here's the thing:
There is a HUGE difference between "willing to breed"
vs. VERY proactively SEEKING to BREED!

Buck deer are "willing" to breed in March,
but they're not roaming around aggressively looking to breed like they're doing DURING the rut.
Male turkeys behave similarly.

Although we do see some exceptional late season days,
typically, the QUALITY of our turkey hunting becomes less after the first few days of May in most of TN.
Ah, but what a QUALITY time to be fishing instead of turkey hunting!

So, you just brought up a very good "outside the box" thought:

Why shouldn't we be promoting "Outdoorsmen" (and Outdoorswomen!) more than simply killing as many turkeys as can possibly be killed?

How about TWRA doing more with walking the talk about conservation and "not" harming the resources?

How about with more focus on quality resources, quality outdoor adventures, we sell more RESIDENT hunting/fishing licenses
than by simply pursuing the early-season non-resident license sales?

A well-rounded "Outdoorsman-Outdoorswoman" is a LIFETIME hunter?

Meanwhile, too much focus on deer & turkey hunting may be reducing opportunities for youth to become "well-rounded" hunters/fishers?

How many avid deer hunters fail to take their children on "more fun to the kids" small-game hunting because of the conflicts of long deer seasons?

How many avid turkey hunters fail to take their children on "more fun to the kids" fishing trips because of conflicts of long turkey seasons?

Just saying.

 

[cowhunter71]

I don't know one "serious" Turkey Hunter who allows a long Turkey season to "conflict" them. You need to stick to deer and small game hunting bud, as well as arm chair biology and fishing in the Spring