Dogwoods blooming, under story greening up, turkeys gobbling and we still cant hunt them
This stinks
- Thread starter knightrider
- Start date
AT Hiker
Well-Known Member
Opposite problem for me in WY. It's snowing, no green and 18 degrees this morning…but hey, my tag opened up the other dayDogwoods blooming, under story greening up, turkeys gobbling and we still cant hunt them
I would rather have your problem, because i would be after emOpposite problem for me in WY. It's snowing, no green and 18 degrees this morning…but hey, my tag opened up the other day
AT Hiker
Well-Known Member
Hoping to be this weekend. My daughter has her first turkey tag and I snagged some private access for her, thankfully because all the birds are still down low on private. Plus the roads have been either snowed in or too muddy to drive.
I'm flying back to TN to wrap up some work in early May, I'm sure it'll be nice and green by then but hopefully I can find a bird.
megalomaniac
Well-Known Member
Season has been open for almost a month, just have to travel a bit.
As far as TN goes, I have much more enjoyed hunting mid May than late March from before the switch till after the switch.
As far as TN goes, I have much more enjoyed hunting mid May than late March from before the switch till after the switch.
In Mississippi on over crowded public land with a ton of out of state googans, no thanks. I miss my early, cold, wide open woods turkey hunting that the geniuses took from us for no biological reason.
Southern Sportsman
Well-Known Member
"No biological reason" is a stretch. Like with everything, different scientists have different opinions. But the reasoning for the delay is 100% biological. And 100% logical.
Nope, made absolutely no difference. Weve had the same start for 30 years and was never a problem, until the dieoff that happened across every season date of every state thats been in the decline. Hatch, weather and disease not season dates. If the start made such a difference the population would never been what it was! Get off the chamberlin koolaid hes an idiot. It wasnt biological, it was a knee jerk reaction buy a commission that doesnt have a clue! Get rid of decoys,fans, do habitat improvements, trap and you'll see a difference
Fast Learner
Well-Known Member
So the later start doesn't help the turkeys at all? The dominant bird doesn't get to breed more hens multiple times before getting slaughtered by rubber turkeys.
Fast Learner
Well-Known Member
@knightrider I'm not personally attacking you I'm just saying if you love the resource and it makes 1% difference then it helps!
lol
Well-Known Member
Could be in my boat, like last year, my turkeys disappear 3 days before youth hunt.
Setterman
Well-Known Member
I love the late start date
deerhunter10
Well-Known Member
I personally like it.
Agree 100%. IMO, it's idiotic to not be legally hunting in TN right now. Youth Hunt will be a washout or wind tunnel and 80 plus degrees. Easter weekend is the 2nd weekend of the season- hopefully guys will be focused on their faith or families. Makes no sense to complain about a decrease in hunters and then take away half the season. Younger hunters have limited weekends to hunt with travel ball and proms. Weather is always a factor this time a year to take away even more opportunities.
deerhunter10
Well-Known Member
It's the same length season if I'm not mistaken. There's not many 16 and younger people going to prom. Travel ball is also a choice not a must. Noone is claiming hunters numbers are down that I am aware of. Weather is just as much a factor 2 weeks ago as now. It's spring. I understand you don't like it but at least make good points. The only "opportunity " they took away is they went from 4 birds to 2. Which they should have done years ago. Probably should have never even been a thing. The opportunity is the same as it was, Just a few weeks later. Don't like it go to Mississippi, Florida, Alabama or any other state that is open right now.
I don't like it but that's only cause I'm selfish and hate waiting longer for it to open
However to say it was "for no biological reason" just isn't accurate. Their choice was based on biology, the issue was it was based on a theory with no data to prove it was right. While I don't like it I do appreciate they finally decided to try something. Now I just hope IF it turns out to not provide any benifit beyond reasonable doubt they will move it back closer to normal and try something else like regulating decoys or other areas that actually do impact hunter and success numbers
However to say it was "for no biological reason" just isn't accurate. Their choice was based on biology, the issue was it was based on a theory with no data to prove it was right. While I don't like it I do appreciate they finally decided to try something. Now I just hope IF it turns out to not provide any benifit beyond reasonable doubt they will move it back closer to normal and try something else like regulating decoys or other areas that actually do impact hunter and success numbers
FARMTOFIELD
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The only ones crying are ones that haven't dealt with a massive die off. Us that have, are just happey after 20 years that they are trying something
Setterman
Well-Known Member
I truly love the late start. I hunt some of the highest elevations in the state and the earlier starts were really tough. Wide open winter woods meant you literally couldn't move on birds most times. It was also cold as hell many years, with temps in the low 20's which I'm sorry is not turkey hunting weather. In addition the birds were in giant winter flocks and the hunting at times was virtually impossible. The later start is just really nice for me and where I hunt, I am lucky that with the 2 bird limit I don't need 6 weeks to kill my birds, so I get to hunt what I consider the prettiest time of the season in the woods as everything is greening out.
I took my son on a quota juvenile hunt last Saturday. We got on a bird that we had seen strutting with hens the day before. Worked him for 3 hours ,made him gobble numerous times , had to watch every move we made in the open woods and when all was said and done he wouldn't leave the real thing. Absolutely 100 percent the way the start of the season should be and we had a great time. You want to do something that would actually help , simply ban fans and male decoys. If start dates made an impact Missouri, Kentucky, Arkansas and others wouldn't have had a drop off when the whole South did. Vice versa Mississippi wouldn't have had the great hatches the last few years just like everyone else has. It's all an up and down cycle based on weather , predators and habitat.
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