Turkey Bag Limit!

[Uncle Jesse]

It should never have been raised to 4, period. Several of us burned this place up when they made the change, but no one listened

Yes I'd be fine with a 2 bird limit.

But we can't stop there. No more hens killed for any reason even the bearded ones some googans view as trophies. No jakes, period end of story. Outlaw the dam decoys and reaping. Do those things and watch how quickly this cam rebound.

Keep the status quo and watch things get worse, which is what TWRA will do because the googans can't handle learning how to hunt or being restricted on the number of Facebook posts

Shouldn't we kill Jake's and let the Toms breed?

 

[Uncle Jesse]

Was it ever at 3? Or did it go from 2 to 4? I can't remember

 

[FARMTOFIELD]

Ive said it before but Ill say it again, HUNTERS need to take some responsibility as well to population management no matter what the limits are. Spend some time actually studying about turkey habits and breeding and imposing limits and guidlines on the areas you hunt. it always amazes me how little a lot of turkey hunters actually know about the biology of turkeys. If there is a single gobbler on a piece you hunt and you kill it the first week dont complain there are no turkeys where you hunt.

also stop with the "I hunt public so joe smith is gonna shoot them anyways" or the "neighbor kills them all anyways" mentality. You can only control your behavior so take some responsibility in it.

HUNTERS and HUNTING TACTICS are part of the solution/problem.

It looks good on paper, but I haven't killed a turkey on bbn our place in 10 or so years. There is always 1 (just 1 no more) gobbler and a few hens on 2000 acres. And the neighbors kill him opening weekend every. Single. Year. And I'm almost 100% certain they kill him over bait.

I understand better than anyone that a lone gobbler does not need to be killed, but in reality should I pass him up just to let them kill him? And there is no "well they might not kill him" they will absolutely kill him opening morning.

 

[Wrangler95]

Thanks for your opinions!Im like most of you,I would like a 2 bird limit on gobblers,complete protection of hens and bearded hens.Maybe the TWRA will change the limit soon to a 2 bird limit,should have been done years ago!I also agree the season be started 2 weeks later!

 

[gobblesandgrunts]

Definitely

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

 

[Stlbaseball1]

I've suggested during comment period the last few years to TWRA to reduce the bag limit. I would support any reduction. Some may favor to ease into it - 3 bird limit say in 2021 and 2 bird limit in 2022. Just a thought.
Cutting the limit in half is hard to swallow for some folks. I know it's not comparing apples to apples but consider reducing the mallard limit from 4 to 2. You would never hear the end of such a thought!!

 

[PalsPal]

Was it ever at 3? Or did it go from 2 to 4? I can't remember

I think I remember at one time you could kill 2 on private land and then 2 more on WMAs. I cant remember if it ever went to 3 and 1 before it went to 4 total.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[tnanh]

I've suggested during comment period the last few years to TWRA to reduce the bag limit. I would support any reduction. Some may favor to ease into it - 3 bird limit say in 2021 and 2 bird limit in 2022. Just a thought.
Cutting the limit in half is hard to swallow for some folks. I know it's not comparing apples to apples but consider reducing the mallard limit from 4 to 2. You would never hear the end of such a thought!!

Hard to swallow doesn't matter. Making people happy doesn't matter. It is TWRA and the commissions job to manage our wildlife and fisheries and they are failing miserably. They do not need to wait at all. Change it now for THIS SEASON to a two bird limit. They took every opportunity they could to brag and toot their horn about the turkey restoration. I wish they would take pride in saving what was restored.

 

[megalomaniac]

So how many guys that have said push the season taking the first couple weeks off?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ridiculous statement. 2/3 of all turkeys killed in the six week season are killed in the first 9 days. Saving 100 birds by a few sitting out the first two weeks while the rest of the state kills 20,000 during that time frame wont make a bit of a difference

Sent from my SM-G970U1 using Tapatalk

That's a question not a statement. It goes along with what Ren said above about hunters needing to take action

It's not a statement, it's an insinuation. At least the way I read it. If it's an honest question, see my reply above. There are virtually no hunters (including myself) willing to watch half the male population get killed while sitting on the sidelines because it's the right thing. If we could just trust all hunters to do the right thing, there would be no need for TWRA, limits, season dates, etc. The very reason we have TWRA, limits, and season structure dates is BECAUSE hunters will NOT do what's in the best interest of the game (at least 99%).

I'm not advocating for much of anything. Keep your 4 bird limit if you feel like you are giving up too much flopping. Just let the jakes and hens live, and give the birds 2 more weeks to establish fertile nests before we kill all the toms. Heck, even keep a 6 week season if you feel like your days in the woods are not enough.

If the population keeps declining despite my suggestions above, then pull off the gloves and lower limit to 2, outlaw all decoys, and make Temik legal to use for predators.





Sent from my SM-G970U1 using Tapatalk

 

[TheLBLman]

Notice a majority of us seem to be in favor of delaying the season's opening
and in favor of reducing the bag limit.

No one, not even a TWRA turkey biologist,
can honestly say these two ideas wouldn't be very beneficial to our declining turkey populations.

So what is the real opposition to doing something, like these two ideas,
which are remarkably simple (no enforcement issues)?

Why not declare the season's opening to be the 2nd Saturday of April
instead of the Saturday closest to April 1st
which is often in the month of March?

Why not simply reduce the bag limit?

 

[PalsPal]

I have a hard time believing that money from the sale of out of state licenses isn't a strong factor in the agency's resistance to lowering the limit and/or delaying opening the season by a week or two.

I'd imagine that that the money generated from those license sales is pretty significant.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[tnanh]

I have a hard time believing that money from the sale of out of state licenses isn't a strong factor in the agency's resistance to lowering the limit and/or delaying opening the season by a week or two.

I'd imagine that that the money generated from those license sales is pretty significant.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk[/quote

If they don't hurry up and do something to attempt to help they sure wont be selling many license to out of state hunters. No turkeys or quality hunting people wont come to Tennessee to hunt. Even residents will quit.

 

[Southern Sportsman]

I have a hard time believing that money from the sale of out of state licenses isn't a strong factor in the agency's resistance to lowering the limit and/or delaying opening the season by a week or two.

I'd imagine that that the money generated from those license sales is pretty significant.

Always. Follow. The. Money. This is the biggest part of the reluctance. They wont admit it of course. I know from a source as reliable as they come with personal knowledge that there were serious internal discussions with the last 2-3 years about allowing 2 birds per day. To make TN more attractive for out of state hunters. 4 birds and you could do it on a 2 or 3 day trip.

On a certain level, I get it. (Not allowing 2 per day. That I definitely don't get). But TWRA doesn't get funding from the general state budget funds. They have to have money to manage resources, and money comes from license sales. So they have to be protective of their license sales. But that doesn't justify watching one of our greatest resources dwindle.

 

[TDW05]

I personally would like to see the bag limit at 2, start season two weeks later and a minimum 6 in beard restriction.

Wouldn't mind seeing a 1 bird limit per WMA either. Like they are doing in West TN.

Beard restrictions? That's a little overkill don't you think?

 

[th88]

Although many folks (including biologists) will argue that reducing the bag limit will have no effect on the population (and they very may well be right, i'm not arguing that), it WILL certainly help improve hunt quality down the road. Gobbler carryover can play a major role in keeping hunt quality high, especially after a couple years of bad hatches. I've grew up hunting extremely pressured public land where 75%+ of the gobblers killed are 2-year olds. You can really tell the effects of one bad hatch and if you string together two, there may not be many gobbling birds around in the upcoming seasons!

One of my favorite parts about hunting out of state in areas with more conservative bag limits is the significantly increased likelihood of killing an older bird. For example, Missouri. Their season structure allows for plenty of gobbler carryover. I've hunted there every year for the past 13 springs and even with the recent streak of bad hatches, I never have a problem finding a bird to chase. Some years almost every bird my crew kills will have 1"+ spurs.

Anyone who has spent a lot of time traveling to turkey hunt will understand where I am coming from. I'd gladly give up a gobbler or two on my annual bag limit in order to ensure we have more gobblers to chase the following spring. Yeah, it may not bolster the population, but if that gobbler can make it through the current season alive there is a decent chance he will be around to gobble the next. And going consecutive mornings without hearing a single gobble SUCKS!

 

[Andy S.]

One of my favorite parts about hunting out of state in areas with more conservative bag limits is the significantly increased likelihood of killing an older bird. For example, Missouri. Their season structure allows for plenty of gobbler carryover. I've hunted there every year for the past 13 springs and even with the recent streak of bad hatches, I never have a problem finding a bird to chase. Some years almost every bird my crew kills will have 1"+ spurs.

Anyone who has spent a lot of time traveling to turkey hunt will understand where I am coming from. I'd gladly give up a gobbler or two on my annual bag limit in order to ensure we have more gobblers to chase the following spring. Yeah, it may not bolster the population, but if that gobbler can make it through the current season alive there is a decent chance he will be around to gobble the next. And going consecutive mornings without hearing a single gobble SUCKS!

DITTO!!

 

[Wrangler95]

I remember back in the 90's I could go out in my backyard at first light and hear gobblers all around the neighbor hood,maybe 7 or 8 gobblers gobbling and now Im lucky to hear any at all.Sure has changed alot from those days!!

 

[Levee Jumper]

I personally would like to see the bag limit at 2, start season two weeks later and a minimum 6 in beard restriction.

Wouldn't mind seeing a 1 bird limit per WMA either. Like they are doing in West TN.

Beard restrictions? That's a little overkill don't you think?

Only real legal way to protect jakes IMO. If a tom or two with beard rot get through the cracks it wouldn't be the end of the world.

 

[Andy S.]

Beggars cannot be choosers, so I would just like to see the Agency take ANY step in the right direction. Show that they are aware, that they have some initiative, that these valid field reports are not falling on deaf ears, year after year after year. We have to start somewhere to ensure quality turkey hunting for years and generations to come.

 

[Bgoodman30]

So how many guys that have said push the season taking the first couple weeks off?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ridiculous statement. 2/3 of all turkeys killed in the six week season are killed in the first 9 days. Saving 100 birds by a few sitting out the first two weeks while the rest of the state kills 20,000 during that time frame wont make a bit of a difference

Sent from my SM-G970U1 using Tapatalk

That's a question not a statement. It goes along with what Ren said above about hunters needing to take action.

Also from NWTF:


Here are four facts that researchers find may be the cause for decline:

1.Production, not predation, drives turkey populations

2. With high population densities, a significant number of hens won't access quality nesting habitat and may not successful hatch or raise a brood

3.Carrying capacity becomes an issue, productivity is declining because hens are nesting in suboptimal habitat

4. Vegetation measurements contribute to the success or failure of nesting sites… little vegetation means little chance at poult survival

It seems that in some areas birds have reached carrying capacity and have declined as the capacity of the habitat to support a certain number of birds has declined. If the habitat conditions decline across multiple counties and states, then birds have no choice but to decline with it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This! We punish some with the lower limits but its no matter unless you make the drastic change to 2 birds .. I think we will have small population swings upwards and down but the limits won't change things much..

I am pretty sure TWRA harvest reporting know the percentage of hunters that kills 4 birds, 3 birds etc? It seems to me it was around 5 % that limit out. So for example they lower it to three you add 5% to the number that kill 3 birds and you should be able to somewhat accurately predict future harvest numbers? I would say that reduced harvest number spread statewide would make little to no difference. It seems the few that do limit out are smart with management and spread their kills over several properties/public. I don't think I know anyone that kills their 4 birds off one farm even though I know places where that would be possible.