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Vote to lower limits

Have not heard this rumor but it would be sweet to my ears if true,I'd be very pleased with a statewide limit of two gobblers!
 
Any talk of pushing season back 2 weeks? I don't think a lower limit by itself will be enough.

I had a self imposed limit of 2 birds for over a decade on my farms, and it didn't make a difference... granted, neighbors were killing 4 themselves.

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megalomaniac":2jxnp4oz said:
I don't think a lower limit by itself will be enough.
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My thinking as well. So what if it saves a few toms, if breeding/nesting success still sucks not sure how much a difference it'll make in the overall health of the population over the longer term.
 
Boll Weevil":ruzcjzka said:
megalomaniac":ruzcjzka said:
I don't think a lower limit by itself will be enough.
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My thinking as well. So what if it saves a few toms, if breeding/nesting success still sucks not sure how much a difference it'll make in the overall health of the population over the longer term.
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By this statement, it is the breeding/nesting success that is more to blame than the number of toms for breeding. If that is correct, why even lower the limit or push the season back 2 weeks? I am playing devil's advocate and I do understand your point.
 
The April meeting of the F&W Commission will discuss proposals for upcoming seasons. That meeting is Friday (remote Zoom meeting.) It will be streamed online I believe. I'm sure the commission and TWRA are discussing lots of things right now for possible proposals. The final vote will be at the May meeting. So pay attention Friday and if you don't like the proposed changes, call your commissioner and rally everyone else you get to call as well.
 
Coker":1cia8163 said:
Boll Weevil":1cia8163 said:
megalomaniac":1cia8163 said:
I don't think a lower limit by itself will be enough.
Click to expand...
My thinking as well. So what if it saves a few toms, if breeding/nesting success still sucks not sure how much a difference it'll make in the overall health of the population over the longer term.
Click to expand...
By this statement, it is the breeding/nesting success that is more to blame than the number of toms for breeding. If that is correct, why even lower the limit or push the season back 2 weeks? I am playing devil's advocate and I do understand your point.
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I honestly believe nesting success is based on fertility. And fertility is based on number of toms available for the hen to pick from when she begins ovulating, as well as the number of toms that remain available during the 2 weeks of laying (since the hen continues to breed fairly regularly to maximize fertility of the eggs toward the end of her clutch). A hen that isn't bred will stay lay eggs, but somehow she senses they are not fertile and she may just drop them random places instead of laying them in an actual nest.

In areas with a ton of male birds, removing a couple early won't affect nesting success. But there are more areas in TN with just a smattering of turkeys instead of a ton, and removing even just a couple could have devastating effects on fertility. In all areas of the state, having a holdover of adult toms after season ends is also very beneficial to ensure jennies actually get bred, as well as those hens who have to renest get bred again.

In other words, the number of male birds killed is important, but not nearly as important as WHEN they are killed during the breeding season (or in the case of TN, killed even prior to breeding.)

I used to be on the "lower the limit" bandwagon a decade ago when I began seeing turkeys disappear from areas they had been present for the 15 years prior. But after examining so many nests and eggs found during 1st hay season, I realized nests weren't even being initiated until the 2nd to 3rd week of April, and hens weren't setting on average until the first week of May. That observation made me realize that delaying season start would produce far more benefits to allowing turkeys to expand in population and recolonize areas that have lost birds.
 
He might loose out on hunting because of work? Or maybe he hunts other states?

If TN pushed season back it would loose out on NR hunters...which isn't a bad thing. We just need to address funding.


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Southern Sportsman":1ampmdro said:
muddyboots":1ampmdro said:
If they move season 2 weeks Later I won't have a season.
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Why?
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For some reason our turkeys act way different than majority of state. Right now hunting here is basically deer hunting and I care nothing for that. Hens are with hens. Gobblers with gobblers. If our season starts 2 weeks later I have no desire to go. I care nothing about sitting in a blind and hoping a gobbler walks by. I personally don't think thats the problem. Our season used to open last Saturday in March and hunting was phenomenal then. But limit was 2. I think that is the key. Just my opinion.
 
For the record this wasn't a poll or opinion, there were rumors today that our season was going to be adjusted immediately to lower limits or early closure due to kill totals. That's where this originated
 
Setterman":2z8hxl6y said:
For the record this wasn't a poll or opinion, there were rumors today that our season was going to be adjusted immediately to lower limits or early closure due to kill totals. That's where this originated
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That's most likely only a rumor, as the agency almost never does anything proactively.
 
AT Hiker said:
He might loose out on hunting because of work? Or maybe he hunts other states?

If TN pushed season back it would loose out on NR hunters...which isn't a bad thing. We just need to address funding.

Funding has to be taken out of the equation. If not, turkeys will not exist in substantial numbers in order to be a part of the equation.
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I think they should try a later season for 4-5 years and see if that helps. Limits don't matter as much as timing on when they are shot.
April 12 or so would be a good start date in my area, this is the time of year when you see lots of single hens spread out over the countryside nesting.


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