Looks like Nebraska will be the latest state to follow the trend. They now join TN and GA.
Advertise Turkeys -> Increase Hunters -> Decrease Opportunity to Hunt.
Nebraska advertised so hard that their turkey hunting was "The best in the country." I vividly remember when they did an email blast to every single NWTF member saying that they had the best turkey hunting in the entire country. I told several of my comrades when we received the email that they would regret advertising so hard.
Their website still says: "Nebraska offers some of the best turkey hunting opportunities in the entire country. It's not just that Nebraska's got an awful lot of turkeys – including the highly sought-after Merriams – though it certainly does. Nebraska also offers plentiful and affordable permits, long seasons, public access and $8 permits for youth."
Nebraska now estimates that their populations are down 45% since peaking in 2010. They also had a record number of permits sold last season (55,738) and record number of nonresident hunters (16,551). They will be voting on the following recommendations at the end of August:
Spring-
- Resident: Unlimited Resident Permits, personal limit of two permits
- Nonresident: 10,000 permit limitation, personal limit of one permit.
-Daily Bag limit = 1 per day
Fall-
Oct 1 - Nov 30
Residents and Nonresidents - personal limit of 1 permit
So in just the past 3 years we have seen:
> Georgia pay influencers to advertise their turkeys, then take away a TON of opportunity to hunt turkeys. Especially from public land hunters.
> Tennessee pay influencers to advertise their turkeys, then take away a TON of opportunity to hunt turkeys in two consecutive years.
> Nebraska advertise the heck out of their turkeys, and now voting to take away opportunity.
While I overall agree with the measures these state's are taking to protect their flocks, I can't fathom what they possibly thought would happen with their paid advertising. Advertising works! There is a reason ads are everywhere, it works. So if you see your state starting to advertise the wild turkeys of your state, get ready for mass increase in hunters and then opportunity reduction soon after. This seems to be the new route of state agencies.
How about we spend those advertising dollars on rebuilding our turkey flocks instead of influencers and email blasts? If there is a turkey gobbling on every ridge of the state, hunters will come. No need to advertise.
Harold Knight told me at the last NWTF convention that he believed we would be at a 1 bird limit in every state in the not so distant future. It seems to be coming to fruition.
Yep, they kind of brought this on themselves. With the internet hunters, no need to pay to advertise. If you have turkeys, they will find you.
I do hate to read it may go to one tag per out of stater. It's a long way out there and I'm not sure I would go for one bird. I'll probably hunt it in '23 anyway as I have a hunt in another state and I'll be traveling thru NE. But I won't be hunting the Pine Ridge area.
The NE Game & Parks booth at Nashville was comically big back in February, not surprised in the slightest.
Nebraska had been one of my favorite states to turkey hunt in years past, even on private land this last season the numbers were noticeably down.
I have a feeling that the pressure from May NR hunters is fixing to shift hard to another part of the country and it's going to both ruin some of my favorite states AND change how those states have been traditionally hunted.
Quote from: Jstocks on July 27, 2022, 05:04:07 PM
I have a feeling that the pressure from May NR hunters is fixing to shift hard to another part of the country and it's going to both ruin some of my favorite states AND change how those states have been traditionally hunted.
I agree.
Same thing happened to Kansas...
Not surprised a bit. Many of us have been predicting this very thing on this forum for years. Bout all I have left to say these days: "Told ya so."
Quote from: Kansan on July 27, 2022, 07:36:07 PM
Same thing happened to Kansas...
Yep. 2020 we went to 1 bird in much of the state. You will see one state wide soon. I remember seeing on this very forum that "Kansas is the place the internet killed".
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Quote from: Jstocks on July 27, 2022, 05:04:07 PM
I have a feeling that the pressure from May NR hunters is fixing to shift hard to another part of the country and it's going to both ruin some of my favorite states AND change how those states have been traditionally hunted.
And let me guess..... that area has recently been advertised to no end by YouTube sensations?
Yeah buddy. Don't worry though, its' in the best interest of the resource. Has nothing to do with money or ego. Very few people can actually fathom the idea of going out solo, hunting and enjoying their time alone, and not sharing it with the world all the while not padding their own pockets. The folks that "care" the most have done the most damage. Oh the irony.
Quote from: deerhunt1988 on July 27, 2022, 08:32:46 PM
Not surprised a bit. Many of us have been predicting this very thing on this forum for years. Bout all I have left to say these days: "Told ya so."
That's exactly right! But those people were just haters and jealous.
Sure was fun while it lasted. What state is next on the list to pillage? The youtube tells me WI.
Quote from: AndyN on July 28, 2022, 02:55:37 PM
Sure was fun while it lasted. What state is next on the list to pillage? The youtube tells me WI.
It already got hit hard once after someone's 2019 rampage there. It'll definitely be on the chopping block again as non-residents continue to lose more and more opportunity as YouTubers and influencers exploit public lands for a few bucks and internet fame.
Quote from: deerhunt1988 on July 28, 2022, 04:43:35 PM
Quote from: AndyN on July 28, 2022, 02:55:37 PM
Sure was fun while it lasted. What state is next on the list to pillage? The youtube tells me WI.
It already got hit hard once after someone's 2019 rampage there. It'll definitely be on the chopping block again as non-residents continue to lose more and more opportunity as YouTubers and influencers exploit public lands for a few bucks and internet fame.
Please explain how you think Wi will get pillaged with there being limited license availability.
Quote from: Paulmyr on July 28, 2022, 10:22:06 PM
Quote from: deerhunt1988 on July 28, 2022, 04:43:35 PM
Quote from: AndyN on July 28, 2022, 02:55:37 PM
Sure was fun while it lasted. What state is next on the list to pillage? The youtube tells me WI.
It already got hit hard once after someone's 2019 rampage there. It'll definitely be on the chopping block again as non-residents continue to lose more and more opportunity as YouTubers and influencers exploit public lands for a few bucks and internet fame.
Please explain how you think Wi will get pillaged with there being limited license availability.
I'm referring to public lands. Yes, licenses may be limited, but as non-residents lose opportunity in one place, they will head to another. Or head to the next "holy land" shown on YouTube. Many of us veteran travelers have watched this play out time and time again. As southern seasons come to a close, hunters can swoop into Wisconsin and start picking up the leftovers. Which there are always plenty for some zones those last few weeks. Wisconsin does it right though with giving residents preference in the initial draw.
It just makes sense to travel to a state or plan trips where you have the opportunity to kill multiple gobblers. At the current trajectory we are on, multiple bird states (for non-residents) will just be further targeted.
Quote from: deerhunt1988 on July 29, 2022, 09:39:15 AM
It just makes sense to travel to a state or plan trips where you have the opportunity to kill multiple gobblers. At the current trajectory we are on, multiple bird states (for non-residents) will just be further targeted.
Considering the reason travel turkey hunting has become so popular is to chase the illustrious "US Super Slam" I think your analysis is pretty far off base. Most people are killing one bird in a state and moving on to the next before they can even adequately enjoy the state and what it has to offer, let alone alone worry about "tagging out". People that plan a trip just for the sake of killing more than one turkey are probably the guys that overshoot their limit in their home state, and are more in it for the kill and or the social media glory of the numbers game on how many they killed than anything.
It makes sense to travel to any state or plan a trip where you have the opportunity to kill a gobbler, but also enjoy the scenery and all the landscape has to offer, or to experience new things, or to re-experience past memories. That makes sense. Worrying about how many you can kill while on the trip, and then also wondering why turkey numbers are down, that; that does not make sense.
I will be glad to see more states implementing a one turkey limit for residents and non-residents, but the non-residents in particular.
Quote from: HookedonHooks on July 29, 2022, 12:02:52 PM
Considering the reason travel turkey hunting has become so popular is to chase the illustrious "US Super Slam" I think your analysis is pretty far off base.
We can just disagree on this one.
Yes, the super slam has exploded in popularity. But "super slammers" comprise a very small percentage of traveling turkey hunters.
The northeast is going to get hit harder now.
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Quote from: deerhunt1988 on July 29, 2022, 12:19:34 PM
Quote from: HookedonHooks on July 29, 2022, 12:02:52 PM
Considering the reason travel turkey hunting has become so popular is to chase the illustrious "US Super Slam" I think your analysis is pretty far off base.
We can just disagree on this one.
Yes, the super slam has exploded in popularity. But "super slammers" comprise a very small percentage of traveling turkey hunters.
I agree the super slammers are a small percentage compared to hunters that just travel to near by states. I chose the places I go and usually pass on the 1 bird states. I'm not a numbers guy or super slammer just like to hunt more than 1 day when going to a state.
Quote from: deerhunt1988 on July 29, 2022, 12:19:34 PM
Quote from: HookedonHooks on July 29, 2022, 12:02:52 PM
Considering the reason travel turkey hunting has become so popular is to chase the illustrious "US Super Slam" I think your analysis is pretty far off base.
We can just disagree on this one.
Yes, the super slam has exploded in popularity. But "super slammers" comprise a very small percentage of traveling turkey hunters.
I agree the super slammers are a small percentage compared to hunters that just travel to near by states. I chose the places I go and usually pass on the 1 bird states. I'm not a numbers guy or super slammer just like to hunt more than 1 day when going to a state.
Quote from: Hook hanger on July 29, 2022, 02:47:55 PM
I chose the places I go and usually pass on the 1 bird states. I'm not a numbers guy or super slammer just like to hunt more than 1 day when going to a state.
You must be God's gift to turkey hunting if you show up to every state you go to and kill a bird in 1 day. Then again maybe I just suck. :bike2:
Quote from: HookedonHooks on July 29, 2022, 04:07:52 PM
Quote from: Hook hanger on July 29, 2022, 02:47:55 PM
I chose the places I go and usually pass on the 1 bird states. I'm not a numbers guy or super slammer just like to hunt more than 1 day when going to a state.
You must be God's gift to turkey hunting if you show up to every state you go to and kill a bird in 1 day. Then again maybe I just suck. :bike2:
Does killing 5 in two days not suck?
Quote from: Hook hanger on July 29, 2022, 04:19:51 PM
Quote from: HookedonHooks on July 29, 2022, 04:07:52 PM
Quote from: Hook hanger on July 29, 2022, 02:47:55 PM
I chose the places I go and usually pass on the 1 bird states. I'm not a numbers guy or super slammer just like to hunt more than 1 day when going to a state.
You must be God's gift to turkey hunting if you show up to every state you go to and kill a bird in 1 day. Then again maybe I just suck. :bike2:
Does killing 5 in two days not suck?
Sounds like you hit them right, and had a heckuva time. Necessary, that's totally a personal choice, no one gets to dictate where another man's fun has to end because of their beliefs on anything. When legal, it's totally a personal choice.
Being in the right places throughout the country at the right time probably accounts for a lot of traveling hunters, saying all of them are "Super Slammers" wasn't the best choice of words, but the social media exploitation of that particular feat has certainly made people less content with killing turkeys in their own or neighboring states since that time, that's for sure.
Quote from: deerhunt1988 on July 29, 2022, 09:39:15 AM
Quote from: Paulmyr on July 28, 2022, 10:22:06 PM
Quote from: deerhunt1988 on July 28, 2022, 04:43:35 PM
Quote from: AndyN on July 28, 2022, 02:55:37 PM
Sure was fun while it lasted. What state is next on the list to pillage? The youtube tells me WI.
It already got hit hard once after someone's 2019 rampage there. It'll definitely be on the chopping block again as non-residents continue to lose more and more opportunity as YouTubers and influencers exploit public lands for a few bucks and internet fame.
Please explain how you think Wi will get pillaged with there being limited license availability.
I'm referring to public lands. Yes, licenses may be limited, but as non-residents lose opportunity in one place, they will head to another. Or head to the next "holy land" shown on YouTube. Many of us veteran travelers have watched this play out time and time again. As southern seasons come to a close, hunters can swoop into Wisconsin and start picking up the leftovers. Which there are always plenty for some zones those last few weeks. Wisconsin does it right though with giving residents preference in the initial draw.
It just makes sense to travel to a state or plan trips where you have the opportunity to kill multiple gobblers. At the current trajectory we are on, multiple bird states (for non-residents) will just be further targeted.
I hunted late season Wis for the last 2 years on the weekends. There were plenty of hunters out but the only out of state plates I've seen were mine.
Edit: I should add; late season public.
Quote from: Paulmyr on July 29, 2022, 11:55:54 PM
Quote from: deerhunt1988 on July 29, 2022, 09:39:15 AM
Quote from: Paulmyr on July 28, 2022, 10:22:06 PM
Quote from: deerhunt1988 on July 28, 2022, 04:43:35 PM
Quote from: AndyN on July 28, 2022, 02:55:37 PM
Sure was fun while it lasted. What state is next on the list to pillage? The youtube tells me WI.
It already got hit hard once after someone's 2019 rampage there. It'll definitely be on the chopping block again as non-residents continue to lose more and more opportunity as YouTubers and influencers exploit public lands for a few bucks and internet fame.
Please explain how you think Wi will get pillaged with there being limited license availability.
I'm referring to public lands. Yes, licenses may be limited, but as non-residents lose opportunity in one place, they will head to another. Or head to the next "holy land" shown on YouTube. Many of us veteran travelers have watched this play out time and time again. As southern seasons come to a close, hunters can swoop into Wisconsin and start picking up the leftovers. Which there are always plenty for some zones those last few weeks. Wisconsin does it right though with giving residents preference in the initial draw.
It just makes sense to travel to a state or plan trips where you have the opportunity to kill multiple gobblers. At the current trajectory we are on, multiple bird states (for non-residents) will just be further targeted.
I hunted late season Wis for the last 2 years on the weekends. There were plenty of hunters out but the only out of state plates I've seen were mine.
Edit: I should add; late season public.
Did they all have the same size nuts?
Quote from: nativeks on July 27, 2022, 08:52:46 PM
Quote from: Kansan on July 27, 2022, 07:36:07 PM
Same thing happened to Kansas...
Yep. 2020 we went to 1 bird in much of the state. You will see one state wide soon. I remember seeing on this very forum that "Kansas is the place the internet killed".
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Kansas is the perfect example of how the internet / social media affects the hunting pressure in a state. In the early 2000s, the hunting pressure was minimal. It was pre-YouTube pillaging, but forums and later FB promoted it like the annoying AppleBees commercial....non-stop. Free flowing information of how awesome it was, and endless reports of "limited out in one day". I know of several guys in my home state of Arkansas that had either never turkey hunted or had hunted very little with no success that soon were traveling to Kansas and killing turkeys, posting and sharing of exploits before the turkeys had even quit flopping. Basically, touted as the state for instant gratification in the turkey world. Kansas was old news by the time the YouTube craze really kicked in gear. But, once the faucet gets turned on to that level it can't be turned off.
I have been to traveling to hunt turkeys for years, has nothing to do with any slam! Never been to Florida and it is the only bird I have not taken.
It is way out of the way and from what I have seen of the public land hunts there I have no interest in it, so enjoy!
Quote from: Stoeger_bird on July 30, 2022, 05:45:11 PM
Quote from: Paulmyr on July 29, 2022, 11:55:54 PM
Quote from: deerhunt1988 on July 29, 2022, 09:39:15 AM
Quote from: Paulmyr on July 28, 2022, 10:22:06 PM
Quote from: deerhunt1988 on July 28, 2022, 04:43:35 PM
Quote from: AndyN on July 28, 2022, 02:55:37 PM
Sure was fun while it lasted. What state is next on the list to pillage? The youtube tells me WI.
It already got hit hard once after someone's 2019 rampage there. It'll definitely be on the chopping block again as non-residents continue to lose more and more opportunity as YouTubers and influencers exploit public lands for a few bucks and internet fame.
Please explain how you think Wi will get pillaged with there being limited license availability.
I'm referring to public lands. Yes, licenses may be limited, but as non-residents lose opportunity in one place, they will head to another. Or head to the next "holy land" shown on YouTube. Many of us veteran travelers have watched this play out time and time again. As southern seasons come to a close, hunters can swoop into Wisconsin and start picking up the leftovers. Which there are always plenty for some zones those last few weeks. Wisconsin does it right though with giving residents preference in the initial draw.
It just makes sense to travel to a state or plan trips where you have the opportunity to kill multiple gobblers. At the current trajectory we are on, multiple bird states (for non-residents) will just be further targeted.
I hunted late season Wis for the last 2 years on the weekends. There were plenty of hunters out but the only out of state plates I've seen were mine.
Edit: I should add; late season public.
Did they all have the same size nuts?
"Apparently" somebody needs a timeout and have their phone privileges suspended. I'm not sure this is the right thread or forum for that matter to be discussing your fetishes.
Just how many Traveling UTube Turkey Killing Groups are there? I have lost count. There has to be at least 25 minimum . I used to enjoy watching a bunch of different groups on Utube. Now,I hope never to see 3 or 4 Dudes pop out of a Truck and 4 Mountain Bikes ready to Speed on in on Public.
I would love to know how many Negative interactions must take place before being edited out as in 3 or 4 Dudes arriving in Horace's Fav Field while Local Legend Horace is already set up in a corner.
I'm thinking Horace may be giving himself to much credit, and is more of a legend in his own mind than he is in the minds of the locals.
I'm disappointed as much as the next guy when it comes to what turkey hunting has evolved into. Used to be it was hunter vs. turkey. Now it's more like hunter vs Local legend Horace vs four mountain bike riding dudes vs turkey. I miss the good ole days. And for me that was late 60's to early 2000's. I still enjoy it, and accept it as a it is what it is situation. I still have a couple pieces of public that's pretty dang good. And I hope no one advertises where they are, I know I won't.
Quote from: guesswho on July 31, 2022, 10:32:11 AM
I'm thinking Horace may be giving himself to much credit, and is more of a legend in his own mind than he is in the minds of the locals.
I'm disappointed as much as the next guy when it comes to what turkey hunting has evolved into. Used to be it was hunter vs. turkey. Now it's more like hunter vs Local legend Horace vs four mountain bike riding dudes vs turkey. I miss the good ole days. And for me that was late 60's to early 2000's. I still enjoy it, and accept it as a it is what it is situation. I still have a couple pieces of public that's pretty dang good. And I hope no one advertises where they are, I know I won't.
Regardless of local legends, non-residents, etc. it should be about the turkeys first and foremost, and loose lips negate that. Selfishness regardless of how it's spun. For many, it's about "I" and "Me". I feel blessed to have experienced the days prior to much of the nonsense we see today.
Yep :icon_thumright:
Quote from: El Pavo Grande on July 30, 2022, 09:04:28 PM
Quote from: nativeks on July 27, 2022, 08:52:46 PM
Quote from: Kansan on July 27, 2022, 07:36:07 PM
Same thing happened to Kansas...
Yep. 2020 we went to 1 bird in much of the state. You will see one state wide soon. I remember seeing on this very forum that "Kansas is the place the internet killed".
Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk
Kansas is the perfect example of how the internet / social media affects the hunting pressure in a state. In the early 2000s, the hunting pressure was minimal. It was pre-YouTube pillaging, but forums and later FB promoted it like the annoying AppleBees commercial....non-stop. Free flowing information of how awesome it was, and endless reports of "limited out in one day". I know of several guys in my home state of Arkansas that had either never turkey hunted or had hunted very little with no success that soon were traveling to Kansas and killing turkeys, posting and sharing of exploits before the turkeys had even quit flopping. Basically, touted as the state for instant gratification in the turkey world. Kansas was old news by the time the YouTube craze really kicked in gear. But, once the faucet gets turned on to that level it can't be turned off.
We are watching it play out again with waterfowl. At least I got to see the good old days of my 2 favorite pursuits.
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Quote from: nativeks on July 31, 2022, 07:18:58 PM
Quote from: El Pavo Grande on July 30, 2022, 09:04:28 PM
Quote from: nativeks on July 27, 2022, 08:52:46 PM
Quote from: Kansan on July 27, 2022, 07:36:07 PM
Same thing happened to Kansas...
Yep. 2020 we went to 1 bird in much of the state. You will see one state wide soon. I remember seeing on this very forum that "Kansas is the place the internet killed".
Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk
Kansas is the perfect example of how the internet / social media affects the hunting pressure in a state. In the early 2000s, the hunting pressure was minimal. It was pre-YouTube pillaging, but forums and later FB promoted it like the annoying AppleBees commercial....non-stop. Free flowing information of how awesome it was, and endless reports of "limited out in one day". I know of several guys in my home state of Arkansas that had either never turkey hunted or had hunted very little with no success that soon were traveling to Kansas and killing turkeys, posting and sharing of exploits before the turkeys had even quit flopping. Basically, touted as the state for instant gratification in the turkey world. Kansas was old news by the time the YouTube craze really kicked in gear. But, once the faucet gets turned on to that level it can't be turned off.
We are watching it play out again with waterfowl. At least I got to see the good old days of my 2 favorite pursuits.
Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk
The waterfowling is as good as it's ever been in my part of Kansas, but I'm blessed to own one of the best duck ponds in the country.
From the KDWPT meeting today. I believe it is voted on tomorrow but this is data and the proposal. They want to reduce NR hunters by 25%(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220805/0cf5ab03421c48a8ccd8d2b91f9adc40.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220805/817018d64703a90e2648a3909fcc1628.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220805/06aa0baca80db543018bd4c8229a6cbc.jpg)
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Quote from: nativeks on August 04, 2022, 09:41:54 PM
From the KDWPT meeting today. I believe it is voted on tomorrow but this is data and the proposal. They want to reduce NR hunters by 25%(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220805/0cf5ab03421c48a8ccd8d2b91f9adc40.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220805/817018d64703a90e2648a3909fcc1628.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220805/06aa0baca80db543018bd4c8229a6cbc.jpg)
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Thanks for sharing. Very interesting. Just crazy how quickly things have shifted. NE KS OK were all the rage in recent memory. Hopefully they can return to their former numbers one day.
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Quote from: nativeks on August 04, 2022, 09:41:54 PM
From the KDWPT meeting today. I believe it is voted on tomorrow but this is data and the proposal. They want to reduce NR hunters by 25%(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220805/0cf5ab03421c48a8ccd8d2b91f9adc40.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220805/817018d64703a90e2648a3909fcc1628.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220805/06aa0baca80db543018bd4c8229a6cbc.jpg)
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Wow! Looks like the end to a 20-year tradition and some great friends is near.
Its all just a chain reaction like many of us have predicted.
Nebraska proposes to put a cap on non-residents, their neighbor to the south takes notice and follows suit.
We will continue to see more states enact NR restrictions in the future and turkey hunters brought it upon themselves.
Quote from: cuttinAR on August 05, 2022, 09:01:04 AM
Wow! Looks like the end to a 20-year tradition and some great friends is near.
Why is that? Simply dropping the second bird off is going the take care of a lot of guys. You'll still be able to get a tag with the 25% reduction.
Some more data(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220805/ab1bb22b0bb398a213d3a05cb52519e2.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220805/b2515fcd49f4c39196a8b623d85cfc3e.jpg)
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Quote from: nativeks on August 05, 2022, 12:45:19 PM
Some more data(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220805/ab1bb22b0bb398a213d3a05cb52519e2.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220805/b2515fcd49f4c39196a8b623d85cfc3e.jpg)
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I usually do not think Harvest is a good indication of things, but my gosh... Kansas harvest is dropping like the Titanic. Is it due to less hunters or less turkeys? If I was a betting man, I'd put my chips on significant turkey declines.
Kansas had nearly 2.8 million acres enrolled in CRP in FY 2010. For January 2020, that'd dropped to 1.9 millon acres.
Nearly ONE MILLON acres of CRP lost over the past decade. Thats a lot of good nesting and brood habitat, GONE. Likely converted back into row crop. Not surprising turkey numbers are following a similar trajectory.
Quote from: deerhunt1988 on August 05, 2022, 01:54:46 PM
Kansas had nearly 2.8 million acres enrolled in CRP in FY 2010. For January 2020, that'd dropped to 1.9 millon acres.
Nearly ONE MILLON acres of CRP lost over the past decade. Thats a lot of good nesting and brood habitat, GONE. Likely converted back into row crop. Not surprising turkey numbers are following a similar trajectory.
You beat me to it. I think the reductions in CRP enrollment started in 2011
Kansas pheasant harvest has followed a very similar trend. Harvest started dropping a couple years before turkey, but that's exactly what you'd expect considering the harvest is primarily composed of hatch-year birds, while turkey harvest is almost all 2-3 year old gobblers.
(https://i.imgur.com/jib8CCL.jpg)
Quote from: deerhunt1988 on August 05, 2022, 03:10:48 PM
Kansas pheasant harvest has followed a very similar trend. Harvest started dropping a couple years before turkey, but that's exactly what you'd expect considering the harvest is primarily composed of hatch-year birds, while turkey harvest is almost all 2-3 year old gobblers.
(https://i.imgur.com/jib8CCL.jpg)
Not going to lie I am kind of interested in how they are going to spin the upland bird forecast here in about another month. With 80% of the state in some level or drought, and the pictures I have seen from out west, there are going to be some pissed off hunters as they go from WIHA to WIHA and see it was either converted to row crops or grazed/hayed to the dirt if grass even grew on it.
I bet it will see 1 million acres of land with "pockets" of birds.
Quote from: AndyN on August 05, 2022, 12:16:18 PM
Quote from: cuttinAR on August 05, 2022, 09:01:04 AM
Wow! Looks like the end to a 20-year tradition and some great friends is near.
Why is that? Simply dropping the second bird off is going the take care of a lot of guys. You'll still be able to get a tag with the 25% reduction.
There's a non-resident draw proposed.
Quote from: cwedding on August 05, 2022, 01:25:49 PM
Quote from: nativeks on August 05, 2022, 12:45:19 PM
Some more data(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220805/ab1bb22b0bb398a213d3a05cb52519e2.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20220805/b2515fcd49f4c39196a8b623d85cfc3e.jpg)
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I usually do not think Harvest is a good indication of things, but my gosh... Kansas harvest is dropping like the Titanic. Is it due to less hunters or less turkeys? If I was a betting man, I'd put my chips on significant turkey declines.
Less turkeys. We've got around 10 farms to hunt, all traditional roost sites. Back in the day when winter flocks we're in the 200-300 numbers, after breakup a spring flock would be at each farm. Now, we're at 3/10 farms holding a spring flock. It's an incredibly severe decline.
Best thing KS could have done is the nonresident draw to limit the numbers of people! Not enough turkeys to go around!
Declining turkey populations and loss of hunter opportunities......common sense reasons to be responsible with information advertised, promoted, and shared.