With similar weather and photoperiod ?
Trying to increase the population?
Here in E. Texas our season opens April 15. I further south that most of MS, AL and even OK opens before we do. Populations keep declining, I think they moved it back to make sure every hen had a tom available during peak breeding time.
They have always set it to open the closest Monday to the 16th of April. They think most years the majority of the breading will be done by then.
To put it frankly they relly care about their turkey populations unlike a state like NC that opens too early before majority of breeding is done. Everyone want to start hunting early but they don't understand the way to keep bird numbers up is m0st breeding should be done the overall health of population should mean more to hunters than killing birds. And the south wonders why they have declining populations having to cut tags change season dates ask SC and Ark. People just have to remember this ain't deer hunting it has to be treated different and I have always respected Missouri dedication to the wild turkey
Well said turkey foot
You have to applaud Missouri for trying to keep the numbers high. They get a lot of pressure on their birds and the biologist know it. In turn, the state actually listens to their hired people it seems. Lots of their hunting regs favor the turkey, not the hunter. In my state (NC) uneducated hunters/shooters want to start hunting birds the instant they hear the first gobble.
Dear Lordy spring is coming early, save us !!
They bombard our 19 appointed game commissioners (that don't hunt) to move the season up earlier and earlier every year. Turkey hunters that know nothing about turkey reproduction are a HUGE detriment to turkeys everywhere.
Quote from: turkeyfoot on February 28, 2017, 05:27:18 PM
To put it frankly they relly care about their turkey populations unlike a state like NC that opens too early before majority of breeding is done. Everyone want to start hunting early but they don't understand the way to keep bird numbers up is m0st breeding should be done the overall health of population should mean more to hunters than killing birds. And the south wonders why they have declining populations having to cut tags change season dates ask SC and Ark. People just have to remember this ain't deer hunting it has to be treated different and I have always respected Missouri dedication to the wild turkey
They lengthened the season by opening it up earlier by 12 days and adding 4 days to the end in the upstate of SC. It used to be April 1 - May 1.
March 20 - May 5. The limit is now 3 statewide. They changed the lowcountry from March 15 - May 1 to March 20 - May 5. Everything statewide is now uniform from dates to limits.
It had nothing to do with any documented scientific data. If it did, please post the information. Habitat change and kneejerk reactions from lawmakers is what changed our season. Per actual acreage of viable habitat, we have plenty plenty of turkeys as a state.
Quote from: dirtnap on February 28, 2017, 06:43:41 PM
Quote from: turkeyfoot on February 28, 2017, 05:27:18 PM
To put it frankly they relly care about their turkey populations unlike a state like NC that opens too early before majority of breeding is done. Everyone want to start hunting early but they don't understand the way to keep bird numbers up is m0st breeding should be done the overall health of population should mean more to hunters than killing birds. And the south wonders why they have declining populations having to cut tags change season dates ask SC and Ark. People just have to remember this ain't deer hunting it has to be treated different and I have always respected Missouri dedication to the wild turkey
They lengthened the season by opening it up earlier by 12 days and adding 4 days to the end in the upstate of SC. It used to be April 1 - May 1.
March 20 - May 5. The limit is now 3 statewide. They changed the lowcountry from March 15 - May 1 to March 20 - May 5. Everything statewide is now uniform from dates to limits.
It had nothing to do with any documented scientific data. If it did, please post the information. Habitat change and kneejerk reactions from lawmakers is what changed our season. Per actual acreage of viable habitat, we have plenty plenty of turkeys as a state.
I'm not trying to stir the pot in any fashion but like elk, animals should be regulated by region. Deer populations and turkey populations should be treated the same. If numbers are declining, changing dates or shortening seasons isn't a bad idea. Just because harvest records don't show a decline doesn't mean that it's not happening. Deer back home are spotty and I'm just as guilty as the next guy. If a tag is available, I'll fill it. Reducing the numbers in regions isn't a bad thing while increasing in others is applauded as well. It just depends on what's going on in that area. Looking at harvest records (not implying that's where you're getting your numbers from) isn't a tell all for what's really going on. I e no idea what's going on in SC but I do know that people have complained here that our season starts too late and that most breeding is over with making hunting the birds harder. If that makes the difference of seeing their numbers increase or at least remain stable, so be it.
MDC (MO dept. of conserv.) established the model for turkey re-introduction via relocation of captured birds from other states in the 60's and 70's. It was wildly successful, to the point of massive overpopulation in the early/mid 80's.
The population has balanced itself out and MO is and has been ever since a premiere turkey destination.
MDC knows this and limit the season/bag limit to maintain the great hunting we have.
Other states copied MO's methods of reintroduction.
Wish they would follow the lead by copying our later season start date as well.
It works.
Being born and raised in southern mo and knowing I will spend every spring that I live there, I feel as though I have a right to comment here. I think it is absolutely insane our seasons start as late as they do. I am not a sky is falling and season will be over before it gets here guy, regardless there will be birds that gobble and il find a way to kill them. But if your in the southern part of the state right now and you are excited at what is coming I'd have to question how long you have been hunting turkeys. Monday I listened to birds spread out all over and they gobbled untill I left them at 8 45. I have heard birds gobble early and expect it but they didn't stop when they hit the ground and they were gobbling in all directions hundreds of gobbles from multiple birds. It was February 27th. We have a bag limit that won't change which I am fine with. We have our weeks set up in a form of 1 bird only first week, I'm great with that. If someone could tell me honestly the last season we had where peak breeding was remotely close to the middle of april I'd like to know. Peak breeding will be late march and if its unuasually warm like everyone is forcasting it will be very tough by april 17th. I hate that. I hate having to kill birds with gobble calls the last week and a half of season. It makes no sense at all. If the mdc is praised by you for the protect numbers mentaility then how do they justify our firearms rifle season that will fall very close to peak breeding every year, we offer unlimited doe tags In numerous countys, and we have legalized cross guns from Sept 15th through Jan 15th. How much has the deer harvest changed? Has the population been decimated due to over harvest or disease? It just dosent make sense. In my opinion turkey season has been 2 weeks late for the past several seasons , unlike deer, elk and almost any other game you have no opertunitiy to chase them with alternative weapons and you have to take what you get. I will continue to go to kansas and Illinois and then wait a couple weeks to hunt at home... Bag limits won't change regardless of when the season opens but the way you hunt will, everything is unusually early this year. Water temps are way up, fishing is almost a month ahead of schedule, everything is in bloom if not blossoming and as I type this it's february. I'm not sure you'll be able to see a bird in the woods by April 17th... There is no normal or usually anymore though
Everyone wishes their turkey hunting was like Missouri's but no one wants to do what Missouri does in order to have what they have.
Wow didn't know we had it so good in Missouri. I have had some very tough seasons .due to season timing. Much of the northern part of the state has a population below the original stocking levels. You can drive around and not even spot any turkey for hours and hours.Having talked to many farmers and conservation officials who say the same thing. Our spots did have a dozen or more gobbler a few years back and now lucky to hear 2-3 . And that change didn't come from us killing them out.
We did go south this past year and it was a lot better but lots and lots of people are around Truman and lake of the ozark.
Funny thing we went to Kansas and thought this is way to easy, lots of birds and low hunting pressure and the earlier season.
Quote from: sevetts on February 28, 2017, 11:02:16 PM
Being born and raised in southern mo and knowing I will spend every spring that I live there, I feel as though I have a right to comment here. I think it is absolutely insane our seasons start as late as they do. I am not a sky is falling and season will be over before it gets here guy, regardless there will be birds that gobble and il find a way to kill them. But if your in the southern part of the state right now and you are excited at what is coming I'd have to question how long you have been hunting turkeys. Monday I listened to birds spread out all over and they gobbled untill I left them at 8 45. I have heard birds gobble early and expect it but they didn't stop when they hit the ground and they were gobbling in all directions hundreds of gobbles from multiple birds. It was February 27th. We have a bag limit that won't change which I am fine with. We have our weeks set up in a form of 1 bird only first week, I'm great with that. If someone could tell me honestly the last season we had where peak breeding was remotely close to the middle of april I'd like to know. Peak breeding will be late march and if its unuasually warm like everyone is forcasting it will be very tough by april 17th. I hate that. I hate having to kill birds with gobble calls the last week and a half of season. It makes no sense at all. If the mdc is praised by you for the protect numbers mentaility then how do they justify our firearms rifle season that will fall very close to peak breeding every year, we offer unlimited doe tags In numerous countys, and we have legalized cross guns from Sept 15th through Jan 15th. How much has the deer harvest changed? Has the population been decimated due to over harvest or disease? It just dosent make sense. In my opinion turkey season has been 2 weeks late for the past several seasons , unlike deer, elk and almost any other game you have no opertunitiy to chase them with alternative weapons and you have to take what you get. I will continue to go to kansas and Illinois and then wait a couple weeks to hunt at home... Bag limits won't change regardless of when the season opens but the way you hunt will, everything is unusually early this year. Water temps are way up, fishing is almost a month ahead of schedule, everything is in bloom if not blossoming and as I type this it's february. I'm not sure you'll be able to see a bird in the woods by April 17th... There is no normal or usually anymore though
I think the whole idea is NOT to have peak breeding close to the season but rather to have most breeding done by that time. So it's warm now and birds are gobbling here in North MO also but who's to say March won't be colder than normal. I've heard them on warm Nov days deer hunting gobble like it's spring. Comparing deer to turkeys is apples to oranges. Fawn survival rates are much higher than it is for poults allowing deer populations to flourish where a wet and/or cold spring can drastically affect turkey numbers. I like the seasons how they are for the most part.
Quote from: sevetts on February 28, 2017, 11:02:16 PM
Being born and raised in southern mo and knowing I will spend every spring that I live there, I feel as though I have a right to comment here. I think it is absolutely insane our seasons start as late as they do. I am not a sky is falling and season will be over before it gets here guy, regardless there will be birds that gobble and il find a way to kill them. But if your in the southern part of the state right now and you are excited at what is coming I'd have to question how long you have been hunting turkeys. Monday I listened to birds spread out all over and they gobbled untill I left them at 8 45. I have heard birds gobble early and expect it but they didn't stop when they hit the ground and they were gobbling in all directions hundreds of gobbles from multiple birds. It was February 27th. We have a bag limit that won't change which I am fine with. We have our weeks set up in a form of 1 bird only first week, I'm great with that. If someone could tell me honestly the last season we had where peak breeding was remotely close to the middle of april I'd like to know. Peak breeding will be late march and if its unuasually warm like everyone is forcasting it will be very tough by april 17th. I hate that. I hate having to kill birds with gobble calls the last week and a half of season. It makes no sense at all. If the mdc is praised by you for the protect numbers mentaility then how do they justify our firearms rifle season that will fall very close to peak breeding every year, we offer unlimited doe tags In numerous countys, and we have legalized cross guns from Sept 15th through Jan 15th. How much has the deer harvest changed? Has the population been decimated due to over harvest or disease? It just dosent make sense. In my opinion turkey season has been 2 weeks late for the past several seasons , unlike deer, elk and almost any other game you have no opertunitiy to chase them with alternative weapons and you have to take what you get. I will continue to go to kansas and Illinois and then wait a couple weeks to hunt at home... Bag limits won't change regardless of when the season opens but the way you hunt will, everything is unusually early this year. Water temps are way up, fishing is almost a month ahead of schedule, everything is in bloom if not blossoming and as I type this it's february. I'm not sure you'll be able to see a bird in the woods by April 17th... There is no normal or usually anymore though
Not being able to hunt birds the way you want to is one thing, not having birds to hunt is another....I'm sure you would much better prefer the problem you have now.... With that being said I hunt in KY and our season opens 2 days before MO and our management efforts mirrored MO in the beginning. Its a sound plan I wouldn't knock it. Just ask the TN guys what an early season and a 4 bird limit gets you after a few yrs.....
Several southern states have been doing studies or at least having conversations due to bird numbers being down. I've heard Missouri talking about areas with lower numbers but I'd sure like to have their problems with their populations and harvest numbers being better than many states could imagine.
Being from MN where we can pick only one seven days time period to turkey hunt. It would seen nice to hunt longer like most other states south of us. But with the amount of hunters we have, to good turkey land I sure hope they don't lengthen the seasion, or open state wide. That will kill pockets of turkeys in our state for sure. Sorry I got off on my State, just saying a lot of states have problems. We will not always agree with everything, just hope the people we have in charge use some common sense with there book smart. And hope the anti hunting population doesn't find ways to keep us out of ours woods, long or short, altogether. Thats why they call it hunting. I have a while to wait I went to Florida last year can't afford again this year. Good luck everone where ever you must hunt.
There is a very interesting study that I believe is in its second year (sorry I don't have any links to the study) in the state of Missouri involving some radio tracked birds which preliminary results indicate the percentage of gobblers killed by hunters may be much lower than previously believed.
Here in Missouri, we are truly blessed with suitable habitat statewide. While MDC is recognized as a premier state agency and did a great job with the reintroduction efforts, I'm not sold on the idea that their conservative approach impacts numbers that much today.
Quote from: sevetts on February 28, 2017, 11:02:16 PM
Being born and raised in southern mo and knowing I will spend every spring that I live there, I feel as though I have a right to comment here. I think it is absolutely insane our seasons start as late as they do. I am not a sky is falling and season will be over before it gets here guy, regardless there will be birds that gobble and il find a way to kill them. But if your in the southern part of the state right now and you are excited at what is coming I'd have to question how long you have been hunting turkeys. Monday I listened to birds spread out all over and they gobbled untill I left them at 8 45. I have heard birds gobble early and expect it but they didn't stop when they hit the ground and they were gobbling in all directions hundreds of gobbles from multiple birds. It was February 27th. We have a bag limit that won't change which I am fine with. We have our weeks set up in a form of 1 bird only first week, I'm great with that. If someone could tell me honestly the last season we had where peak breeding was remotely close to the middle of april I'd like to know. Peak breeding will be late march and if its unuasually warm like everyone is forcasting it will be very tough by april 17th. I hate that. I hate having to kill birds with gobble calls the last week and a half of season. It makes no sense at all. If the mdc is praised by you for the protect numbers mentaility then how do they justify our firearms rifle season that will fall very close to peak breeding every year, we offer unlimited doe tags In numerous countys, and we have legalized cross guns from Sept 15th through Jan 15th. How much has the deer harvest changed? Has the population been decimated due to over harvest or disease? It just dosent make sense. In my opinion turkey season has been 2 weeks late for the past several seasons , unlike deer, elk and almost any other game you have no opertunitiy to chase them with alternative weapons and you have to take what you get. I will continue to go to kansas and Illinois and then wait a couple weeks to hunt at home... Bag limits won't change regardless of when the season opens but the way you hunt will, everything is unusually early this year. Water temps are way up, fishing is almost a month ahead of schedule, everything is in bloom if not blossoming and as I type this it's february. I'm not sure you'll be able to see a bird in the woods by April 17th... There is no normal or usually anymore though
I'm a Texas county landowner with a deer lease in Linn county. Hunt all over the state.
MDC has very little outside pressure influencing the turkey population and regulations.
There are full time agriculture and insurance lobbyists who continually pressure MDC to kill more deer, so you cannot reliably compare the two.
You are from southern MO and so you know how great it is. I'm sure you see all the out of state license plates just like I do yet we still have plenty of birds. You said you don't have a hard time finding a bird to work, even if it is late season. And IMO any decent turkey hunter can find and tag a bird in southern MO. Yet Missouri still outranks most of the country in both harvest and total population.
MDC's model for turkey works. And it works better than any other state. Which is why we're the #1 state for turkey.
Quote from: Hooksfan on March 01, 2017, 11:05:10 AM
There is a very interesting study that I believe is in its second year (sorry I don't have any links to the study) in the state of Missouri involving some radio tracked birds which preliminary results indicate the percentage of gobblers killed by hunters may be much lower than previously believed.
Here in Missouri, we are truly blessed with suitable habitat statewide. While MDC is recognized as a premier state agency and did a great job with the reintroduction efforts, I'm not sold on the idea that their conservative approach impacts numbers that much today.
I agree 100%...
Quote from: Gooserbat on February 28, 2017, 11:07:55 PM
Everyone wishes their turkey hunting was like Missouri's but no one wants to do what Missouri does in order to have what they have.
Ditto! Protect the resource so you, and others, can enjoy the resource for many years to come. MDC is doing the right thing and I commend them for it.
I too am a Texas county land owner, I never said I didn't have birds to hunt. I do, plenty of them. I also have very large deer. The original post was on why missouri seasons opened so late. Which then turned into every other state wishes they had what missouri had, and then into that's the reason we have what we have, and then into I somehow don't apriciate it. I love the Ozark hills as much as anyone who has ever breathe the air in, water dosent taste right unless it's out of my well, knowing there are turkeys gobbling, Bradford pears blooming, and white bass starting to run as I type warms my soul more than a million dollar lottery ticket. I LOVE missouri and missouri turkey hunting period. Nothing can or will ever take that from me. I live in the greatest place in the greatest country on earth. I commented on how late our turkey season opens, it does, it opens too late. I don't remember ever thinking as I was growing up that seasons were late, but especially the past decade it's late and they way birds act and work are different because they are in a different stage than we used to hunt them. I am absolutely not in favor of lengthening season, I am absolutely not in favor of increasing bag limits, I am not in favor of hunting past 1. I however believe that starting our season 10 days earlier would have zero impact on our population, spring turkey season like deer season has and will always be based on the breeding, that's when they do their thing. When that starts happening the first of march it creates a problem for a season that dosent open untill april 17th. There is great information in the 2013 missouri turkey report for anyone who wishes to see it. It shows population and harvest numbers state wide since season was introduced. Population declined 24% between 1992 and 2012 and has continued that trend the past 5 and it isn't due to harvest numbers. Missouri was created as heaven for the wild turkey by God, it's the habitat that gives us the turkey hunting we have and all missouri turkey hunters are blessed, but that has nothing to do with the fact that our season opens too late imo
I was under the impression that MO's numbers were down. Nothing against MO, I loved it when I hunted it years ago, but I'm pretty sure I've heard quite a few guys crying doom and gloom for MO. Now I'm hearing that MO is what all states wish they were. Interesting.
North Missouri is way way down, check out the harvest numbers on mdc
Quote from: sevetts on March 01, 2017, 01:54:21 PM
I too am a Texas county land owner, I never said I didn't have birds to hunt. I do, plenty of them. I also have very large deer. The original post was on why missouri seasons opened so late. Which then turned into every other state wishes they had what missouri had, and then into that's the reason we have what we have, and then into I somehow don't apriciate it. I love the Ozark hills as much as anyone who has ever breathe the air in, water dosent taste right unless it's out of my well, knowing there are turkeys gobbling, Bradford pears blooming, and white bass starting to run as I type warms my soul more than a million dollar lottery ticket. I LOVE missouri and missouri turkey hunting period. Nothing can or will ever take that from me. I live in the greatest place in the greatest country on earth. I commented on how late our turkey season opens, it does, it opens too late. I don't remember ever thinking as I was growing up that seasons were late, but especially the past decade it's late and they way birds act and work are different because they are in a different stage than we used to hunt them. I am absolutely not in favor of lengthening season, I am absolutely not in favor of increasing bag limits, I am not in favor of hunting past 1. I however believe that starting our season 10 days earlier would have zero impact on our population, spring turkey season like deer season has and will always be based on the breeding, that's when they do their thing. When that starts happening the first of march it creates a problem for a season that dosent open untill april 17th. There is great information in the 2013 missouri turkey report for anyone who wishes to see it. It shows population and harvest numbers state wide since season was introduced. Population declined 24% between 1992 and 2012 and has continued that trend the past 5 and it isn't due to harvest numbers. Missouri was created as heaven for the wild turkey by God, it's the habitat that gives us the turkey hunting we have and all missouri turkey hunters are blessed, but that has nothing to do with the fact that our season opens too late imo
Wasn't trying to insinuate a lack of appreciation. My apologies if that's how it came out.
My point is if its not broke, (and working pretty good) don't fix it (or be very cautious about any changes to the current model.)
I'm aware of the current gobbler radio collar study, and if good, solid data supports a 10 day bump up without harming the population I'd be on-board. I personally don't see how moving the date up would do anything but lead to more dead gobblers sooner, seeing that they'd be easier to hunt, which would then lead to less breeding activity. (I could be wrong) And with the population in decline in many areas, would right now really be a good time to bump it up?
I personally think the coyotes are a much bigger problem to MO turkeys than hunters.
I enjoy meeting other s. MO turkey hunters. Be glad to buy you a beer after 1pm this spring.
Good luck this year!
Quote from: sevetts on March 01, 2017, 01:54:21 PM
I too am a Texas county land owner, I never said I didn't have birds to hunt. I do, plenty of them. I also have very large deer. The original post was on why missouri seasons opened so late. Which then turned into every other state wishes they had what missouri had, and then into that's the reason we have what we have, and then into I somehow don't apriciate it. I love the Ozark hills as much as anyone who has ever breathe the air in, water dosent taste right unless it's out of my well, knowing there are turkeys gobbling, Bradford pears blooming, and white bass starting to run as I type warms my soul more than a million dollar lottery ticket. I LOVE missouri and missouri turkey hunting period. Nothing can or will ever take that from me. I live in the greatest place in the greatest country on earth. I commented on how late our turkey season opens, it does, it opens too late. I don't remember ever thinking as I was growing up that seasons were late, but especially the past decade it's late and they way birds act and work are different because they are in a different stage than we used to hunt them. I am absolutely not in favor of lengthening season, I am absolutely not in favor of increasing bag limits, I am not in favor of hunting past 1. I however believe that starting our season 10 days earlier would have zero impact on our population, spring turkey season like deer season has and will always be based on the breeding, that's when they do their thing. When that starts happening the first of march it creates a problem for a season that dosent open untill april 17th. There is great information in the 2013 missouri turkey report for anyone who wishes to see it. It shows population and harvest numbers state wide since season was introduced. Population declined 24% between 1992 and 2012 and has continued that trend the past 5 and it isn't due to harvest numbers. Missouri was created as heaven for the wild turkey by God, it's the habitat that gives us the turkey hunting we have and all missouri turkey hunters are blessed, but that has nothing to do with the fact that our season opens too late imo
Great reply and I am with you 100%.
What is interesting are the folks so worried turkey hunters are going to interrupt the breeding that don't realize more folks are out in the woods mushroom hunting during the peak breeding time than would ever be turkey hunting. Until you can show me turkeys can distinguish between a turkey hunter and mushroom hunter, I ain't buying into that.
Quote
What is interesting are the folks so worried turkey hunters are going to interrupt the breeding that don't realize more folks are out in the woods mushroom hunting during the peak breeding time than would ever be turkey hunting. Until you can show me turkeys can distinguish between a turkey hunter and mushroom hunter, I ain't buying into that.
Mushroom hunters are responsible for zero dead gobblers per year. Yes they're intruding into turkey habitat, but turkeys live with predators within their habitat on a daily basis.
A dead gobbler has zero chance of breeding.
How can we be positive that the later start date isn't partially responsible for the good #'s we have?
I live and hunt in southern MO. I think numbers are down in my spots. My personal opinion is it is the darn hogs. I see more hog sign every year and it seems like see less turkey sign.
I know hogs have nothing to do when season opens but I think our numbers have suffered locally and it sure seems like the hogs are getting thicker. Maybe they don't have the impact I think they do but that's just what I'm experiencing in my areas.
I think what we fail to realize as missouri hunters is something is broken, and it has nothing to do with our season start date which supposedly produces the turkey hunting we have. We went from a high of an estimated 650,000 birds to last year's estimate of 308,000 birds. That's a loss of an estimated 342,000 birds in less than 25 years. Here is a couple of states who are maintaining there populations with longer seasons and much higher bag limits and also now have a higher turkey population than missouri. Alabama-5 bird limit, 450,000 birds. Georgia 350,000 birds 3 bird limit. Lots of states are close to missouri in population right now. I don't know how the coyotes, and coons, and hawks, and possums, and snakes and everything else that eats baby turkeys are everywhere else but they have them. But it's the weather and predators and not hunters that determine turkey populations. Our highest season harvest was in 2004 with over 60000 birds and was followed by 4 more great years of harvests
One thing hunters can do is disturb hens on the nest while out in a later spring time.
Quote from: Ozark870Hunter on March 01, 2017, 03:14:56 PM
Quote
What is interesting are the folks so worried turkey hunters are going to interrupt the breeding that don't realize more folks are out in the woods mushroom hunting during the peak breeding time than would ever be turkey hunting. Until you can show me turkeys can distinguish between a turkey hunter and mushroom hunter, I ain't buying into that.
A dead gobbler has zero chance of breeding.
How can we be positive that the later start date isn't partially responsible for the good #'s we have?
The results of the study currently being done may help to answer that question. As to the dead gobbler comment, every game agency in the nation and every study I have ever looked at all agree that gobbler harvest has very little or no impact at all on the reproductive success.
I hunt north central Missouri every year and never got out on opening day. I almost always hunt the week afterwards because of work. Some years it is hard to find a gobbler. Not sure about southern part of the state but I am sure it has an affect.
We also go for the youth hunt which is 9 days before opening day of regular season. Perhaps that is why MO starts late. They allow the youths to hunt the peak (they do come into a call a lot better during that period). I have always enjoyed calling them in more than shooting them.
My point is that it is an option although you don't get to take the turkey home. Take a youth out, call him in and let the youth pull the trigger. It's also great preseason scouting.
I live and hunt southern Mo. Myself I think the season is spot on. The youth get to hunt when they really starting to gobble good, and they should. But I've seen sleet, snow, cold as a well diggers butt during youth and regular season. Last year I got skunked, first time in 24 years, but I still called my season a success. The birds here in the south will gobble late may and even June. We hear em crappie fishin at daylight. So is it late? I don't think so, you just may have to hunt a little harder and stuck it out. But that's what makes it sooooo fun.
Yes the youth season has been pretty good most years . Was glad to get to take the boy, had a great time and good gobbling most years. Usually The very beginning of April right? Saturday and Sunday season. Now waiting 3 weeks to go regular season doesn't make sense to me.
Maybe the lack of turkey has brought on a different view seeing the turkey population decline in North Missouri anyhow. But really missing the amount of gobbling. Killing is not the most important part for me anymore.
Glad you guys down in south Missouri still got it good and most seem to like the season where it is at now.
It's not as good down here as it used to be. Especially on the public I'm hunting. Nothing like it was in the 90s. There are places I could hear ten birds in one morning and I may not even hear a bird in that spot this season.
Quote from: Rzrbac on March 01, 2017, 10:28:44 PM
It's not as good down here as it used to be. Especially on the public I'm hunting. Nothing like it was in the 90s. There are places I could hear ten birds in one morning and I may not even hear a bird in that spot this season.
I live in central mo and the land I hunted on in the 80s, 90s, and real early 00s you would hear 20 different gobblers sounding off it was a blast during those years. Since about 2008 to the present all I hear is about 4-6 different birds gobbling on the same land. Populations around me keep falling off and and have seen some farms that used to have birds no longer hold any birds.
Indiana must really love turkeys. We don't open until April 26th.
Of course numbers are down in Missouri compared to what is was in the 90s and early 2000s. Those numbers weren't sustainable. Those were the absolute glory days of turkey hunting. About ten years ago, Missouri took a sharp decline in turkey numbers. Hunting here every spring I have noticed it getting slightly better each year. Some years slightly better then others, but weather and time to hunt has more to do with that then anything. The only thing i'd like to see changed here is an early archery season. I'd be happy if it was only three days long. I'm happy MDCi hasnt screwed up turkey hunting like they have deer.
I will add my .02. I have been hunting Texas and Shannon Counties as a non resident for the past 25-26 years. Have seen the numbers of gobbling birds and sign drop off in the past 7 years. But in places where I have never seen other hunters I am running into guys. And lots of them, many locals, but most are like me nonresidents. I like how the Missouri season is and I don't know if a earlier opener would change things of not? Many of the locals I know tell me that the gobbling was like a turkey farm in the two day youth hunt. But we never see it.
Don't know why but glad they do as it is another option once our season closes!
I haven't hunted southern Missouri, but from what I've heard in the past, the season opener is usually perfect for EITHER the northern half OR the southern half, but rarely for both. If things are perfect in the south, it's too early up north. If things are perfect in the north, it's too late down south. Since I've never hunted south of I-70 (in Missouri, at least), I can't confirm if that's true, or not.
Well if it hits close to the best time . That can work that way.
Probably be a bit better chance if north Missouri would get some birds growing.
Quote from: dirtnap on February 28, 2017, 06:43:41 PM
Quote from: turkeyfoot on February 28, 2017, 05:27:18 PM
To put it frankly they relly care about their turkey populations unlike a state like NC that opens too early before majority of breeding is done. Everyone want to start hunting early but they don't understand the way to keep bird numbers up is m0st breeding should be done the overall health of population should mean more to hunters than killing birds. And the south wonders why they have declining populations having to cut tags change season dates ask SC and Ark. People just have to remember this ain't deer hunting it has to be treated different and I have always respected Missouri dedication to the wild turkey
They lengthened the season by opening it up earlier by 12 days and adding 4 days to the end in the upstate of SC. It used to be April 1 - May 1.
March 20 - May 5. The limit is now 3 statewide. They changed the lowcountry from March 15 - May 1 to March 20 - May 5. Everything statewide is now uniform from dates to limits.
It had nothing to do with any documented scientific data. If it did, please post the information. Habitat change and kneejerk reactions from lawmakers is what changed our season. Per actual acreage of viable habitat, we have plenty plenty of turkeys as a state.
I agree totally. We don't have a pop decrease at all. We have a money hungry problem with the big time few leading the charge.
I don't get it.
NC is money hungry by cutting from 4 to 3 birds?
Longer season?
Quote from: Bolandstrutters on March 02, 2017, 08:03:47 AM
Of course numbers are down in Missouri compared to what is was in the 90s and early 2000s. Those numbers weren't sustainable. Those were the absolute glory days of turkey hunting. About ten years ago, Missouri took a sharp decline in turkey numbers. Hunting here every spring I have noticed it getting slightly better each year. Some years slightly better then others, but weather and time to hunt has more to do with that then anything. The only thing i'd like to see changed here is an early archery season. I'd be happy if it was only three days long. I'm happy MDCi hasnt screwed up turkey hunting like they have deer.
Archery only would be a nice add.
Quote from: fallhnt on March 04, 2017, 07:13:57 PM
Quote from: Bolandstrutters on March 02, 2017, 08:03:47 AM
Archery only would be a nice add.
Only if added to the END of the season. You can already archery hunt turkey if that is your thing. Archery ONLY is another way of saying, "I like to archery hunt because of the challenge, but I want first shot at em to make it easier."
Missouri is not Kansas or Nebraska. An early archery season would be an entirely different animal here.