Good evening, I don't have a chance to get on here often anymore and this may or may not have been been discussed so if it has just delete. Have you guys noticed a tremendous drop in the number of birds in your hunting area? I have asked different people from around West Tn. and several others have noticed a big drop in numbers also. I would like to hear others opinions and thoughts on why and what can be done if anything. Thanks and Happy Hunting to all
I hear mixed reports in middle Tennessee. Personally, while riding around, I've seen one hen since spring season closed. I haven't been to my hunting spots so hopefully they'll still be there.
Definitely Have seen a drop in My area of the Southern tier In NY, It seems to be that some area have decent populations, but not like the late 90's/ early 2000's tho. I have hunted Maryland and Virginia and there both experiencing the same decline in the turkey population.
I do not believe it's because of just one cause! I believe it's a combination of factors habitat , predator's , hunting , ...etc...etc
Huge drop in my area, Northern Cumberland Plateau in TN. It's sad compared to the early 2000's.
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Our birds have taken a big dip but in areas they are experiencing a bit of an increase. Nothing big but nevertheless an increase.
There is an extended discussion on this very issue in the "Turkey Hunting Tips" section under "Midwest US turkey decline" (sorry, fellers, I am apparently not smart enough to figure out how to do the link thing....)
Regardless of the causes of the decline, there are two entities whose "job" it is to find out what the problem is and then to initiate solutions. Those are 1) the wildlife agency of the state, and 2) the national organization that supposedly represents sportsmen's interests and concerns in this issue,...the NWTF. Ask them what they are doing about it!
Honestly I think you should ask the department of agriculture. We've saw a direct correlation between increased chicken farms and documented viral outbreaks, and declining wild turkey populations.
The number of birds on my property seemed to be way down. Last couple of years we have made a effort to remove predators. Trapping coons and possums. Killing hogs. I had good success with the coons and it really seems to have helped. (https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190120/0ce05977bbea2b8b44b1eef763b0e4f4.jpg)
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Where I hunt most Sussex NJ and southern N.Y. the birds are down from late 90s early 2000 a bunch. They seem to be rebuilding some but very slowly. South Jersey has a bird in every tree in some spots from what I'm told
Eastern part state doing better than west here I've not seen lot poults this past 2 summers so concerned
Mid to North central Missouri, haven't seen an increase. No turkeys seen where they have been seen in the past, year after year. Deer hunting this year I saw a lot more coons than I saw turkeys.
I have saw a decrease overall in Middle TN the past few years. We went from seeing big flocks in the winter time to hardly seeing any. There are still plenty of birds in some areas but not as many overall. I do think that we had a good hatch last year and seen many more poults and turkeys this winter along with several on trailcam.
Ms has definitely passed its prime but some of the reasoning are the numbers are just coming back down to what our states holding capacity should be. There are still plenty of birds but from what the old timers say it's nothing like it used to be in the late 80s early 90s to about 2000.
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I appreciate the feed back guys
Middle GA has seen a big decrease, west Georgia not as much decrease.
In Kentucky yes. It varies from one area to another but this past spring saw a big drop in numbers in some places. I know one spot of mine that has been a consistently good spot for over 10 years was devoid of birds this past year. A few bad hatch years are to blam as well as high coon populations. There's not much we can do about the weather and I'm hoping for another big distemper outbreak like we had a few years ago to knock down the coon numbers.
Big decline in northeast PA. I hope their not following the fate of grouse, they're almost non-existent.
Pretty much a nationwide situation, from what I have observed and read. I live in Missouri, and the population in our area is definitely down from 15-20 years ago. Same with Kansas, where I have hunted for 25 years or so, and with SE Alabama where I have hunted for the past 20 years. No one factor, I don't believe, but probably a combination of things in most areas. Predation is certainly a factor. When MO was trapping and transplanting birds back in the 60's and 70's, raccoons were worth good money, and were hunted relentlessly. You never saw a roadkill coon. Now, on any given day, you might see one splattered on the highway every few miles. I grew up hunting quail with my Dad in the 1950's and 60's. Seeing a coyote was kind of a big event. Now, I will bet there are a couple of dozen within a mile of my house.
I also am not a biologist, but believe there are many areas in this country that could once again benefit from some trapping and transfer of birds. Southeast Kansas is one of those areas. Torrential rains and subsequent flooding in the early 2000's almost wiped out a population already in decline, in some areas. It just makes sense to me that when the population gets to a low enough point, that it is almost impossible for a rebound to happen without human intervention, up to and including cutting limits or even closing seasons in some areas for a time.