Turkey Studies and thoughts

[WV Flopper]

 Its warm here this morning at 7 degrees, I not planning any outside events.

Surfing through some You Tube, I found and took time to watch a POD Cast By TFT. The discussion was from episode #1, 1 hour and 11 minutes long.

It outlines a lot of the discussions we as a group have had here for the last couple years with population swings. If you find yourself bored and looking outside take the time to watch this episode. Very information, especially to me, the habit for nesting and raising of the poults. A good bit of historical data was shown and research result. This was not an opinion based discussion, but driven by data from research.

[deerhunt1988]

It is an excellent podcast and is a must listen for anyone who seriously cares about the wild turkey. I really liked how they had three experts on the first three episodes to each discuss their research. One episode has more theories and less data, it is not hard to tease that one out.  Then on episode 4 the hosts digest the previous three episodes.

Getting this information out in a format where all can understand it is vitally important for the turkey hunting world.

[Greg Massey]

A lot of good information was shared.  Worth the listen for sure ...

[Dtrkyman]

Take all the money all these "docs" used for their projects over their careers and use it for habitat and tarpping and we would have more turkeys!

I recently listened to some doc about a mule deer study, she came to the conclusion that fawn survival rate was a major factor in mule deer herds, well no chit!

Guess what the major issue was there as well, yep habitat!

It might be science but it is not as complicated as the one dude eluded too.

[WV Flopper]

 Sometimes people have a hard time seeing the trees for the forest in their view.

The podcast giving by these guys may help you to see the trees. Yes, this is a direct statement to Dtrkyman. Maybe you should take the time to listen.

If these studies aren't done DNR will not make changes to protect, when they do react it will be to late and to the tune of hunter voices. Hunter voices are not the path to follow for conversation.

Most of the research work is done by Grad students and PHD students, they are not getting paid. The money to fund these projects are coming from none license monies/private entities.

Again, it's a good listen, maybe people should set their thoughts aside and listen.

[Dtrkyman]

I will listen and have listened to quite a bit of the turkey studies recently, I still think their are better ways to spend the money, prove me wrong!

I spent zero time in school, but a ridiculous amount of time in the field, as a guide as well as a land manager for a while.  I have seen the effects of habitat changes and a huge predator boom, no PHD needed to realize the cause of the decline of turkeys where I have been.

I also know some of these folks have trapped predators as part of their studies, Chamberlain talks about it.

Of course they use the grad students, cheap labor.

[nativeks]

I will listen and have listened to quite a bit of the turkey studies recently, I still think their are better ways to spend the money, prove me wrong!

I spent zero time in school, but a ridiculous amount of time in the field, as a guide as well as a land manager for a while.  I have seen the effects of habitat changes and a huge predator boom, no PHD needed to realize the cause of the decline of turkeys where I have been.

I also know some of these folks have trapped predators as part of their studies, Chamberlain talks about it.

Of course they use the grad students, cheap labor.

Kansas is working on some things. One that is interesting...land managed for ground nesting birds and intensively trapped is trending with the rest of the state on population declines.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

[dzsmith]

Sometimes people have a hard time seeing the trees for the forest in their view.

The podcast giving by these guys may help you to see the trees. Yes, this is a direct statement to Dtrkyman. Maybe you should take the time to listen.

If these studies aren't done DNR will not make changes to protect, when they do react it will be to late and to the tune of hunter voices. Hunter voices are not the path to follow for conversation.

Most of the research work is done by Grad students and PHD students, they are not getting paid. The money to fund these projects are coming from none license monies/private entities.

Again, it's a good listen, maybe people should set their thoughts aside and listen. I agree , regardless of how we feel about studies , money , etc..... hunters don't have the voice they think they do. The studies are necessary. However to dturkeymans comment..... I also agree .... Something's are just common sense .... Hey there's less deer , turkey , whatever , etc..... perhaps the 10s of thousands of hunters in the field and their opinion can be used somewhat as data within itself , after all, the most time spent in the field is by hunters

[WV Flopper]

 Ok.

So, the human population is increasing, and will continue to increase, Period,. I don't think this point is arguable. The more the increase the less habit wildlife will have available in general.

With the increase in humans and human sprawl. What do the people whom do not want to hear the evidence in "wildlife"/ turkey  population declines want to hear?

These studies are trying to guide people, clubs, states to better use their land to maximize benefits for available wildlife habitat. Along with this are specific discussions on how "we" can benefit the wildlife on our lands, state lands.

To a person whom has financially benefitted from wildlife. I would think any outfitter or guide would want to maximize the potential carrying capacity of wildlife on property they use to make their living, or profit from the resource. Especially turkey.

I think it's simply, all you have to do is listen and "hear".

[Paulmyr]

My woman does that to me all the time. She hears me she's just not listening.

[Dtrkyman]

I did maximize the properties I managed, the work was done by me and funded by some wealthy guys. 

I also along with many others volunteered and ran our own chapter of the NWTF and was a committee member of Ducks Unlimited for over a decade.

I am not remotely opposed to any of the studies I just have a different opinion on allocation of funds, many of these guys do some great work and definitely habitat work is included.

There are many ways to look at and "hear" things, I will most likely listen to all of those podcasts at some point during my travels this spring and learn some new things along the way.

I have been told I can hear a turkey gobble from another state, of course my friend who says that can't hear worth a flip!

Enjoy the spring!

 

[slicksbeagles1]

It's just another way to spend someone else's hard earned money like our so called government. Even if they come up with something that will be beneficial to the turkeys they have to implement the program and that will hurt somebodies wallets. Like everything else if it doesn't benefit the right people forget it.