TFT Alabama Research Preliminary Findings (YEAR 1)

[Paulmyr]

Wow 75% nest initiation amd only 10% successfully hatched an egg! Well that flies in the face of the dominant gobbler being killed to early theory and shows that its all about predators.

Unless the eggs weren't fertilized


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He must have missed the clear differences in testicle sizes in adult males part. It will my interesting to see where all this research leads.

Wait are u saying u actually would think the nuts of all male turkeys would be the same size? Do u also think the nuts of all male humans are the same size?

Sorry I don't look at other guys nuts.

You do realize the dominant gobbler theory plays into increased predation?

[Paulmyr]

Wow 75% nest initiation amd only 10% successfully hatched an egg! Well that flies in the face of the dominant gobbler being killed to early theory and shows that its all about predators.

Unless the eggs weren't fertilized


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He must have missed the clear differences in testicle sizes in adult males part. It will my interesting to see where all this research leads.

We've known adult gobbler nuts vary in size for well over 50 years. Based on past literature, it'll be surprising if multiple adult gobblers didn't have viable sperm. I'm more interested in what percentage of jakes had viable sperm, but last I read they had a very small sample size of jakes.








I'm also fairly certain i've read literature where they found gobbler nut size can increase as the breeding season progresses. I.E. March size vs early May size.   Makes sense, likely just the testosterone getting ramped up.

I've read/heard that dominant gobblers produce  more testosterone than subordinates. Not sure where I came across this info. I'm guessing these new studies are leaning towards finding out.

[Prospector]

If it was ONE thing, but it's not.... Nest predation, habitat loss, overall predation (us included). Corn in general maybe not bad but the problem is people hunting turkeys over said corn... now, a "hunter" who doesn't know a Yelp from a cluck can sit in a blind and shoot a limit over corn. Illegal? Sure- but if you think it ain't happening in Mississippi you are not thinking it thru....

[Hoot 000]

Lost eggs ,poults being killed is main reason for decline. Disease but mostly  predators is the cause enough money spent on research need to change laws concerning predators they have increased 10 x more than in the past. Coyotes are bad on grown turkey's and terrible on poults. Avian pox been found in flocks also

[ChesterCopperpot]

If it was ONE thing, but it's not.... Nest predation, habitat loss, overall predation (us included). Corn in general maybe not bad but the problem is people hunting turkeys over said corn... now, a "hunter" who doesn't know a Yelp from a cluck can sit in a blind and shoot a limit over corn. Illegal? Sure- but if you think it ain't happening in Mississippi you are not thinking it thru....

Corn is hell on turkeys for a whole lot of reasons. Aflatoxins are always a potential given the leniency on grain marketed for wildlife, but the bigger issue, MUCH BIGGER, is the way in which corn supplements the forage of other wildlife, particularly omnivorous scavengers like coons and possums which we all know are hell on nests. Supplemented corn always increases the carrying capacity of land. If you had a piece of land that could naturally hold a dozen coons, what do you think that number goes to once you start dumping fifty pound bags of corn? We talk about a lot of impacts baiting has on turkey populations but that's the one key we continuously leave out.


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[Hook hanger]

Seen pox in two different states I hunted this spring

[WV Flopper]

 We should try and eliminate one thing at a time. Or at least find the value of each culprit. I believe each culprit is important in this factor.

The corn pull is way down the list of studies that money will be spent on. If you want baiting outlawed in your state, lobby for it. CWD is your friend in this fight, go get it done.

[Jstocks]

do they plan to test for the mold that comes from corn in their toxicology study?  isn't AL a "ok to bait on private land" state?

In much of Texas turkeys eat corn from feeders year round.   Certainly south Texas and the big deer hunting areas of N. Texxas.   And the Rio population hasn't suffered from it one bit in the past 20 years from all accounts.   Drought can put a hurting on them from year to year but so far they have rebounded well when rain returned.  I doubt the aflatoxin from deer corn turns out to be the problem, but it's certainly worth the effort to prove or disprove.

Do you doubt that moisture could potentially contribute to mold or other poisonous effects on grains in wetter climates and may not present itself the same opportunity in the drier Texas climates?

Like you stated, anything is a possibility. It's likely going to take some outside the box thinking and more than one individual course of action to be enough change to have positive impacts.

[Prospector]

If it was ONE thing, but it's not.... Nest predation, habitat loss, overall predation (us included). Corn in general maybe not bad but the problem is people hunting turkeys over said corn... now, a "hunter" who doesn't know a Yelp from a cluck can sit in a blind and shoot a limit over corn. Illegal? Sure- but if you think it ain't happening in Mississippi you are not thinking it thru....

Corn is hell on turkeys for a whole lot of reasons. Aflatoxins are always a potential given the leniency on grain marketed for wildlife, but the bigger issue, MUCH BIGGER, is the way in which corn supplements the forage of other wildlife, particularly omnivorous scavengers like coons and possums which we all know are hell on nests. Supplemented corn always increases the carrying capacity of land. If you had a piece of land that could naturally hold a dozen coons, what do you think that number goes to once you start dumping fifty pound bags of corn? We talk about a lot of impacts baiting has on turkey populations but that's the one key we continuously leave out.

I agree 100% with this. Have thought of this before and it is a fact. Sorry that my orig post didn't get into that. The main point I'm trying to make is the Decline is a culmination of many reasons. Some we cannot do much about/ others we can. As a Turkey hunter you should be:1) if you plant food plots be sure to add something for the turkeys too.2) declare a shoot on site for predators ( of course, only according to laws in your area?).3) Trap, period.No excuses.4) Do not tolerate your "friends" blatant poaching( you need new friends).... If you own and/or can influence property do so if u can. I know these may not help; but doing nothing is certainly not working. I would enjoy any other thoughts and suggestions as well to possibly implement....
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