Drawing tags

[2flyfish4]

Does anyone ever see turkey hunting turning into a scenario of OTC tags being eliminated and a draw system implemented like alot of big game tags are? I'm talking about this scenario across most the states, not just a state here or there.

Seems like turkey numbers are hurting in alot of areas, hunting pressure is up almost everywhere, the states really have no idea on harvest numbers or population estimates, guides and outfitters popping up left and right.

I personally could see this scenario in the next 10 years or so.

[deerhunt1988]

Yes. We are steadily progressing that route right now. What happened with western big game (elk, mule deer) is happening to turkey right before our eyes. That being said, we won't see it for residents on the scale we see it for non-residents.

[deathfoot]

It's likely. I hope not, that would mean that turkey hunting has become just as popular as say deer or elk. I could care less about hunting deer or elk though so I don't pay those draws any attention.

But we are seeing an increase of hunters and a decrease of turkey population in many areas. Certain states are already a draw for residents and non residents a like.

Every state should be implementing a system to check in your turkey kill. Telecheck, internet, whatever. There is no excuse for a state not doing it. But there's plenty (and by that one state that doesn't is one too many) that don't unfortunately.

I do believe it won't happen entirely though. As in all 49 states, we won't see it in my lifetime. But certain states may have to limit it for sure I fear.

[mcw3734]

I was told once that most of wildlife management is actually people management. In a lot of ways that makes sense. The fact is... wild turkeys, like every other game animal or fish species, is a limited natural resource. We can only do so much to encourage their populations while we clear wildlands for homes and every Tom, Dick and Harry chases them with a gun each April. Eventually, there will be tighter restrictions on hunting because there will just be too many of us wanting to chase too few of them.

Will it go to a draw? Eventually, probably, some places. It will then be interesting how people will like to see them managed. Here in the west, at least in Idaho, deer and elk units are managed for trophies and some for opportunity (sacrifice units) or something in between. Maybe the 'trophy' turkey units will be managed to have just a handful of tags that nobody can hunt till May 1, or whenever all those toms start getting lonely. Oh, boy, won't that be a sweet tag?

I had a coworker here in Idaho tell me about buying an OTC bighorn sheep tag in the Salmon River country in 1972. Can you imagine?

[arkrem870]

Loose lips sink ships.

[bbcoach]

I personally think it will be a State-by-State thing and here's why I say that.  Most Liberal states overregulate everything.  Liberal Politicians think that by adding more laws and regulations, they can control things.  And many of the things they are trying to control, don't need their intervention.  Take deer populations, many conservative states set harvest limits based on their States total population numbers.  Liberal States will regulate it way too far and take those harvest quota numbers down to county populations and then break it down even farther to private and public land populations within each county, when issuing tags and setting hunting dates.  I think it will always boil down to a Liberal vs Conservative mindset.  Overregulation is as bad as NO regulation in my opinion.

[GobbleNut]

Does anyone ever see turkey hunting turning into a scenario of OTC tags being eliminated and a draw system implemented like alot of big game tags are? I'm talking about this scenario across most the states, not just a state here or there.
I personally could see this scenario in the next 10 years or so.

Nationwide? ...No, I don't see turkey hunting going to a drawing-only situation any time soon.  Will those states that are experiencing increasing hunter numbers and declining turkey numbers go that direction?  Quite honestly, they have no choice.  However, solve the reproduction problem and that need will evaporate.

There are plenty of states where the resource is not being jeopardized by that circumstance at this point in time.  The northern tier of states, in particular, appear to have thriving turkey populations and the current levels of harvest are not indicative of a need to change their OTC policies.  In addition, for whatever reason, those states have not been impacted (yet) by the reproductive failures that we are seeing in a number of other places. 

One issue that wildlife managers will being facing,...that I believe that is on the horizon,...is how to deal with public land hunting restrictions while not impacting private land hunting.  I suspect that is going to be a real can-of-worms before all is said and done. 

[Gooserbat]

It's going to be a more public land and non resident based thing.

[Dtrkyman]

I can think of many states that already have draws, Some have limited turkey habitat and localized flocks and others have the seasons broken up into 4 or 5 periods.

I was in several draws for this spring, did not draw any of them!

All the attention in the last few years have game agencies paying more attention to turkeys, things are changing and all of it is good in my opinion, some changes may be controversial and I see these agencies being more proactive, hopefully the ones that make sense continue and they reverse or alter the ones that do not.

I agree with Gooserbat, however the bulk of the pressure I see is from resident hunters.   

[TonyTurk]

I wouldn't have a big problem with non-resident draws on public land.  However if a nonresident has permission to hunt private land, they shouldn't have to draw for that.  JMO.

[Dtrkyman]

What about National Forest and other Federal lands?  Resident preference there as well?

I hunt some National forest really close to my state line.