Year to Year Carryover

[rmokeefe1s]

How important do you feel it is to leave a few gobblers on a given piece of ground and hope they make it to next year?
Example- 675 acres, 610 being wooded. Any given morning before season you can hear up to 8 gobblers on this piece of property. How many would you kill off this piece of property and still have confidence the following year? Do you believe other gobblers will move in as "vacancies" occur? Confident there will be enough jakes become gobblers?

Curious as to others' thoughts on this.

[crenshawco]

I'd kill as many as the law would allow. If you're hearing that many gobblers on a tract, it is good enough habitat where other gobblers will move in and fill the voids.

[g8rvet]

I have been hunting a 380 acre piece for about 10 years. I try to take 3 max (2 for me and one for son or vice versa).  Most years 1-2 is normal and I look elsewhere.  I know that last year I left 3 jakes (no gobblers seen last year) and have not seen a single gobbler this year.  But most years I knew there was at least one mature bird left.  The guys that deer hunt it give me reports on how many they see in the fall, but that does not usually translate much in the spring, but is nice to know when there is a good hatch anyways. 

I will watch this thread for some long time hunters, as I am interested in their thoughts too. 

[Snoodsniper]

Last season I hunted a spot that had three nice long beards that I saw together just about every day. I killed one of them. I know the other two survived because I can keep a pretty close eye on them. This year in the same spot there's three long beards together. I'm sure another subordinate bird moved up in rank. So guess what........ May 2nd  it's game on! We consistently kill 2-3 birds off a 400-500 acre piece of ground each year.

[Thundermtn]

That big an acreage you could go 2-3 easy, but you never know who or what will pick some more of them off during the spring when they are advertising their location all day.

[KY LONGBEARD]

Id shoot as many as your state limit is. Chances are before season comes in them gobblers have bred a few hens. I think other gobblers will fill the vacancys if they have everything to keep them there. If you have 8 gobblers and kill all of them it might take a couple years to fill back up. My state only allows 2 spring gobblers so I dont have  much trouble with that. A guy I know in TN 4 people hunted it and killed all of them. He had 14 gobblers opening morning 3 years ago and they killed them cause you can kill 4 a piece. He's back in good shape this year. This is just my experience. some places could be different.

[101st501]

I would stick with the local limit.

[zelmo1]

The limit is there for a reason, stick to it. I will not kill every mature bird in a small piece. If there is only one and the hunting is tough, I will give him a try. We usually try to get a bird or two and move on, if we are that fortunate. Good luck all

[woody328]

I would say it's pretty dependent on what is going on around you. Assuming you have other good turkey habitat around, I think birds will fill in quickly. I also think it's unlikely that you will put much of a dent in a population by shooting gobblers only. Other gobblers will step in to take care of business when it comes to breeding the hens.

[g8rvet]

I've always wondered if jakes will breed hens.   Anyone know.  Last year on my small piece, the "Gang of Four" were the dominant bird - they gobbled all season like they owned the place and I never saw another bird.  Could they have bred the hens?  I am sure they are biologically able to, but wonder if they would. Anyone know?

[aaron]

I have found zero coorelation between how many you kill one year and how many are around the next.  Other birds move in over a years time and vice versa.   yes, year after year of absolutely pounding a property could take a toll, but I don't think one year to the next is a huge factor.   A few years ago I had a flock of 17 jakes come in during a hunt.   Was super pumped for the next 2-3 seasons.  Never heard more than the typical 2-3.  also have killed every gobbling bird off a property and the next year the same number were right back

[Ihuntoldschool]

Jakes will breed hens from what I understand, if given the opportunity. They are certainly capable from a biological standpoint.  Half of the jakes don't make it back to be 2 year olds in my experience.  I have always read it was important to leave at least 1 mature bird on a property.

[Treynolds]

We take 4-5 gobblers annually, but never any jakes from a 119 acre tract. Never seen any decline in the birds, because they move through from surrounding area.

[rmokeefe1s]

I'm not talking about shooting more than the limit allows... I'm talking off of the property as a whole- with multiple people (in your control) hunting it.