Black Hills

[mowguy]

Been looking at the Black Hills for several years. Always ended up going somewhere else. Well this year I finally made the trip. Been walking and driving for two days and have seen 1 turkey! Has the population declined that bad or am I missing something?

[Hobbes]

Im assuming that you are, but I hope you are walking and calling.  Cover ground, yelp your butt off, and locate birds. If you aren't locating birds, move.  I can't help you with previous numbers.  I hunted it for the first time last year.  I struck out on day 1 but found a few on the second day and killed one of them by mid to late morning.

[turkeyfool]

90% of the turkeys in the hills are in 10% of the area

[joey46]

90% of the turkeys in the hills are in 10% of the area

Good tip.  Thanks.  I'll try and remember that.  I'm now waffling between WY and PA for the week of the 23rd.  No real pressure either way.  If not for the rental car situation would go for WY.  PA is a drive up and hunt with a relative.  WY a fly in, rent a car, then stumble around.  Leaning towards PA but with nothing locked in but a fully refundable airfare to Denver.  I change my mind at least three times per day - LOL.   Still have turkey fever

[mowguy]

Walking and calling, covering as much ground as possible. I definitely won't be passing Nebraska for the Hills again.

[Sanders153]

I have heard from a few sources that Nebraska is doing fairly well sight their population. Them and Kansas. Whatever they are doing it seems to be working

[SD_smith]

90% of the turkeys in the hills are in 10% of the area

As a former inhabitant of the Black Hills, this pretty bunch breaks it down Barney style. Once you find them you're good. In case you didn't know that already hahaha


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[joey46]

90% of the turkeys in the hills are in 10% of the area

Good tip.  Thanks.  I'll try and remember that.  I'm now waffling between WY and PA for the week of the 23rd.  No real pressure either way.  If not for the rental car situation would go for WY.  PA is a drive up and hunt with a relative.  WY a fly in, rent a car, then stumble around.  Leaning towards PA but with nothing locked in but a fully refundable airfare to Denver.  I change my mind at least three times per day - LOL.   Still have turkey fever

Today's thought is write off WY Black Hills this year and join the cousin's kid in PA.  Of course that involves driving up through all the states that now have no gasoline.  This late season hunt may be jinxed but things may loosen up in 10 days.  Wonder what the next crisis will be?

[turkeyfool]

Joey the WY black hills and PA are about 2 days apart from each my guy haha go to whichever one is more convenient/more favorable weather

[HookedonHooks]

I have heard from a few sources that Nebraska is doing fairly well sight their population. Them and Kansas. Whatever they are doing it seems to be working

Your sources were wrong on Kansas. It's hurting out here. Don't get me wrong turkeys aren't totally disappearing but they dang sure are declining pretty hard.

[AndyN]

I have heard from a few sources that Nebraska is doing fairly well sight their population. Them and Kansas. Whatever they are doing it seems to be working

Your sources were wrong on Kansas. It's hurting out here. Don't get me wrong turkeys aren't totally disappearing but they dang sure are declining pretty hard.

What he said. State tried to get rid of the fall season and the "compromise" was a shortened fall season. Only two units now allow two birds and everyone skipped the one bird units and headed there this year. Nebraska has maintained a good harvest success but they are on the downhill side of total harvest and from what I've seen bird numbers have been going down the last 4 years.

[HookedonHooks]

I have heard from a few sources that Nebraska is doing fairly well sight their population. Them and Kansas. Whatever they are doing it seems to be working

Your sources were wrong on Kansas. It's hurting out here. Don't get me wrong turkeys aren't totally disappearing but they dang sure are declining pretty hard.

What he said. State tried to get rid of the fall season and the "compromise" was a shortened fall season. Only two units now allow two birds and everyone skipped the one bird units and headed there this year. Nebraska has maintained a good harvest success but they are on the downhill side of total harvest and from what I've seen bird numbers have been going down the last 4 years.

Leaving those two units open for two birds did more harm than good for that portion of the state unfortunately. Not only did that area experience a bad hatch the last two springs, it being the 2nd season of two tag zones is decimating the population out there. This is based off reports from people out that way that I know that were looking to travel east to fill a tag this year even. Imagine that, locals heading out of a two tag zone, to a one tag zone just to fill a tag, doesn't make any lick of sense.

[Sanders153]

I have heard from a few sources that Nebraska is doing fairly well sight their population. Them and Kansas. Whatever they are doing it seems to be working

Your sources were wrong on Kansas. It's hurting out here. Don't get me wrong turkeys aren't totally disappearing but they dang sure are declining pretty hard.

What he said. State tried to get rid of the fall season and the "compromise" was a shortened fall season. Only two units now allow two birds and everyone skipped the one bird units and headed there this year. Nebraska has maintained a good harvest success but they are on the downhill side of total harvest and from what I've seen bird numbers have been going down the last 4 years.

My goodness.. It sounds like birds have been disappearing for a number of years in most of the states.. What is happening to our turkeys guys

[HookedonHooks]

What is happening to our turkeys guys

That's the million dollar question that has a good handful of factors.

I think the number one issue across the country is the fur market crashing has essentially stopped the wide spread trapping of nest predators. I truly believe a bounty on nest predators would not only put their populations back in check, it would drastically help turkeys everywhere. Partner that with research for better habitat practices for the turkey and general turkey research I think numbers could be greatly increased without sacrificing any hunter opportunity, and unfortunately in some states opportunity is what's being taken rather than making immediate ecological changes for the turkeys other than taking hunters out of the woods.

[joey46]

When I first hunted turkeys in the late 1970s/80s the season limit was one and anyone filling it was thrilled.  Turkey populations seemed to peak in the late 90s and held steady.  Two or three bird limits were initiated in many places along with fall seasons.  The advent of improved techniques and the internet dramatically increased the success ratio and pressure in many states.  This is of course all IMO but a return to a one bird limit might help many areas.  I'll admit I'm guilty of the hunt until limited out down here in Florida but would get over it.  I can still remember being thrilled to have one bird down in Ohio and looking forward to the next season.  Yes raccoons are a big problem everywhere and the even hint at a leg hold trap is looked on as medival torture. Quite the dilemma especially with so much politics involved in these wildlife decisions.  Leg hold traps illegal in Florida and the chances of that ever being reversed are nil.  Just the way it is now.