How many turkeys is too many

[Jstocks]

Sorry for the sidetrack:
For the two bird every state limit proponents?
Do you think states like..... Texas should set a two bird statewide turkey limit?

Alabama? Tennessee?

There's a lot of private properties in those 3 states alone where the guys manage their own leases and properties. Most of the gripes I've seen about population and pressure comes from the public land discussions.

You guys wanting to punish the folks fortunate enough to maintain healthy populations through multiple control mechanisms and who have access to harvest more than 2 birds per season through their own efforts?

[Yoteduster]

6-10 in 3-4 states

[Zobo]

I'm a 0-5 guy if you get my drift

[hotspur]

1-6 for me, I don't travel every year. The most I have tagged in season was 9

[Gooserbat]

6-10

Hunted 5 states and an Indian Rez this past year.  Took one bird from each. 

[Mossberg90MN]

I'm a 0-5 guy if you get my drift

Haha I like that!


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[Meleagris gallopavo]

3 a year for me, I care nothing about travelling out of state to kill a turkey that is much easier to kill than my local ones and would rather spend that money on adding a new gun to the collection or upgrading my other hunting gear. Once you have killed 100 or so turkeys it isnt as big of a deal. I have no problem with other folks doing it though if they eat every bite of every turkey they kill and are not just giving them away and wasting them.

That's kinda how I feel.  I have enough turkeys near me of different difficulty levels (easy vs hard to kill) that traveling to turkey hunt isn't on my list.  Traveling to turkey hunt with friends, I'd probably do that.


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[Spring Creek Calls]

The only year I shot 5 gobblers, 4 spring/1 fall, shaped my outlook on future kill limits. That 4th spring gobbler just didn't have that down on one knee thanking the Lord feeling. After a few months and shooting that fall gobbler, it was back.

[GobbleNut]

Sorry for the sidetrack:
For the two bird every state limit proponents?
Do you think states like..... Texas should set a two bird statewide turkey limit?

Alabama? Tennessee?

There's a lot of private properties in those 3 states alone where the guys manage their own leases and properties. Most of the gripes I've seen about population and pressure comes from the public land discussions.

You guys wanting to punish the folks fortunate enough to maintain healthy populations through multiple control mechanisms and who have access to harvest more than 2 birds per season through their own efforts?

Your point here is reasonable,...to a degree.  There may well be exceptions to my personal "two bird limit fits all" philosophy.  I could go into a long, drawn-out explanation of why I personally believe a two-bird limit should be enough (under the circumstances that currently exist), but I suspect it would fall on deaf ears for those that do not agree.  Hence, I will accept those differing opinions. 

As I stated in another thread, I was a strong proponent of the two-bird limit here in New Mexico when the bag limit was one.  I am just as strongly opposed to ever going to a larger bag limit here, but I recognize our circumstances in this state are not necessarily comparable to those in other states.  Again, your points made are certainly worth unbiased consideration.   

[Spurs Up]

If the skying is really falling as so many believe it is, a two bird limit eventually will seem like the good ole days. The day could be coming when all public lands are restricted by quota and you can't hunt in consecutive years in the same state, including the one where you live. Turkey hunting availability could become more and more like elk or even sheep hunting is now. It'll become a every few years tag.

[Greg Massey]

I just enjoy the spring season. I don't worry about numbers, if i don't kill him today, i get to hunt him another day..

[GobbleNut]

If the skying is really falling as so many believe it is, a two bird limit eventually will seem like the good ole days. The day could be coming when all public lands are restricted by quota and you can't hunt in consecutive years in the same state, including the one where you live. Turkey hunting availability could become more and more like elk or even sheep hunting is now. It'll become a every few years tag.

Although I agree that restrictions along the lines of what you envision are probably coming down the pipeline, I am not quite as skeptical about how bad things are going to get.  Overall hunting permits available for specific hunt areas that are allotted through drawings, and that are based on estimated turkey numbers, may well be in our future.  The same with eventual limitations on nonresident hunter numbers, also allotted by drawings.  in reality, that is probably what should be done.

Of course, all of these future speculations are based on the premise that turkey numbers will continue to decline and hunter numbers will continue to rise.  The real solution lies in restoring reasonable nesting success and poult survival, either naturally or through artificial means.  Whether there is the knowledge and/or willpower to do that remains to be seen. 

[mtns2hunt]

"The real solution lies in restoring reasonable nesting success and poult survival, either naturally or through artificial means.  Whether there is the knowledge and/or willpower to do that remains to be seen.
[/quote]

Agreed: I normally kill 2-5, maybe more if I travel but since I only need one more bird for a second slam I don't feel the pressure I once did. Now I am just as likly to travel for predators, deer or maybe exotics in Texas.

The real issue is the lack of habitat and the increase in hunter pressure either human or animal on turkeys. As I drive to my lease I am amazed at the number of new houses being built in places I used to see plenty of wild >:(life.

[Paulmyr]

I've been 16-20 for quite a few years, fortunately I'm self employed and can literally leave for a month at a time if I want. . One year I killed 27 between spring and fall. I put all of those tailfans on the wall. Makes for a cool display


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I think I'm actually disgusted and jealous at the same time. Part of me says why would a person feel the need to shoot 20 gobblers in on year, another part of me says boy wouldn't that be great to have the opportunity.

[Zobo]

The only year I shot 5 gobblers, 4 spring/1 fall, shaped my outlook on future kill limits. That 4th spring gobbler just didn't have that down on one knee thanking the Lord feeling. After a few months and shooting that fall gobbler, it was back.

This is how I feel, the law of diminishing returns, too much of a good thing and so on. At some point grace and wisdom overtake numbers and trophies and what you find is contentment.