Should New Jersey Set A Max Spring Gobbler Limit?!

[quavers59]

    Personally,I would like to see New Jersey set a " maximum" Spring Gobbler take at 3 Gobblers Max.
   As it is now- If your Zone/s has any remaining Turkey Permits after the " Lottery"- you can simply Buy as many Spring Turkey P?mits as you want at 21 dollars a Turkey P?mit.
    And buy up those permits in 2 or more Zones if you have the ready money on hand.
   Now- if that Hunter has already got some Turkey Permits from the " Lottery"-- that Turkey hunter might end up having 10--15 or more Spring Turkey Permits!!
   Leaving fewer Spring Turkey permits for other Turkey hunters when permits become available- over the counter.
    With Turkey numbers on the Decline in many areas of New Jersey--- a Change is in order....
  3 Gobblers Max Limit for the New Jersey Spring .Hope it happens in the future...
 

[quavers59]

    I am hoping New Jersey goes to a " more fair" system in the near future.
  Again,I think 3 Gobblers is plenty. More then plenty.
    With Mississippi changing their Spring Season regulations- perhaps New Jersey will follow.

[GobbleNut]

First of all, I know nothing about the NJ regulations other than what you have explained and from the information I see on the NJ DNR site.  Secondly, I fully agree that a three gobbler limit, or less, may be warranted, especially in a state the size of NJ and with the ever-increasing interest in spring gobbler hunting nationwide. 

Having said all of that, from reading the information on the NJ site, it appears to me that the intent of the spring regulations is to limit any one hunter to two gobblers.  So, my question to you is,...have you actually tried to purchase more than two permits?  Secondly, have you contacted your DNR, discussed this with them, and got a full clarification on whether it is legal for someone to purchase unlimited over-the-counter permits if there are any left after the two lottery drawings? 

Your concerns are certainly warranted if the system is actually set up the way you describe it.  Admittedly, I only did a cursory examination of the site and perhaps I missed something, but I get the impression from what I read that the "intent" of the regulations is that hunters are limited to two spring permits. 

And finally, even if your interpretation of the regulations is correct, with the increasing popularity of spring gobbler hunting, it would be hard for me to believe that there would be many OTC permits available after the two lottery draws such that someone would ever have the opportunity to just keep buying up permits and end up with unlimited opportunity.  Surely there is currently enough interest in spring gobbler hunting in NJ such that the quota would be reached long before someone could buy up the number of permits you say would be possible.

If that is indeed the case, I agree that the system needs to be changed. 

[quavers59]

No Sir Gobblenut- 1 Spring Gobbler is permitted each day. However if that Hunter is succesful on a Monday- that hunter can purchase another turkey permit over the counter " if" more Turkey permits are still available for that " Zone". And this can continue on and on.
  And you can Buy a permit for another Zone as well.
    So yeah- if a hunter is Greedy and has the time and the money- that Spring Hunter can easily buy 15 or more Turkey permits.
   Thí System needs to change pronto.

[GobbleNut]

No Sir Gobblenut- 1 Spring Gobbler is permitted each day. However if that Hunter is succesful on a Monday- that hunter can purchase another turkey permit over the counter " if" more Turkey permits are still available for that " Zone". And this can continue on and on.
  And you can Buy a permit for another Zone as well.
    So yeah- if a hunter is Greedy and has the time and the money- that Spring Hunter can easily buy 15 or more Turkey permits.
  "The System needs to change pronto".

Sounds like it.  How do the rest of your fellow NJ turkey hunters feel about this?  If your opinion is universal among your fellow hunters, the way to affect change is to organize and lobby your DNR to get it done.  (This is one arena where the NWTF clout is a benefit.  If you have a state NWTF chapter, you should contact the leadership and find out where they stand, and if they agree with you, petition the DNR to get things changed)

[Southerngobbler]

Hopefully whoever manages for bears in NJ doesn't have a hand in turkey management. I heard they completely shut down all bear hunting even in places people claim is over run with bears. Living in FL I know how that's gonna play out, you'll never get to hunt them again. Just run them out of your garage or yard every night. Be care full mentioning turkeys with that crowd, they'll shut everything down.

[turkeyfool]

Originally from NJ. Moved to the Midwest and started turkey hunting when I lived in western IL even though there's really not many turkeys in Henderson county. Moved to Tennessee and ramped up more. Now I'm back in NJ, but I've never actually turkey hunted here. I travel to New England pretty much every weekend

[TrackeySauresRex]

We have bigger fish to fry in NJ. This governor here is trying to stop hunting all together. The fish and game council and the commissioner couldn't agree on the 2021 bear season so it was canceled. 5 or 6 WMA's were closed due to some BS... safety and protection of the natural resources. This is what they want to do. They want to mange it by stopping it all together. This guy don't give 2 toots about anything, except taking it all away.
    The northern part of the state was unbelievable turkey hunting back in the 80's they did nothing to correct the rapid decline. There are now 4 zones in the southern part of the state that are doing well. My personal belief zone 20 could be in trouble. Will find out more when the numbers come out. The permit system is a lottery separated in weeks. A,B,C,D,E. Week E would be all Saturdays. I put in for the lottery in week one A. Then buy over the counter week two B. I'll also purchase D because it's a two week permit and all day hunt. I get out a couple of days with it because I hunt other states. I've never had a problem in getting a permit and was never able to get 2 in one week in the early season. You can get permits in the central and northern part of the state easily but only have small pockets of birds now.
    We definitely need help all the way around. 
   

[quavers59]

    Well put TrackeySauresRex! I usually buy Permits for Time periods- A,B,C,+D in North Jersey.
   So- 4 Turkey Permits good for 1 week each with the "D" permit good for 2 weeks. But,I am not killing any Turkeys in North New Jersey.
   Mid to Red Hot South New Jersey is where the Gobblers are now.
  NOT FOR LONG THOUGH AS PENNSYLVANIA  TURKEY HUNTERS BUY UP PLENTY OF TURKEY PERMITS.
   When the Wanaque WMA was dropped and instead added to become part of Ironworks State Park-- I just knew NJ would  not be spending any money for anything wildlife related in North NJ.
   Where is money going??

[simpzenith]

   Thí System needs to change pronto.

Why does this need to change pronto? It actually sounds like a great way to manage populations and prevent overharvest by limiting the total number of permits available, much like Wisconsin does it.

In a state that gives out several OTC tags to every hunter that purchases a hunting license, you have no way to prevent over-harvest in times of surplus license sales (Covid for example).

In a state like Wisconsin or NJ, no matter how many additional turkey hunters are added, the total number of turkey permits sold, per zone, is capped.

This is the system that should be implemented by all states and would keep most happy. The fella that wants to kill one turkey then go fishing the rest of the spring is happy and the fella that wants to hunt until the end of the season is also happy.

[TrackeySauresRex]

   Thí System needs to change pronto.

Why does this need to change pronto?

In a state like Wisconsin or NJ, no matter how many additional turkey hunters are added, the total number of turkey permits sold, per zone, is capped.

Because there not making adjustments. They are continually selling the same amount of permits with a declining population. Just like the did in the northern zones.

[quavers59]

   Simpzenith- the problem " and it is a growing problem" is even with a capped quota of total Spring Turkey permits along with - weekly Turkey Permits for each Zone + Time period- thêre is a growing group of very Skilled Spring Turkey hunters taking Advantage of the - over the counter sale of Turkey Permits.
    And alot of thêse Spring Hunters  can Kill 6-8- 10+ Gobblers in 1 or more " Hot Zones".
   That is why NJ should " Cap" the Spring Gobbler Limit at a Max of 3 Gobblers per hunter.
  Now- some people say 2 Gobblers Max .
  Now- perhaps that Fisherman who took that 1 Gobbler decides he wants to Turkey hunt again and finds out at the Bait Shop that all Turkey Permits are sold out as " Bob" bought the last one yesterday after killing Gobbler #8 the 2 days back.
   

[TrackeySauresRex]

   Simpzenith- the problem " and it is a growing problem" is even with a capped quota of total Spring Turkey permits along with - weekly Turkey Permits for each Zone + Time period- thêre is a growing group of very Skilled Spring Turkey hunters taking Advantage of the - over the counter sale of Turkey Permits.
    And alot of thêse Spring Hunters  can Kill 6-8- 10+ Gobblers in 1 or more " Hot Zones".
   That is why NJ should " Cap" the Spring Gobbler Limit at a Max of 3 Gobblers per hunter.
  Now- some people say 2 Gobblers Max .
  Now- perhaps that Fisherman who took that 1 Gobbler decides he wants to Turkey hunt again and finds out at the Bait Shop that all Turkey Permits are sold out as " Bob" bought the last one yesterday after killing Gobbler #8 the 2 days back.

I'm not so sure if I'm in agreement with this (respectfully) . 

Here's my reason, If yer hunting in the south there is no way you can get over the counter tags for the hot zones. They were sold out in minutes, I was in zone 20 for years and lost my spot in that zone. This happened right before the deadline, I didn't know where I was hunting in NJ last spring. With some scouting, I had to check out some other areas after the deadline. So I was only purchasing OTC, I was not in the lottery. Them tags were gone in 2 of the zones in the blink of an eye. If yer lucky,, and a skilled turkey hunter week 3 was always a week that sold out last. Generally you'd be able to get another permit if you tagged out early in the week.

[quavers59]

   I hope to nail a Fat Jake thí Fall in the Public Hardwoods.   Just 1 Fall Turkey is all, I want.
  Hens get a Pass.

[TrackeySauresRex]

   I hope to nail a Fat Jake thí Fall in the Public Hardwoods.   Just 1 Fall Turkey is all, I want.
  Hens get a Pass.

That's something I've never applied for.