How many birds to take from small property

[Bucktale]

I've been lucky to hunt a friend's small property in NE Florida the last few years. It's a real honey hole. Only a few acres but surrounded by several hundred. On camera, before season I had at least 5 mature Toms along with a bunch of jakes and hens. I shot 1 of 5 Toms that came in 2 weeks ago. I called in 3 for my buddy who shot 1 a week ago. My son called 2 a couple days ago and his friend's wife shot 1. All mature birds. Lots of jakes and hens wandering around too. Last hunt, there were at least 2 or 3 others gobbling around.
My question is, how many gobblers could be killed without adversely affecting future years? The landowner doesn't hunt and I'm the only one he let's hunt it. He does like meat from the birds, so we keep him supplied. It's up to me how many are shot?

[Happy]

I have been working with a buddy on managing his population. The rule of thumb i gave him was to be able to hear at least two gobblers by the end of season. We heard 4 the last day of season and he killed one. This property is under 200 acres and the properties on 3 sides are hunted, the 4th side is off limits to everyone. Yesterday morning he texted me and said he was hearing at least 5 from his porch.

[dzsmith]

If hunting somebody's yard surrounded by somebody's else's multi hundred acre big property and taking 3 birds off of it already doesn't bother you, then why does it even matter . A few acres don't hold turkeys , your killing them because of the adjacent land owner.... And nothing more. I'm not trying to sound insulting to you , smoke em if you got em, however .....I don't see the real concern from a management aspect of "a few acres". To answer your question I would assume as long as the adjacent property has turkeys and they don't kill them all , then you will always have the potential to have a bird to hunt there. If there's gobbling birds there when you finish from year to year , sounds like you should be ok for at least one more .

[g8rvet]

I would talk to the neighbor. 

I hunted a 400 acre farm and tried to be max of two-me or guest.  That seemed to keep birds there over the years. 

[Marc]

Small property, I am not shooting more than 2 or 3....

Toms getting killed will also run off the hens...


Small property with problematic birds, I'll take a few more.

[Bucktale]

Thanks for responses.  To clarify, The acreage around the property is hunted.

[Bucktale]

Sorry, NOT hunted....

[Marc]

Birds will learn to avoid the property they are being shot on...

I would avoid shooting a single tom out of a group of birds....

[silvestris]

Turkeys do not recognize property lines.  What your neighbors do is as significant as what you do.

[WV Flopper]

 I do in No way believe the comment that birds will avoid a property that they are shot on, that is wrong!

I have killed turkeys within the same 100 yards for years. I have killed multiple turkeys with my back again the same tree year after year.

Kill the turkeys, don't scare them. Before you start, there is no argument to this.

[Zobo]

     You need to learn more about the adjacent properties. It's true what dzsmith said, you are in essence hunting the larger parcel. You took 3 this season, how many last season and the years before that? Do you go onto the adjacent property to hunt, I'm assuming you do a little. Getting permission from that land owner would really help you learn the lay of the land. 
     I would be conservative with the number you take. Its good there are jakes around but you want to avoid that guilty feeling that comes with thinking you over did it. And you're probably just about right there now if you're thinking about it and posting this question.

[MK M GOBL]

I have several private farms I hunt and one is "Kill them all" landowner, and while I don't,  I kill more birds off that farm and never seems to affect the next years hunt. 200 acres and have killed up to 9 toms off it in a single season...


MK M GOBL

[WV Flopper]

 Wouldn't be a hog or deer feeder on the small couple acre property would there?

Just curious.

[Bucktale]

No feeder and don't set foot on the adjacent property. You've mostly confirmed my feeling not to take any more off the property this year. Thanks for the input.

[wchadw]

I know I try to kill every Coon on 350 acres every year. And every year, there are plenty more...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk