Question In Line With The Subject Of Resident and Non Resident Hunting

[joey46]

Guess you told me a thing or two .

If you haven't noticed many on this thread seem to be shocked that people even dare to  travel and shoot birds in other than their home state during this turkey shortage emergency.  I long ago discovered that turkeys weren't ducks and didn't migrate.

[g8rvet]

Whatever.    Preach.   


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[runngun]

Someone asked if we knew of anyone who usually killed 15 or so a year.  I  know 3, local to me, who do this with consistent results.. But they spend a lot of money and time as well. No telling what they spend in gas alone. I  talked to one of them in the middle of April, and he has been struggling. He's only killed 5 at that time. He said that he is usually at 10 by the middle of April. But I talked to him later, and his total is up. Bear in mind that this is over numerous states. All three guys are extremely good hunters, and they are all very well liked. They are all trappers and have been at it for years.
And for the guy who said that his group passes on Pintail numbers,  I certainly appreciate the kindness because unless they changed the regulations, we can only take ONE!!! To me, the 2 prettiest ducks are Wood ducks and Pintail!!!!
I can say in my area that I hunt, which is a lease, I hunted every day from April 01 until the 17th, and I killed my limit (02). I didn't have a single bad day hunting this year.  Turkeys were there, and one morning, I called up 14 jakes,  and another location was 6 jakes. Reports of jakes all over the lease. So next year should be even better. 
Remember that we are in this together and we all should be friends.

Have a good one, and May God bless y'all, Bo

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[Kylongspur88]

Many on here would benefit greatly if they listened to the wild turkey science podcast.

I'm a fan of it. To the OP I think the question of how many any one hunter can or should shoot is too broad of a question. Populations vary from state to state. Even in my own state some areas of the state where I hunt have had a major decline in birds whereas other areas are very good and stable. Aside from weather effecting hatches which no one can control, I think the two main factors that should dictate harvests limits are pressure and habitat. This has to be a localized analysis. So it would make sense if a area that has high pressure with declining habitat that's coming off a poor hatch it should be given a lower bag limit. But in reality I doubt wildlife agencies are capable of this type of localized analysis and bag limit application. It would take a lot of staff and money to survey this type of thing. Then you'd have to get the commissions and appointed folks on board with limiting bags. Imo, at the end of the day the best we can hope for is that turkey hunters themselves analyze their own areas and if they feel numbers are down then exercise some self restraint and practice habitat improvement for the benefit of not only themselves but future hunters.

[g8rvet]

Many on here would benefit greatly if they listened to the wild turkey science podcast.

I'm a fan of it. To the OP I think the question of how many any one hunter can or should shoot is too broad of a question. Populations vary from state to state. Even in my own state some areas of the state where I hunt have had a major decline in birds whereas other areas are very good and stable. Aside from weather effecting hatches which no one can control, I think the two main factors that should dictate harvests limits are pressure and habitat. This has to be a localized analysis. So it would make sense if a area that has high pressure with declining habitat that's coming off a poor hatch it should be given a lower bag limit. But in reality I doubt wildlife agencies are capable of this type of localized analysis and bag limit application. It would take a lot of staff and money to survey this type of thing. Then you'd have to get the commissions and appointed folks on board with limiting bags. Imo, at the end of the day the best we can hope for is that turkey hunters themselves analyze their own areas and if they feel numbers are down then exercise some self restraint and practice habitat improvement for the benefit of not only themselves but future hunters.

There were two counties in my state that were closed for years.  Then went to one.  Now back to normal. I now hunt one of them. 

[WV Flopper]

 I had read this yesterday and didn't comment. I read it again today and still feel the same so will share my thoughts.

100 spring turkeys in one season should be about right for one guy. I am making a big assumption, that averaging all states together at a 2 per year take. Then throwing in Mexico for a Goulds and Oscillated turkey.

Now, can you imagine the Logistics nightmare this would be? Can you possibly imagine how much money this would cost? Do you realize the impact of one cancelled flight? One lost bag?

100 in a year. That's an accomplishment! I would be greatly impressed by the accomplishment. I personally think its impossible! To do in 49 states and Mexico in ONE year. But, I am fine with it.

Ask your self. How much do "I" contribute to a charity"Turkey Fund" each year? How much gas money do you burn turkey hunting? License fees? Lease fees? Hotel cost? Property taxes? Clothing? Guns? Shells? These guys running multiple states are paying their way, and some.

I do know a few guys that kill over 20 turkeys a year, a couple double that.

I wait all year for turkey season. It is here, I am hunting. Left one motel in one state today for a motel in another this evening. OMG, I am an OOS...

Just so happens it was one of the over crowded states that public is slammed. I didn't see another hunter, I did hear a hooty who, but not even a vehicle at a gate. All states issues are not the same. Not all state populations are the same either. There are turkeys.

Pay a lease, buy some private, get permissions on private, I don't care, but don't regulate me because of your lacking something. Do for your self before asking for help from others, including the Guberment. You are entitled to NOTHING!

[g8rvet]

I don't care, but don't regulate me because of your lacking something.

Especially if lacking something in a state you don't even hunt! 

[quavers59]

  I don't think any State should have a 1 Gobbler Spring Limit. 2 should be the minimum... Plenty will kill 1 and stay off Social media and report the 2nd Gobbler killed.
   Probably  no State now should allow more then 4 Max. 
    States should set a definite  limit. No loopholes like New Jersey.
   

[Prospector]

Don't know the " magical" answer to a hard # here. Just a thoughts on my part: if populations are down as a whole then you kinda have to look at what is the one ( or more) things being done wrong everywhere. Well, habitat maybe. Predators, maybe too ( btw, people are predators too). Imho, the state agencies either don't or can't do a lot to help anyway. We want wild turkeys in huntable numbers in the future? You better not wait on the state agencies to do a dang thing....

[idratherb]

I'll be out of popcorn on this one, holy smokes...

[Marc]

Let me clarify, my question had nothing to do with whether a person has the means financially, or the time and ability and family support to hunt all over the nation each year. I too would say just based on those unrelated factors to go for it as far hunting new places if one is able to do so. My question was posed on the angle of what can the turkey population sustain?

I will expose my ulterior motive in asking this question and it is not aimed at the non resident hunter or yourself, so please don't think otherwise. But - with all the data showing that the bottom is dropping out of the turkey population all across the country without hardly any exceptions, and then you see those saying that he/she is all for killing 20 or more birds if they have the means to do it - it is pretty easy to know that that individual does not have the turkey's best interest in mind.

A man insisting on killing 15-20 or more turkeys each spring with the turkey numbers down as bad as they are right now is kind of like a husband and wife sitting at the table and realizing that they only have 500 dollars left to spend for the month on un paid bills for them and the kids, and then the husband looks across the table and tells his wife that he is going to go and buy a Benelli M2 the next day and that she and the rest of the family can sit on a tack if they do not like it. Pretty clear that the husband does not have his family's best interests in mind at that point.

To be clear, I have never traveled out of state, or further than a couple hours to hunt turkeys...  But, I am planning on traveling at some point for turkey hunting (I would especially like to kill some Merriam's in Merriam country)

My thoughts:

*The percentage of people killing those 20 birds is very low, and likely not playing any significant role in the decline of turkeys.
*The people with the time/money to do this are very often shooting private grounds with sustainable turkey populations
*The people with the time/money to do this are very often putting the most money back into conservation, and likely have a net benefit (i.e.putting more in than they are taking out).  Maybe not all of them, but it is these avid hunters who are often ponying up the monies for the conservation that is so terribly needed.

And, not knowing anything about the family dynamics of a given situation, I would be extremely hesitant to judge someones personal family ethics based on how much they travel and hunt.  You are making some awfully strong assumptions here, with zero grounds to base them on.  Maybe the person is single, maybe he is retired with the kids moved out...  Maybe he makes his hunting trips into family trips...  Maybe he is a turd that abandons his family for a couple months...  I have no idea, and would not make any judgements on something, simply cause I could not do so.

[joey46]

I'll be out of popcorn on this one, holy smokes...

Yes - this entered the category many post ago.  What is good for New Jersey has no bearing on Oregon or WY or NM etc etc.  Ask any "old guy" and he'll tell you that wildlife populations have an ebb and flow.  Anyone that thinks the wild turkey is soon to be put on the endangered species list is a nitwit.  Adjust bag limits and season lengths and things will shake out.
Of course the states must ban all OOS hunters and keep the resident license cost under $5.00.   

[Gooserbat]

Ever how many an individual hunter has the time, money, family support and the law will allow.  If that's two, then two, if that's 20 or more, so be it.

Perfect answer.

[Old Gobbler]

It's a non migratory species and is not subject to federal oversight ...if we were to invite federal oversight..I'm sure the end result would be similar to whatever the "midas touch " the federal government is so proficient at performing..you could expect them to screw that up like they have done with the education system, higher education the list goes on and trust me there is more I would like to say in it , but I'm sure the rest of you read the news too


Florida is in serious trouble , I've been warning the "sky is falling " due to more so habitat loss than anything, yes we have out of staters but I'll be a hypocrite if I took a anti out of stater position , because yes like the rest of you ..I hunt out of state on a regular basis

The average Oldgobbler forum member doest exactly represent the "average" everyday turkey hunter

I would say our membership is  representative of the extremely serious, that's a much smaller percentile of the average guy that hunts a weekend or two , hunts local low hanging fruit locations, doesn't travel out of state ..doesn't spend top dollar on equipment leases , and so on 

If we start a anti out or stater movement, it will have very little effect on the big picture, but I guarantee the antis/PETA will eat it up because any way to limit hunting is a win for them

[Kygobblergetter]

I haven't read through all of these posts but I don't see any issue at all, or any harm to any population if a guy wants to travel to all 49 states and shoot one turkey in each of those states every single spring. I believe it's much harder on turkey populations if people stay in one spot and keep shooting as many birds as they can


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