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

[CALLM2U]

The amount of guys killing 15-20 birds in a year is a VERY small percentage of hunters.   Statistically, this would do nothing to help the turkey population.  It's a waste of time and effort that could be much better used on ACTUAL solutions that could help the turkey population. 

[guesswho]

The amount of guys killing 15-20 birds in a year is a VERY small percentage of hunters.   Statistically, this would do nothing to help the turkey population.  It's a waste of time and effort that could be much better used on ACTUAL solutions that could help the turkey population.

There you have it.

[joey46]

When turkeys are declared migratory these discussions will be relevant.  Someone shooting  legal birds in his home state and then going to another state to continue his season means next to nothing to the future of the wild turkey.  Control the bag limits and season lengths in individual states for resident and OOS is the way to go.  Nothing else makes sense. What FL does to manage it's Osceola has no bearing on how NY manages it's Easterns or MT manages its Merriams.  To believe otherwise is a fairy tale. 

[mountainhunter1]

The amount of guys killing 15-20 birds in a year is a VERY small percentage of hunters.   Statistically, this would do nothing to help the turkey population.  It's a waste of time and effort that could be much better used on ACTUAL solutions that could help the turkey population.

As I stated at the top, habitat and predators are the main issues, but was just hoping folks might actually chime in and state what they thought the turkey population could sustain as far as harvesting by hunters in light of all that is going wrong with the Wild Turkey at the moment. Was just curious about what folks felt that their states could maintain under current conditions.

[Happy]

I am just gonna stick with my stance that restricting legal methods of harvest would do more to help with turkey populations and gobbler populations in particular than most other approaches. And it is a win-win. The states can sell lots of licenses, seasons can operate at a decent length, and there are still more turkeys left over at the end. I get predators are a factor, and habitat is a factor, and on and on. But, the way I tend to problem solve is to focus on the main issue and then to switch my attention to the smaller issues to fine-tune everything for the results I want. In my opinion, the fact that more people than ever are turkey hunting and success rates are higher than what they used to be is the main issue. As a general rule, it's not habitat, it's not predators. It's not the odd guy that kills 15 turkeys. It's hunters as a whole. Address that first, then use predator control, habitat development/preservation, and season dates/license numbers as supplemental alternatives to fine-tune things.

[mountainhunter1]

What about the guy who tags along with another hunter or two through the season who normally doesn't stand a snowballs chance of killing one, and helps them learn a thing or two and even kill a couple?  Then turns around and fills his last tag or two.   Should he be able to assist others while he still has tags, what if he's out of tags?

LOL - what does that have to do with the subject at hand? Who would take issue with helping a new hunter to be successful? Why would you even begin to think that a hunter would be wrong to kill his birds while in the process of also helping some new hunters out?

I was just asking an honest question about what you thought the population could sustain as far as harvest by individual hunters across the country under present conditions. I am a bit taken back by the repeated responses that have little to nothing to do with the subject and seem more like an attempt to zing someone than an honest dialogue. Please remember that I am not your enemy, and you are not mine, and we are much better together as a turkey family than divided. Surely, we both know that habitat and predator are much more so our top issue. But even so, I am willing to hold my fire more than in the past if it can even help a slight bit to save the wonderful Wild Turkey and asked a question along those lines to get your honest feedback about what you felt was sustainable. Regardless, I wish you well Guesswho and will take the high ground and just move on and not comment on the matter again. Good luck in the woods this spring!

[joey46]

Just curious - does anyone know anybody shooting 15 turkeys a year?   My personal record is four.  Two OH two KY in 2003 ( I keep a log).  I don't think even the YouTube's stars shoot ten a year.  When anyone is ready to admit that the near doubling of resident hunters while keeping season lengths and bag limits the same in most states isn't the problem get back with me.  Anything else is fluff and smoke and mirrors.

[g8rvet]

When turkeys are declared migratory these discussions will be relevant.  Someone shooting  legal birds in his home state and then going to another state to continue his season means next to nothing to the future of the wild turkey.  Control the bag limits and season lengths in individual states for resident and OOS is the way to go.  Nothing else makes sense. What FL does to manage it's Osceola has no bearing on how NY manages it's Easterns or MT manages its Merriams.  To believe otherwise is a fairy tale.

We lay off the legal limit of Pintails in Canada (8 per day) and focus on Mallards and other species.  Just feels right for us since that is where the flyway birds come from.  It affects everyone from where we hunt to the Gulf.

It is solely and completely on the state to manage their resource for their state.  Whatever the state feels they can handle is the right thing to do.  Money from license sales goes to each state to fund their wildlife.  Some use it better than others. 

[Zobo]

I'm still so in awe of a full strut gobbler slowly, cautiously, making his way toward my setup. My daughter and I took one small gobbler so far this season. We pined his fan on cardboard and put his beard and little spurs in borax. We just got done eating a great supper of jake scallopini with white wine, olives, capers, prosciutto and basil and fire roasted tomato in olive oil. It was awesome! So, when It comes to how many I always say less is more, honor Gods gift and be grateful for what you get.

[joey46]

I hope many on this thread are nominated for sainthood.  Getting a little deep.

Again and again and again.  Turkeys aren't ducks.  They don't migrate.  They don't care what pintails in Canada do.  The NY gobbler's demise has no affect on what happens to GA's gobbler.  If passing up hunting opportunities gives you  a giddy fee!ing so be it.  Whew.

[RiverBuck]

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

[joey46]

Whatever that means.  Seems like there is a generational gap in some of these comments.

[RiverBuck]

The turkey population is not in as bad as shape as some always describe on this forum. in short, what has changed is the landscape of today compared the hay days of the highest turkey population we had. Todays data shows the turkey populations staying about the same for the last 15 years. Some areas getting better some slightly worse but we have a healthy turkey population. What is changing is turkey hunting numbers. Basically 30,000-60,000 less turkey hunters and less every year.
Some on here refuse to buy that...
If you are seeing more hunters where you hunt or less turkey.. get out of your comfort zone and find a new spot.

[joey46]

That is amazing.  To read these threads there is a hunter behind every tree.  There may be a public land problem in many places however.  We'll see how it all shakes out.  I do check the available telecheck results from two states.  The numbers to date aren't a disaster. 

[g8rvet]

  They don't care what pintails in Canada do. 

That was my point, I was agreeing with you.  Come down off the soap box and read what people are typing. 

If someone wants to pass up birds, that too is their business.  None of yours.  I will join right with anyone opposed to one state regulating another, but I will also hunt according to my own ethics.  Planning an out of state hunt for next year and don't care what the other 48 states do, because it is none of my business.