Mississippi proposing changes: Mandatory Tagging and Slight Season Adjustment

[Jbird22]

This is how 2 zones end

Oh great we open earlier for when our birds are right for hunting

Oh damn where'd all these people come from, this is like 30-40% worse than before

We need more restrictions!!! Make the public land a separate season and just let us private land ppl open early

Then that happens. Next step is private hunters in said zone get two openers. They go kill some off their private early (and some off the public edges for who has land that shares boundaries with the public land) and then it's "man so and so wma/NF opener is tomo let's go catch some fresh birds

Omg Jesus there's people everywhere again, we need more restrictions

Make it a draw

Omg the draw sucks, I haven't drawn in years

We need more restrictions

I can skip a few steps here and say I think most get the point. In the long run you'll wish you at least had the opportunities to go hunt vs sitting home waiting to be chosen to hunt from a draw.

I know I'd rather get to hunt scarce birds every year, vs have a fantastic year every 5 while the other 4 I dream about drawing. Also somewhere in the mix is all our leases are being taken from NR who are out bidding us, now we stuck to the over run public land. 


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Not sure why you seem to be taking my opinion on season zones so personal. My opinions are just that, and so are yours. I'm not offended that they don't align. Other posters in this thread have agreed with me so I guess I'm not the only one with that opinion. However, it's obvious season zones won't be happening so at this point we're arguing over a moot point.

Your assumption that I'm "sitting home and dreaming to be drawn 1 out of 5 years" is way off base. I hunt private more than public to begin with. BUT, as a lifetime tax-paying MS resident and lifetime MS license holder, I'd be lying if I said it didn't chap my a$$ that some folks (including non-residents) get drawn multiple times for the same WMA over a period of years that I get zero. I think you get that point, yes? But in post #38 your exact words were "Draws can be whatever as I've never really hunted them.", so maybe you don't.

Being that you're against any new restrictions, I'm assuming you left your comments that you were in opposition to moving back the opener as is being proposed?

[sasquatch1]

This is how 2 zones end

Oh great we open earlier for when our birds are right for hunting

Oh damn where'd all these people come from, this is like 30-40% worse than before

We need more restrictions!!! Make the public land a separate season and just let us private land ppl open early

Then that happens. Next step is private hunters in said zone get two openers. They go kill some off their private early (and some off the public edges for who has land that shares boundaries with the public land) and then it's "man so and so wma/NF opener is tomo let's go catch some fresh birds

Omg Jesus there's people everywhere again, we need more restrictions

Make it a draw

Omg the draw sucks, I haven't drawn in years

We need more restrictions

I can skip a few steps here and say I think most get the point. In the long run you'll wish you at least had the opportunities to go hunt vs sitting home waiting to be chosen to hunt from a draw.

I know I'd rather get to hunt scarce birds every year, vs have a fantastic year every 5 while the other 4 I dream about drawing. Also somewhere in the mix is all our leases are being taken from NR who are out bidding us, now we stuck to the over run public land. 


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Not sure why you seem to be taking my opinion on season zones so personal. My opinions are just that, and so are yours. I'm not offended that they don't align. Other posters in this thread have agreed with me so I guess I'm not the only one with that opinion. However, it's obvious season zones won't be happening so at this point we're arguing over a moot point.

Your assumption that I'm "sitting home and dreaming to be drawn 1 out of 5 years" is way off base. I hunt private more than public to begin with. BUT, as a lifetime tax-paying MS resident and lifetime MS license holder, I'd be lying if I said it didn't chap my a$$ that some folks (including non-residents) get drawn multiple times for the same WMA over a period of years that I get zero. I think you get that point, yes? But in post #38 your exact words were "Draws can be whatever as I've never really hunted them.", so maybe you don't.

Being that you're against any new restrictions, I'm assuming you left your comments that you were in opposition to moving back the opener as is being proposed?

Who said my last post was directed at you. It wasn't. Your assuming my 5 years talk is directed at you. It's not.  Ik how draws can end up (not just a little wma draw) as I deal with them out west where I also see residents are restricted. Don't think it can't happen with turkeys. It's heading there fast, it will START with NR restrictions but it can easily spread to residents.

And yes I did comment, however I commented in support of it. Later date will help relief some pressure (it has too as it can't make it worse by opening closer to other states)

Also, nothing is personal, I just know it will cause more harm than good pressure wise. Take it from someone like me, if the south imaginary zone opened first I'll be there! And then I'll be at the north zone opener to catch those fresh birds. I'm not the minority in that mindset either. People travel and hunt by the hordes now, I see it everywhere I go. I am very confident it will make each zone end up pounded more for their opening weeks.

As for the wma draws,  idc if those are taken away from me as a NR as it won't matter (outside of the loss of opportunity mindset which I'm against). I've put in I believe 3 times in the last 13-14 years. And I'm guilty of not hunting them but 1 times each draw as I couldn't stand not hitting my open public land spot I've learned so well due to the draws!


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[quavers59]

   The Start Date should not be overly attractive  to Arkansas Traveling Turkey Killers.
   How about opening the same day Arkansas opens their Season to avoid Mass Hordes on Public Lands tagging out their limit of Gobblers and leaving resident Mississippi   frazzled and picking at the Crumbs

[wchadw]

   The Start Date should not be overly attractive  to Arkansas Traveling Turkey Killers.
   How about opening the same day Arkansas opens their Season to avoid Mass Hordes on Public Lands tagging out their limit of Gobblers and leaving resident Mississippi   frazzled and picking at the Crumbs

Don't forget LA hunters in the SE zone


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[sasquatch1]

   The Start Date should not be overly attractive  to Arkansas Traveling Turkey Killers.
   How about opening the same day Arkansas opens their Season to avoid Mass Hordes on Public Lands tagging out their limit of Gobblers and leaving resident Mississippi   frazzled and picking at the Crumbs

That punishes residents also with a shorter season


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[silvestris]

I so miss the way it used to be, you know, before the My Pillow guy.

[slave601]

I say a 4 week season. March 25th (same as bama) till April 25th. That's plenty of time to harvest adult gobblers. Mandatory tagging system with leg tag. 2 bird limit. No feed/feeders. Just my opinion and wishes. I've been saying this for years though

[wchadw]

   The Start Date should not be overly attractive  to Arkansas Traveling Turkey Killers.
   How about opening the same day Arkansas opens their Season to avoid Mass Hordes on Public Lands tagging out their limit of Gobblers and leaving resident Mississippi   frazzled and picking at the Crumbs

I looked it up and AR season starts April 17
Based on that and TN opening 4/15
LA is 4/1
I agree with others to split state in 2 zones.
Southern zone starting earlier

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[Clif Owen]

You're pretty close on LA. but not exact. We open the first Saturday of April. I've always been jealous of those states that have definite dates. The only definite date we have is Archery deer which is always Oct. 1st except in a few areas.

[Prospector]

Somebody said less hunters in a previous post : also, nobody really likes the whole draw to hunt deal too much. Everyone wants their cake and turkeys too. So how do we keep it fair for anyone to hunt anywhere they have a legal tag during legal season? Maybe allow unlimited opportunities to come at a price? I mean, make it harder to be successful perhaps? Maybe make sure E bikes don't make it to legal status on public land? No decoys? Shot size and type limitations? No feeders after a certain date or at all? Just asking. Cuz a whole lot of us sure love Turkey hunting. And a whole lot of us see it's popularity and participation sky rocketing- and it ain't THP or Shane's fault bc as I see it none of them are glamorizing the aforementioned technology....they just walking in with a gun and call and getting it done. I ask myself, why ? Well, they seem to work hard at it and are doing it old school. Am I? Are you? I know I know- someone's going to reply and say " whine, whine, whine". BUT, if you want less hunters in the woods while also keeping your freedom to hunt anywhere anytime you have a license? Only one way I see that happening.....I mean I'm really asking- not trying to be a dictator or offensive... how would you do it?

[WV Flopper]

 Two different opening dates in one state IS DUMB.

If you get what you want you will regret it!  BTW, every state has a north end and a south end of the state.

[deerhunt1988]

Here's my rather dim view: Mississippi cares not one whit for the wild Turkey.

I can say with 100% certainty that is false. Mississippi has one of the best wild turkey program biologists/coordinators in the country. And I bet a few others in this thread will vouch for that.

As far as resident licenses being super cheap? I agree 100%. But our state is full of people who griped and complained over the last $15 increase in the sportsman's license.

DH, you've lived down here for a brief period. You really think people will rush to the SE deer zone to hunt if it opens a week or two earlier than others? I just don't see Des NF becoming a turkey hunting destination for someone who hunts H NF, B NF, Del NF, or HS NF but maybe I'm missing something.

I know there will be a rush to hunt the early opener zone. Heck, if I can get a draw, I may even be down there to start my season earlier. This isn't pre-2020 turkey hunting anymore. Social media and YouTube has changed the game, and not for the better. Now will folks keep coming back? Haha, a lot will be one and done. But public land hunters in a "south zone" will NOT like the increase in pressure they see the first few years.

And here I was hoping you and I could have a discussion that didn't involve Youtubers...And no, my desired WMA draw can't get much worse honestly. Haven't been drawn there for 4 consecutive years now. And as we discussed, my local non-draw WMA and NWR will be closed for 3 straight years. So I'd say my public hunting situation is damn near rock bottom in all honesty. Thank goodness for the back 40.

Regardless of all that, the changes that have been proposed have already been decided. The public comment section is just to make it appear like public opinion actually matters. But instead of remaining silent and complaining, I submitted my opinions on each topic. I encourage all residents to do the same whether your opinions align with mine or not.

Think you got the other poster confused with me. But you are right, I mentioned YouTube in my response above. No one can deny the impact it has had. Not drawing is just a sign of the times. When you have a 2x increase in applicants in a few years, it makes it a lot harder to draw.

Public comment is very important. Folks would be surprised about the impact properly submitted public comments have had.

What drastic change? I suggested 5 WMA applications per person. I think that is more than reasonable, especially when you consider that's a possible 10 days out of the 14 day draw window. I know the likelihood of drawing all 5 isn't great but if someone does, do you think they'll attend all 5? Me personally, I apply for 3 because I know that's the absolute most I'll be able to attend due to my work situation. I'm not one to want to take opportunity away from someone who'd actually use it. I think a TON of people apply with little to no intentions of attending if drawn. That's my biggest issue with the draw system.

Tons of people apply for all WMA draws and then don't show up when they draw. You see a lot of posts in the MS Turkey Hunters FB Group of people stating that very thing.

"Drew xyz WMA, never been there before any pointers?"
a week later someone asks how their hunt went:
"Oh, didn't make it. Didn't know the area so didn't go"

I wish the state would outlaw a feeder all together.   In my opinion when the deer feeder was legalized to hunt over, it was the beginning of our turkey decline as a whole. 
Also I'm totally fine with tagging.


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100% agree

And there is even research out of Mississippi State now to support a 100% ban of feed.

Deadbuck you just posted what the Ms problem is!!! over harvest, two buddies killed 10 a year, college kids just keep hunting? You are the problem if you don't report this!!! don't take the season away from us that folllow the law!!  freakking unreal....

This, if you know someone poaching and don't report them, then you have no room to complain. Plus, you even have the change of being rewarded up to $500 for reporting turkey poachers!

I just know there's a drastic difference in when Spring arrives in the 6 coastal vs. the 6 that border TN. The later arrival of Fall/Winter is acknowledged in deer season though. It's just something I randomly pondered.

Having lived on both ends, I'd confidently say a 10-14 day difference in green up most springs.

This is how 2 zones end

Oh great we open earlier for when our birds are right for hunting

Oh damn where'd all these people come from, this is like 30-40% worse than before

We need more restrictions!!! Make the public land a separate season and just let us private land ppl open early

Then that happens. Next step is private hunters in said zone get two openers. They go kill some off their private early (and some off the public edges for who has land that shares boundaries with the public land) and then it's "man so and so wma/NF opener is tomo let's go catch some fresh birds

Omg Jesus there's people everywhere again, we need more restrictions

Make it a draw

Omg the draw sucks, I haven't drawn in years

We need more restrictions

I can skip a few steps here and say I think most get the point. In the long run you'll wish you at least had the opportunities to go hunt vs sitting home waiting to be chosen to hunt from a draw.

I know I'd rather get to hunt scarce birds every year, vs have a fantastic year every 5 while the other 4 I dream about drawing. Also somewhere in the mix is all our leases are being taken from NR who are out bidding us, now we stuck to the over run public land. 


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I've witnessed something similar play out already in another state, and you are pretty much spot on.

BUT, as a lifetime tax-paying MS resident and lifetime MS license holder, I'd be lying if I said it didn't chap my a$$ that some folks (including non-residents) get drawn multiple times for the same WMA over a period of years that I get zero. I think you get that point, yes? But in post #38 your exact words were "Draws can be whatever as I've never really hunted them.", so maybe you don't.

Got it on good word that the situation you mentioned was fixed a year or two ago.

 
   How about opening the same day Arkansas opens their Season to avoid Mass Hordes on Public Lands tagging out their limit of Gobblers and leaving resident Mississippi   frazzled and picking at the Crumbs

No thanks.

[Prospector]

DeerHunt1988. My statement overall is not false.  Deplorable habitat management. Terrible start date. Feeders, wasted money on Harvest Reports....What has been done right? Of course, I'm sure our biologist(s) knows what's best so I guess the real deal is their hands are tied due to $$ and influence . So perhaps we are both right in that respect....

[Shiloh]

I don't think you can get any better leadership than our state biologist.  Huge balancing act to keep both sides (public/commission) happy.  Another good thing about Adam is that he is a hard core turkey hunter who enjoys both public and private hunting just like many of us do. 

[Howieg]

I don't think you can get any better leadership than our state biologist.  Huge balancing act to keep both sides (public/commission) happy.  Another good thing about Adam is that he is a hard core turkey hunter who enjoys both public and private hunting just like many of us do.

This ^^