State Bag Limits- Too Many Or Too Few?

[eggshell]

Bag limit changes are not the end all solution, as we all know. Instead of hanging up the gear many hunters just go on to other states or they start recruiting people to call for and take hunting. I know a guy that fills his one tag and then proceeds to take anywhere from 5-10 additional people through the season. Since we have had a one bird limit he is actually responsible for more birds then when he was hunting his own two.

When it comes to money, I imagine in most states turkey tags generate a very small % of the game commission's funds. they will never dictate the attention deer and fishing does, it's simply a supplement to most agencies.

[Gobbler428]

I wish we could put a limit on the timber harvest particularly in the Southeast. That's the threat to turkeys and reason for the decline.

X2

[Paulmyr]

I wish we could put a limit on the timber harvest particularly in the Southeast. That's the threat to turkeys and reason for the decline.

X2

It's not the harvesting of timber that's the problem. It's the changes in timber management over the years that gets them to the point where they can be harvested that's the issue.

Apperently I must be wired differently than some. When I see logging activity in a big forest setting it gets a pin. No bigger attractor in the big woods in spring than an opening big or small, natural or man made.

These openings provide the security of open space during periods of rain and better yet prime nesting and brood rearing habitat if managed correctly.

If you want more turkeys let the timber companies cut. What needs to be put in place is a management plan conducive to wildlife through the all the stages of a growing forest after said cutting. A thinning regime needs to be put in place to allow light to get the forest floor after the initial 2 to 3 year benefit seen from the logging.

Recent studies are indicating the number one factor effecting turkey populations is the pathetic availability of quality nesting and brood rearing habit throughout the country. It is also becoming apperent to many that any disturbance especially fire and logging that allows light to the forest floor is extremely beneficial to wild turkeys.

Closed canopy hardwoods with open understories are not the the answer. Great for fall winter habitat and of course hunting. Not so great at providing the requirements needed to bring a turkey from egg to adult. There will be turkeys around but the population will not come close to its potential unless " proper" management practices are put into place that and  includes disturbances like fire and logging.

[mdmitchell]

I think it needs to be broken down more specifically, one thing Illinois does well is county by county tags and the smaller state lands are tag specific for that one place.

They also have 5 separated seasons.

I don't like seeing opportunities taken away however the focus should be on population effects, which may be minimal?

I wouldn't mind seeing a premium to get a second tag, and or not allowing a second tag until you fill the first.

I like one bird per day restrictions and even one bird the first week like Missouri.

Keeping non res off federal land is a joke!

Tom's are supposedly expendable after peak breeding but there would be less on the landscape to hear and work from year to year.

Hopefully the Covid effect starts to slow down!


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I have a love hate with the IL regs. I've spent my whole life crossing the river from IN to IL for deer and turkeys (we own land and all my extended family is from IL). The cut up seasons are annoying as hell but I also appreciate them because it enables the state to provide more tags. If they had a month long open season they would never be able to issue the same amount of permits. And I agree wholeheartedly that the county quota system is great tho I do wonder what data they're running that off of because their broke govt ain't sending biologists into my neck of the woods.

Then on the other side a 5 day season really can suck if you hit bad weather or something comes up at home...

[Marc]

In just about everything we hunt here in the U.S., habitat management would make more of a difference than harvest management.

Things like CRP programs, managed burns, tree planting, etc...

And rather than harvest limits per hunter, I would think that harvest quotas per area would be better.  After so many birds are killed on any given wildlife area, shut it down....

Turkey populations will rise and fall drastically independent of hunting depending on the yearly habitat conditions.  Would not take them long to come back strong, and it certainly does not take long for them to plummet.

[ruination]

I am looking for it - But once upon a time I found the harvest data per hunter for NJ.  A place where you could kill a gobbler every day of the season if you had the money for tags.

Something like 4 people killed 5+ turkeys.  But the vast majority of the turkey harvest was people killing 1.  I bet you could extrapolate that across the country.

I guess the point being, is a 5% harvest reduction (bringing it down to 1 bird) going to actually make a difference.

Bigger issue is always going to be habitat and predator control.

[High plains drifter]

That parking lot pic is outrageous!!Yhat would piss me off!!

[ScottTaulbee]

1 bird in IN here. 1 bird in KY on public - 2 if private. IL is 2 I'd you're willing to pay for multi tags which I do not so I stick with 1 bird.

Personally I love the 1 bird limit. It helps the birds and keeps the woods from staying busy all season. Guys fill a tag and they're done.

It's crazy to hear the bag limits in the southern states as compared to what we typically have in the Midwest.

You're still allowed 2 turkey in KY on public. You just can't kill them both off of the same place


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[ScottTaulbee]

That parking lot pic is outrageous!!Yhat would piss me off!!

That's every parking lot, WMA or National Forest around here. Last year, opening morning I took my dad on his neighbors place and around 9 or so he decided he was done hunting. I went to that particular WMA and it had more trucks than that, at every pull off, I went to 6 different counties, 15 different parking areas on several WMA tracts, and a ton of NF land. I drove from around 9:30 am until 6 pm, found one spot that didn't have a vehicle, went in and was working a gobbler, he's maybe 70 yards away, coming. He slicks up, takes off running, 45 seconds to a minute later, here come two guys, no facemask, no hat, no gloves, short sleeve shirts, carrying their guns like they were on the cross, and walked 30 yards right by me. Had no clue I or the turkey was ever there. I went back to the truck and drove home. 400 mile round trip, got out once, walked for 25 minutes, was set up for maybe 15 minutes and then back on the road. Unfortunately, that's the common theme around here the past 2 seasons. 

It's almost to the point of ethics and morals being damned, I'm going hunting right in amongst em because that's the only way you're going to be able to hunt at all. Gonna have to bust right on through there and chase the same bird along side of them. They do it to us.


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[jimmyg97]

In Illinois we can get 3 birds. Counties are allotted so many tags per season, so I can't blame non-residents on a declining population the state already decided that's how many birds can be taken out. Now there are other things that are frustrating such as parking in non-parking areas on public ground. This is supposed to be illegal according to the site rules, but out of state plates are always parked on the side of the road for an easier walk. Sure come hunt our state, I may want to hunt yours one of these days. The regs are easy to find online, take 5 minutes and read them before your hunt.

[mdmitchell]

1 bird in IN here. 1 bird in KY on public - 2 if private. IL is 2 I'd you're willing to pay for multi tags which I do not so I stick with 1 bird.

Personally I love the 1 bird limit. It helps the birds and keeps the woods from staying busy all season. Guys fill a tag and they're done.

It's crazy to hear the bag limits in the southern states as compared to what we typically have in the Midwest.

You're still allowed 2 turkey in KY on public. You just can't kill them both off of the same place


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Ahhh ok thanks for the clarification

[Joneshunter]

I think 2 is perfect number. Honestly I would be content with one. But 2 is a good middle ground

[Cowboy]

I live in a multiple tag state, but I'd be okay with 1 gobbler IF I knew it would help the population recover. I get more than one tag, but I'm not looking to fill them all. It's more about getting to be out there than stacking game for me.

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[quavers59]

    All States should raise the price of a non resident Turkey Hunting Permit. I would have no problem  paying double the cost of a New Jersey Turkey Permit which is $21 Bucks. Jersey should charge $42 Bucks for those tags that non residents need to buy.
    And my home State of New York should definitely  raise the price of a non resident Turkey Permit. Currently- for $20 Bucks you get 2 Spring Turkey Permits and 1 Fall Turkey Permit. 3 Tags for just $20 Bucks.No wonder New York has so many non resident Turkey Hunters visiting every Spring. And a NY non Resident  hunting License only costs a low of $100 Bucks.
    A few here has said that limiting non resident Turkey hunters to 1 Gobbler is the way to go . I agree.

[Tail Feathers]

It is one in my part of Texas.  Eastern birds here.  I think the four bird statewide limit is high and should go to three.